People enjoy reading interesting facts about an industry they’re curious about.

Why?

Facts are a quick read, they may be funny or astonishing, and they can certainly be educational.

You could offer a new fact on your home page each week, with the old facts archived and searchable elsewhere. The content would be a wonderful addition to a site. 

For example, here’s an interesting fact for a baby or pregnancy site.  

“The largest number of children born to one woman is recorded at 69. From 1725-1765, a Russian peasant woman gave birth to 16 sets of twins, 7 sets of triplets, and 4 sets of quadruplets.”

Yikes!

In some cases, you could even expand the fact to a full page of content by offering your take on a particular subject.

Why not give “facts” a try? 

Robin 

Digg It | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Reddit

What questions do your Web site visitors ask you? What do you do with those questions after you answer them?

Why not get more “bang for your buck” with those questions by creating Web pages for them?

You’ve got a couple of choices. If the answers are short, answer them on an FAQ page.

However, if the questions are long, answer them on an individual Web page. With each page you add to your site, you’re creating more entry ways for your potential visitors/buyers to find your site.

With each keyword-focused (question-focused) Web page, you’re opening additional windows of traffic into your Web site. After all, if one potential customer asked the question, others might consider it important as well.

Robin

Digg It | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Reddit

How many times do you go to a search engine and type in a question, or even a partial question?

What is the heat cycle for cats?

How can I add an image to a Web site?

How can you repair a scratched CD?

How many journalists use blogs on a regular basis?

Where is my tax refund?

People use the Web like a giant encyclopedia. We trust it to have all the answers. So why should our competitors provide the answers, when we could pull in the traffic to OUR sites?

Do you provide content on your site besides just the products you sell?

Start adding content here and there that answers questions about how to use your products.

Do you sell ties? Create a page on “how to tie ties.” Create others on how to clean ties if they’re stained with mustard, ketchup, blood, etc. Do you sell the cleaning products? Even better! Link to the cleaning products in your copy.

Do you sell hats? Create a page on how to clean the type of hats you sell. Create another page on how to keep the hats looking new. Link to hats in your copy.

Do you sell auto supplies? What about some “how to” pages? How do you install brake pads? How do you change the oil in a car? What are some simple maintenance tips for keeping your vehicle running in top shape? You could even create a downloadable form for your visitors to keep track of the maintenance they do on their vehicles, including ordering supplies from you.

Do you sell candles? What about some tips for what to do with excess candle wax? Or, how to get candle wax out of clothing or off furniture. Create separate pages devoted to each.

Remember to keep each page focused on one topic (question) only. Create a new page focused on a new question (topic). Build your Web site content in this manner, and you’ll be adding valuable content for your Web site visitors. Also, be sure to link to your products in your content as appropriate.

Good luck!

Robin

Digg It | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Reddit

After leaving my poor blog on its own for way too long, it’s time to infuse it with content and creativity.

For a blog to be successful, it needs a few things:

Content

Links

A devoted owner

I’m ready to pick up the pieces and move forward. Join me on a journey into how content and creativity can transform a Web site into a masterpiece.

It should be fun.

Robin

Digg It | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Reddit

One of the differences between copywriters and creative writers is that creative writers use fiction skills in their writing. Using the five senses in their writing is one of those fiction skills.

Don’t panic with the thought of using “fiction” skills. Using the five senses isn’t hard to do. Let’s try it.

For example, it’s fairly easy for a real estate agent to describe a home for sale by stating that it has hardwood floors, a winding staircase, and an impressive entry way.

But let’s add in the five senses:

Before you ever step foot in this turn-of-the-century home, you’ll realize you’ve found a true work of art.

Inside the entry way, the crystal chandelier lights up the newly refinished hardwood floors. You can almost envision Clark Gable crookedly grinning at Scarlett O’Hara as she glides up the winding staircase, the sounds of her girlish laughter and the swish of her green velvet gown echoing behind her.

The smells of the home are a mixture of old and new. Fresh paint and hardwood floor stain mix with the smells of antique furniture and old rooms.

As you walk up the winding staircase yourself, feeling the solid banister under your fingertips, you almost feel as if you’re taking a step back in time. Better yet, you’re going on an adventure.

* * *

We were able to add in sight, sound, smells, and touch, but not taste. We could have had Clark smoking a cigar.

You don’t have to add characters to your content to add in the five senses. They just  seemed to fit in this scenario.

Try using the five senses in your Web copy and you just might discover that your content is much more vivid and alive, bringing your potential customers into the content with you.

And that, my friends, is your goal.

Robin

Digg It | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Reddit