In our entry on the changing landscape of web design, we briefly touched on content best practices. It would seem the post was timely, as a recent social media summit addressed the same topic.
If you followed our advice by adding a blog or reworking existing content, you may be interested in learning more about the latest in content best practices. After all, the algorithms are ever-evolving, therefore your site should be too.
Write For Your Readers
It may seem obvious, but companies new to blogging are skipping this critical step. Put forth content your readers understand, can relate to, and will share. If your entries read robotically, people will close the window and bestow your site with a high bounce rate.
By writing for your readers, you will improve peer-to-peer recommendations and social media sharing. You may also discover other websites will link or share your material to boost their knowledge base. All these attributes factor into your search engine ranking.
Regularity
Beginners and old pros understand content creation is time consuming. Large companies hire copywriters to ensure they have new information to share daily. Smaller companies are happy to publish one every month. Whatever you or your team can manage, your goal is to keep it regular. Consistency can boost organic traffic flow, improving your search engine results page rank. Irregular or rare updates will ensure your site is downgraded and ranks poorly in the results.
Word Count
At one time, 250 words was ample. Suddenly, the magic number increased from 300-450 words. In February 2014, a study was released showing posts with 2000+ words ranked highly with Google. Talk about inconsistencies in what constitutes the “best” word count. In the end, it comes down to a simple statement: Forget what Google wants, connect with your readers.
Gone are the days of irrelevant topics or keywords to solely boost your ranking. Instead, give customers an opportunity to learn more about you or your business. By offering clear, concise and relevant information, you are setting the foundation for solid content best practices, no matter what the trends.