In this issue:
- How to Manage Your Site's Content Like a Pro
- Resource Roundup: Content is King, No Bull
- The Lighter Side of the Web: Halloween Treats
- About Web Insights
Issue 24original publication: October 31, 2003
last updated: August 18, 2006
Feature Article:
Manage Your Site's Content Like a Pro
by Deborah Christie, POP Interactive
Q One question we're asked on every website project--big or small--is, "how do I tackle my site's content?"
AIf you view dealing with your site's content as a tedious task, you're not alone. Developing and managing website content is a challenge every time a site is created, redesigned or updated.
As a result, it often seems that not enough attention is given to web content. So before getting into the how to's of dealing with your content, here are some reasons why it's so important to allocate time to work on it regularly.
You know content is king, but do you realize how many visitors may be abandoning your site if you've not made content a top priority lately?
Keep in mind, it's likely that your ideal customer has spent the morning sifting through spam, searching the web and leaving numerous sites in frustration before arriving at your homepage. Often they're not even sure they're in the right place when they get there.
If your content isn't clear and convincing, you could be missing out on countless opportunities. Especially since more and more of your prospective customers are relying on your site as the main source for information about your products and services.
In fact, according to a recent article on Internet.com: "The September 2003 study points to the Web as the preferred medium, with 51 percent of executives naming it as the most important business information resource." The study referenced was conducted by Survey.com for Forbes.com and GartnerG2. Read the full article:
- Internet.com CyberAtlas: Biz Leaders Prefer Web
[http://cyberatlas.internet.com/markets/professional/article/0,,5971_3087341,00.html]
There's no way around it, you have to stay on top of your content. Here are three recommendations to make managing yours easier and to encourage you not to put it off:
1. Take Inventory of Your Content
A content inventory will give you a roadmap for starting
your content project. So if you don't already have a
comprehensive list of the pages on (or planned for) your
site, you should make one. You can do it in Excel, Word
or whatever program you prefer. Here's a sample template[http://www.popinteractive.com/downloads/ContentInventory.xls] [Excel]
we've created to help you get started.
If you have a larger site, you'll find it easier to use a
tool that will automatically generate a site map. One of
my favorite tools is Maxamine's Analyst software
(http://www.maxamine.com), but there are a number of other
tools available, such as the popular Xtreme SiteXpert. ([Editor's Note: This resource is no longer available])
As for the information you should include in an inventory,
this is what I like to see:
- Page Name
- Filename or URL
- Section Name
- Originating Format (i.e. Word, Quark, etc.)
- Owner (person who creates or maintains page copy)
- Update Frequency (how often copy should be updated)
- Creation date (if available)
- Last updated
- Notes
I find having this data essential for managing a
site's content.
2. Prioritize Your Pages
The next steps in making your content more manageable
involve prioritizing your pages. And it's simple to do
once you have your content inventory.
Step 1: Identify the pages that are okay and those that
need to be updated, improved or removed.
Think of this as your OUCH factor--Outdated, Unnecessary,
Current or Have to write--because you know there's no gain
without pain. (I know I said I could help make the process
easier, but unfortunately it won't be totally painless!)
Step 2: Prioritize each page to identify the ones that need
immediate attention and the ones can wait. A simple
scale of 1 to 3 (1=high, 2=intermediate and 3=low) works
well.
Now you're ready to start creating, fixing and fine-tuning
your content.
3. Copy Write With an Expert--or Like One
When it comes to creating great content, the best thing
to do is to hire a professional copywriter, if you don't
have one on staff.
If you've not done so before or if you've had a bad
experience, don't be put off. A good copywriter will pay
for herself over and over.
If hiring a professional is not an option for you, here are
some helpful resources to get those creative juices flowing.
Headlines
Headlines on webpages are just as important as Titles on
books and Subjects on emails. If you don't engage your
audience immediately, you may never get a second chance.
Copywriting
Make sure your message isn't lost on your readers. These
resources can help you stay focused on giving your audience
clear and informative content.
With more people using the web to make purchasing decisions,
there's more at stake than ever. I can also tell you from
experience that the effort you put into your content is
directly proportional to the results you get back from your
site. So I hope you will take on the challenge and start
managing your content like a pro today.
Resource Roundup: Content is King, No Bull
These two resources are meant to give you a break from the
heavier reading involved above while keeping your content
on track and jargon free.
Hot off the press: I received the announcement of the
following event just as I was finalizing this issue of Web
Insights. It's definitely worth checking out:
Lighter Side of the Web: Halloween Treats
What could be better on Halloween than ice cream and M&Ms?!
Happy Halloween!
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