This is a guest post by James Martell from AffiliateMarketersBootcamp.com.
Whether you are just starting out in your Internet business, or have been at it for a while now, there are some important steps you need to take when developing quality content. Some of this might seem very basic to those who have worked for a while now, but a refresher never hurts.
I am not going to go into much detail on why quality content is important, as I’ve done that in a few other articles. This time I am going to focus on the actual development of material that will attract the attention of Google, an important ally to have when working with the Internet.
Google no longer is friendly to fluff material that are articles stuffed with keywords, yet no substance. They have the ability to zero in on quality content and weed out the material created for computer spiders, rather than humans. Gone are the days of spinning and stuffing.
So, let’s get down to what can help you in creating Google-friendly content.
1. Designated Work Space. I have touched base on this a few times, but will continue to do so, due to its importance. I am a firm believer in having a dedicated office or space for work, when working from home. Working from the dining room table, or living room couch will typically lead to less than professional results.
If you can’t designate an entire room for an office, then find a corner in a low traffic area of the house to set up shop. There are multiple corner computer desks for home to choose from and can fit in nicely. Make sure that everyone in the home knows this is your work area. In other words, it’s not a place to gather around and play games…and when you are sitting there, you are working.
After you have set yourself up in a professional atmosphere, then you are all set to move on to the next steps in creating quality content.
2. Define Quality. In order to define quality, you need to know what your readers are looking for when they visit your site. It doesn’t matter how much time and effort you put into your site. If it’s not what the reader is after, they won’t stick around.
Therefore, quality is actually defined by their opinions, not yours, or even your time spent in producing the site. You need to produce content that answers their questions, or provides solutions for them.
A good example would be a review site. If you are looking to invest in a particular product, you might seek out reviews before purchasing it. When going to a review site, you will most likely appreciate an honest review, over a well-written biased one with all pleasantries. So, by divulging the good and bad of the product, you are giving an honest review that is valuable to the reader. In other words, high quality content.
3. Relatable Story Telling. Take a look at popular print publications. You will probably notice a similarity between them, and that is they are telling a story and relating to the reader.
Conversational style writing is popular for a reason. People are drawn to what they can relate to, and feel connected to when reading. Talking about real experiences, events, and people make the story real. Talk to the reader as if you are telling them a story in person, filled with relatable experiences, links, and quotes.
4. No Need to be a Natural. When I first started my affiliate marketing career in 1999, I had no writing experience in my credentials. I was in carpentry, actually. Sure, I love to tell a story, but not necessarily on paper. Podcasts are my forte.
Knowing that I needed quality content, I realized that I had to find a way to write. I tried for a while, but soon sought outside help. And, I learned something interesting from one of the writers. She told me that she spends triple the amount of time in research than she does the actual writing, no matter how well she knows the topic.
The significance of research is that it helps you to learn what people are saying about the topic, as well as what they are looking for. It also can enhance what we already know and make for a great piece.
5. The Development Process. The process to developing quality content can be broken down into steps, such as the following:
- Research – As mentioned above, it helps to enhance the product. So, do a lot of research, and take notes. Also, include links and quotes that are relevant to the topic.
- Outline – Putting everything into an outline helps with development, by laying out the story, giving it a much easier flow for the readers. Use this outline to pace the story from start to finish.
- Reality – Using real events, people, and experiences adds credibility to your story. It also helps a reader relate to what you are saying.
- Format – It’s best to use shorter paragraphs, rather than those that are long and drawn out. It will help with a reader’s attention span. Also, use subheadings and bullet points when possible, to break up the reading, as well as informing them what is coming up.
- Finishing – Upon completion, read through it to find any errors that might be there, as well as making sure all questions are answered.
Knowing these steps will help you in creating quality content for your website, which will keep readers coming back for more. However, even if you plan on outsourcing this part of the business, it gives you an outline of what to expect and works as a guide for checking work that comes in from those you hire.
6. Technology. Being in the Internet business, we are already relying on technology. But, there are so many tools available to help us in our careers to make it easier, quicker, and more efficient. Some of those are items such as video conferencing, Smart Phones, software for organizing or writing, and so much more.
However, if technology intimidates you, it’s not a problem. There are plenty of people who are willing to assist you. If you are wondering how does video conferencing work, simply ask a sales clerk, or get on message boards. It’s worth it, because video conferencing can save you a lot of time and money by being able to host meetings right from home.
Smart Phones and iPads can keep you connected, no matter where you are, so you don’t miss important messages. Technology is constantly changing and improving. I suggest you do some research on what the latest tools are, on a regular basis.
Well, that is my opinion on the best steps in creating quality content. I am interested in knowing what you have to say about it all. Please leave questions or comments in the comment box below.
yeah good point. I also recommend getting dressed for work especially if you work at home you need you mind to enter a professional space.
Having your own space is like having your own information database. So having one is important to keep things organized.
Some article writers doesn’t consider those things maybe its because they follow their own tactics and strategy in writing articles but they dont know the effect of it once they have posted it over the internet.
Story telling writing style is considered best, no doubt about it. It also helps in creating quality post which your readers like and ultimately Google would like it too.
Agree, Quality content was one of the Google’s basis on how to rank each sites. Also consider giving a time to check the relevancy of what you have did for your website. We must be very keen on it for it is also a factor in Google’s eye.
Well I think the best way is to keep your self fresh. Fresh mind produce fresh content which refreshes readers mind or it may give you old reproduced content.
James, you have said some of the must to have things for having the attention of Google towards the stuffs we produce in online world. Your affiliate marketing’s experience is a good example of showing that writing is necessary in some situations. In today’s world , one has to cope with the evolving advanced technology and that’s what I learned from your last point!! Thanks James.
Very useful tips James.
I usually do the research and send that to my writers with the main structure that I want for the article. This helps them a lot to stay on topic and save time. Anytime an article comes to my e-mail, I smile from satisfaction. Content is very important for a blog, and I insist on having quality.
Having a Professional space in your house for blogging is very important. It adds a Pro style to your post and in you too. I love filling my blog with wonderful contents. But as you mentioned, making every post attractive and easy to read, I will keep that in mind. Thanks for sharing.
Story-telling is certainly a great idea for effective content creation. Telling an audience a story (that’s relevant to your niche) works because it keeps readers hooked from beginning till end. That, in turn, increases the time spent on a site. When users spend more time on your site, Google start to think highly of the same.
While telling a story, you should always remember to address the key issues of the target audience. Any audience loves to hear a story, which can provide them learning lessons for life.
Thanks for sharing these great ideas, James.
Hi James,
Google is constantly improving its algorithm to enhance the users experience. If people are searching for information, they want to be educated and find out new interesting information that they didn’t know. Unique, fun, interesting articles are what makes a reader come back to your site to see what else you have to say. Writing quality content is really broken down to just 6 simple steps as you stated above.
Research is essential when doing a website. I agree with you James that content is so important. For creating good content it´s absolutely necessary to research and continue learning new things. Research on the Internet is good as long people don´t just copy and paste.
Regards.