How To Start An Internet Business ? Content, Content, Content

When it comes to e-commerce, the time-tested cliché is, "Content is king." In this case, the cliché is correct.

Content

For the purpose of this article, content is defined as pages of text on your site. Content is often broken down into two categories, primary pages and information pages. Primary pages are the core of a site, to wit, the home, FAQ, site map, about us, contact us and service or product pages. Information pages are additional pages that support the primary pages, explain your service or product and answer questions. Primary pages convert visitors while information pages generate traffic.

Primary Pages

Preparing content for your primary pages must be done carefully. You should have a list of keywords you want to highlight for each page. Using these keywords, content should be written clearly and concisely. Do not sacrifice the flow of your text in an effort to maximize the placement of keywords. While this common mistake can lead to quicker search engine rankings, it can damage your conversion rates and give visitors the wrong impression of your business. Traffic is useless if it can't be converted to money. Focus on converting the visitor into a customer.

Information Pages

Information pages serve a number of functions. First, they explain and support your primary pages. Second, they build credibility by providing evidence of your extensive knowledge and expertise. Unlike primary pages, information pages can be written with more of an eye to keyword manipulation.

Information pages also form a critical platform for promoting your site. The pages should be written in such a way as to be easily converted into articles. The articles should be submitted to directories for publication with a byline including a link to your site. As the articles are published, the byline will dramatically increase the link count of your site. The higher the number of links to your site, the higher you move in the rankings.

Information Page Subjects

If information pages are so important, how do you come up with topics? There are three methods.

The first step is to review your product or service. Pages should be created providing explanations for the most simple to complex elements of whatever you are promoting. Make sure to cover basic items. For a real estate agent site, topics should include 1) how to buy a house, 2) how the process works from beginning to end; 3) how escrow works and so forth. Never assume your prospect understands some element of your product or service. Once these pages are created, the site should be significantly bigger and, thus, more attractive to search engines.

The next step is to review the results of the keyword research conducted when you decided to build a site. Looking down the list of keywords, focus on keywords with less than 1,000 searches a month. Every one of these keywords is a potential topic. Because there are few monthly searches, competition for rankings under each keyword phrase is probably low. As you site gains links, the various information pages will move up into top rankings. If you have 50 information pages each producing 100 clicks a month, they will produce 5,000 free clicks a month. Assume a conversion rate of 1/100 and you have 50 sales. As more pages are added, the figures will continue to rise.

Finally, forums are an excellent place to find topics. Forums are sites where people gather to discuss issues related to a particular subject. The discussions typically start when someone posts a question. Each question is a potential topic for a page on your site. Make sure to focus on posts with lots of replies, as the number of replies reflects the amount of interest in the topic. To find relevant forums, simply search for "forum + subject" on any search engine.

In Closing

Google, Yahoo and MSN frequently change the algorithms each uses to produce rankings. Such changes can blow holes in search engine optimization strategies. Continually adding relevant content to your site is just about the only method to smoothly ride these fluctuations. After all, content is king.

Halstatt Pires is with http://www.marketingtitan.com - an Internet marketing and advertising company comprised of a search engine optimization specialist providing meta tag optimization services and Internet marketing consultant providing internet marketing solutions through integrated design and programming services.

---

Tell Them Whats in The Can!

What does 'the can' mean? Well, its literal meaning relates... Read More

Start doing online business using B2B Portals in Six Steps

I registered with a B2B site but what's next?This is... Read More

Delivering Information Products Through Paypal Automatically

Paypal is one of the wonders of the web. Never... Read More

The Internet and Customer Care: Aid or Anarchy?

It was reported in 'Marketing' magazine this month, that Britain... Read More

7 Suggestions for an i-Mom Friendly Web Site (e-commerce news and statistics)

The Internet began as a male dominated medium, but those... Read More

How To Eliminate Credit Card Refunds From Digital Thieves

Can you encounter the number of times where a Credit... Read More

What Does It Take to Make Money Online?

What a loaded question! Let's narrow that down a bit... Read More

Is ClickBanks Popularity Drawing To An End?

ClickBank is the Internet's most popular payment processor for online... Read More

Doing Business Online ? Private B2B Exchanges

Business processes are the building blocks of an enterprise. If... Read More

7 Questions to Ask A Potential Internet Merchant Account Provider

Recently I went looking for an online merchant account, with... Read More

10 Second Internet Person, sound familiar?

Some people do not understand the Internet idea of online... Read More

Accept Credit Cards Online Without A Merchant Account

It is often assumed if you want to accept credit... Read More

Selecting The Right Shopping Cart For Your Website

Shopping Cart Installation And SetupShopping cart technology has evolved to... Read More

How To Implement E-Business Solutions Successfully

Pitfalls of E-business solutions installation processA large distribution company has... Read More

E-Currency Exchange: The First Bonanza of the 21st Century?

The 21st century has introduced the world to a new... Read More

Tell Site Visitors What To Do

Your site visitors make all the choices when it comes... Read More

Excuse Me, Are You Wasting Traffic?

The largest cost and concern of an internet business is... Read More

5 Powerful Ways to Make Money Online with a Website

There are many ways to make money online and the... Read More

Precautions Necessary for an Online Brokerage Business

Maybe no business requiring little or no capital pays as... Read More

Is ECommerce Right for Our Business?

If your business features products or services for sale, undoubtedly... Read More

Dont give up on your business!

Summer must be when many work at home Mom start... Read More

Web Store - Why Do You Need One?

Internet has opened a new era of business opportunities. Each... Read More

Accepting Credit Cards For Your Online Business

Did you know that one of the best ways to... Read More

Starting An E-Commerce Business

The development and expansion of the Internet has made business... Read More

How to Receive Payments for Your Online Sales

Once you decide which products you are planning to sell... Read More

Intranet Project Names - Some Ideas

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose... Read More

Six Components Of A Good E-Commerce Site

Businesses, which are still sitting on sidelines and not doing... Read More

Bringing the World to Your Door

According to Internet.com, by the year 2008 nearly 30% of... Read More

Succeed With Your Own Home Based Business

An internet business is by far the best way to... Read More

How to Generate Cash from Your Web Site

The Internet has changed the way people do business today.... Read More

Intranet Portal ? Business Case ROI

The days of easy money are overIn these post-dot-com days... Read More

Does Your Shopping Cart Have a Squeaky Wheel?

Have you ever gone grocery shopping just before a holiday?... Read More

Cheap Cigarettes, Discount Tobacco and Cigars Online - Is It Legal?

Many people online today still believe that buying tobacco products... Read More