How to Develop and Manage Website Content Effectively

As a website owner, the development and management of your content is perhaps your single most important task. Content is what any online business is built on. It markets, drives traffic, sells, and establishes your credibility, authority and brand. Content is the key to your success. Here are five ideas to help you develop and manage your website content effectively.

1. Keyword suggestion tools – You probably used keyword suggestion tools to choose your niche and position your business. However, keywords suggestion tools are great tools to help you develop your content too. Keywords change over time and keyword suggestion tools can help you stay abreast of trends and change in demand.

As you create your content plan for the week, month or quarter, use keyword suggestion tools to help you develop content topics. One good hour with a keyword suggestion tool can give you enough content topics to write about for the next month.

2. Analytics – Analytics can be one of your most useful content tools. Your analytic data can tell you:

a. What keywords people are using to find your website
b. What topics are most popular and most often read
c. What topics are most often commented on
d. What path your visitors take when they arrive at your site
e. How long visitors stay on any given piece of content
f. What content people most often link to

All of this information is extremely valuable. The topics that are the most popular and heavily trafficked are gold mines. You can and should write more content on these popular topics.

3. Logical organization – Have categories that fit your keywords. When it comes to content management, logic often goes out the window. The key to making your site both user and search engine friendly is to create a logical hierarchy of content. Your primary keywords should ideally be your primary content categories. That way visitors can quickly find what they came for. Your secondary categories can then be supporting content pieces.

4. Plan ahead – How many times have you sat down at your desk and thought, “I have no idea what to write about?” Plan your content well in advance. Plan it to support your product launches, special promotions, seasonal shopping and other content. When you plan your content for the next three to six months, you’ll never be at a loss for a topic. Additionally, all of your content will serve a purpose and support a goal.

5. Repurpose content – Take advantage of the content you’ve already written. Use reports to create articles and blog posts. Rewrite articles for article marketing and newsletter content. Repackage articles into reports. Subdivide e-books into reports and so on. A little polish and revision can offer new value to readers. It can also help you grow and market your business.

Content development and management takes a plan. Evaluate your existing and future content. Make sure your navigation and organization make sense for your visitors and the search engines. Make sure your content supports your business goals and offers value. Content is essential for a successful website and online business. Maximize your efforts for a better return on investment.