 | | | Content 101
Why Content?
1. Turn your site into a destination
According to Forrester Research, content is the number one reason visitors return to a site. Add frequently updated, relevant content to your site and you'll increase your site's functionality and usefulness. The result: you'll get more page views and a greater number of unique visitors.
2. Increase stickiness
Once visitors arrive, the depth and breadth of your content will keep them on your site longer.
3. Sell More Products
Third party, objective context for the evaluation of goods and services attracts and educates your customers, increasing e-commerce revenue. Forrester Research concluded that companies "must tap context to capture commerce" and found that "one site that manually places relevant offers next to content is getting an 8% click-through."
4. Build Loyalty
By providing personalized content, you can achieve true one-to-one marketing. The result is a loyal consumer. According to Excite's co-founder, Joe Kraus, "people who personalize their page return 25 times more frequently than people who don't."
5. Build a Community
Relevant content provokes feedback and commentary, and that in turn builds a community. Visitors will want their say, creating even more fresh content.
6. Generate advertising dollars
Frequently updated, relevant content yields greater page views. The simple math of more page views leads to higher advertising revenue. And with personalized content, you can more narrowly segment your audience and thus realize higher CPMs.
7. Build your Brand
Your content defines your company's personality. Partnering with top content producers will raise your own corporate profile and credibility.
8. Allows you to Differentiate
Dynamic content can set you apart from your competition and give you a significant strategic advantage. End-users are hungry for relevant content to augment their Web experience. Delivering on this need before your competitors do is key to establishing yourself as a leader in your end-user's mind.
Why Syndicated Content?
The best way to add content to your Web site or wireless community is through syndication. Syndication allows you to achieve the following:
1. Keep Focus
Rather than create content internally or sign multiple distribution deals, syndication frees you to focus on your core business.
2. Short Turnaround Time
You can get a wide variety of customized content set up in as little as two weeks. Headline links can be set up in a matter of minutes.
3. One Contract, One Point of Contact
Dealing with one entity makes the process hassle-free.
4. Cut Design Time
A singular content delivery format makes integration into your site easier.
5. Greater Flexibility
Syndication allows you to easily change content as your needs change.
6. Save Dollars on People
You don't need to hire a staff of writers, reviewers, maintainers, formatters, programmers and business development people to generate or obtain your content.
7. Save Dollars in Technology
Plugging into existing systems means no need to maintain special servers, content storage, tools or backup systems.
8. Minimize Your Financial Commitment
Syndication means smaller month-to-month costs rather than large, up-front capital investments.
What Makes Content Effective?
1. Freshness
While some content, such as tutorials, can have long-term value, the majority of users come to the Web for the latest information. Repeat traffic is built by providing content that is frequently updated.
2. Relevance
Content needs to connect with the target audience. Filtering from the best brand-name content providers ensures that you're providing what your audience is looking for.
3. Trusted source
Web surfers know you're not the only option. If the content doesn't meet their standards, they'll go somewhere else. Make sure you know who's writing the content you're syndicating.
4. Dynamic
A Jupiter Consumer Survey found that 36 percent of respondents believe that video adds to the online experience; 33 percent said they often listen to audio content on their PC (Jupiter Consumer Survey). Keep your site on the leading edge by offering a variety of dynamic content.
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