Spring Cleaning Your Site: Have You Covered the Basics?

What is the real goal of a website? To have a voice? To spread a message? To get found? Whatever your goal is, the basic rules of content remain the same. As of 2012 more than 78% of people in the US are Internet users. And in an age where more people in the world have access to cell phones than toilets and where two thirds of people sleep with their cell phones it is likely that your online presence actually means more than your physical presence.
 
We understand your concerns. The Internet is a big scary place where people hide behind pseudonyms and your reputation can depend on a single bad review or hateful comment. And when you are developing your online identity there are almost too many rules to keep in mind to ensure that you aren’t being crushed by your competition. First, ask yourself these questions when monitoring the content on your website:
 
Is it important?

Having the right information on your site is the most important part of content management. If people will come to your site to find information about a college, don’t give them information about dogs. It’s simple: what do people need to know. Having a “mission” or “about” page usually can mitigate some confusion, and make sure the information people are coming for is there. You don’t want to be a restaurant without an address or hours, and as obvious as that seems it can relate across the board.
 
Is it relevant?

Your target audience should be your best friends. You should know where they hang out, what they Google and their favorite Starbucks order. That way you know where to position yourself. If you are just screaming above the noise then you will be lost with everyone else. You want to be seen as an expert in your industry to create a dependable relationship But if you are speaking the same language and touching on topics that your audience really cares about then you bring the conversation in close. That is where the impact is made.
 
Is it recent?

If you aren’t updating you are gathering dust. Think of it like a plant you buy and forget to water. It might look okay for a while, maybe even continue to grow and prosper. But eventually it needs a little TLC and if you neglect it, that living-breathing organism will start to look decrepit and abandoned. You want your audience to keep coming back to your site, learning and loving your content so they can be your biggest advocates. If your site looks the same after a month or two has gone by you probably are losing fans. Hey, how do you expect them to care if you don’t?
 
Is it dynamic?
Between Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the other 500+ social media websites that exist, you can’t have linear content anymore. It is important to be able to open the channels of communication with your audience. Sure, 100 blog posts are better than 50, but 50 blog posts, 5 videos and 3 eBooks are even better. This creates content that will reach more platforms and therefore more people.