Fresh Content Brewed Daily
July 10, 2004
A plague is afflicting many Web sites on the Internet today: stale content. Have you visited a site and found the content to be severely outdated? Do you return to that site? Probably not. In fact, research shows that a quarter of small to medium-sized businesses are at risk of losing customers simply by not keeping their Web site content updated. Fear not — there is still hope. Here are a few simple ways to keep your content up-to-date.
Customer Showcase
The work you do for your clients is very important! Be proud of what you do, and let your visitors know what products or services you provide for your clients. Have a section on your home page to discuss the “before” and “after” of your latest client. Visitors will easily relate to this information, and your featured client will love the free publicity! (Be sure to get permission before using a client's name / story though.)
Add a “Latest News” section
If your company is doing something new, tell the world about it!
- What projects have you completed?
- What awards/achievements have you won?
- What are some industry trends your potential clients may be interested in?
- What are your future plans?
A “Latest News” section is very easy to implement and even easier to maintain. You don't have to add exhaustive content, just enough to keep the site fresh. Let customers know what makes you stand out! Believe me, your visitors will appreciate your efforts in keeping them informed!
Blogs
A Weblog (blog), one of the latest and most talked about online trends, is essentially a journal on the Web. Someone with little or no technical background can update and maintain the blog. Visitors can add their own comments, which is a great way to increase interaction. A blog is even a better way to inspire outside links to your site. The more links you have, the better, especially if Search Engine rankings are important to your business! We've incorporated this technology for several clients with fabulous results.
Update the Site Design
Attract attention by changing the look and feel of the site. Your business is constantly in a state of change, and your Web Site should reflect that. Change the color scheme to match a season or holiday. Write an article relating to local events. Google typically changes their title graphic to correspond with Holidays. Many people visit Google simply to see the updated image. It works! Ask us how we can implement a solution which will allow you to easily change the look of your Web Site!
A Plan for the Future
The beauty of a Web Site is that unlike printed brochures, they can be updated with very little expense. Unfortunately many businesses launch a site without a plan to keep it updated. You simply must keep adding fresh content if you intend to take full advantage of the Web and keep visitors coming back!
Depending on your industry, Web Site content should be updated daily, weekly or monthly. Search engines will also index your site more often if you frequently update, improving your ranking. Maintaining Web Site content is just as important as changing the oil in your car. If you neglect the responsibility for too long, it won't remain a functioning part of your business.
Creative Arc creates Web Sites that allow for expansion and flexibility. With the proper foundation, your site can easily stay up-to-date without requiring a Web Developer to tweak every addition of content.
To learn how Creative Arc can keep your Web Content fresh, contact us for more information, and inquire about our “free usability analysis” of your current website.
