Content

It’s a noun.

Written Words

The written word is the lifeblood of the Internet. When search engines look at your site they aren’t looking at how it looks. They look at the words — what you say and the words you choose. That makes words pretty important, eh?

They call it “content”. That’s a noun, not an adjective.

Content is my favorite part of the Internet. Below are ways I create content to satisfy customers and search engines:

Feature Articles –  Comprehensive, long form and well-researched, feature articles present expert information about products and services and items of interest in the news about them. Search engines like these for establishing authority. They prove you know your stuff.

Blog Posts – Blog posts differ from feature articles in they they are more conversational and usually shorter. It is a casual style of writing intended to connect with people for the express purpose of getting a response. Storytellers like me thrive on blogs. I love provoking response — even negative responses — in my blog posts. There’s no such thing as bad publicity. Tough topics should be approached head-on.

Content Calendaring – Any business or website needs to establish a steady stream of fresh content to be relevant. You can’t just put up a website and expect people to keep coming back if there is nothing new. I am an expert at developing strategic content plans.

Research – There is not a business out there that is not changing. Keeping up means constantly researching new methods, different products and ways to explain it all. Behind all good content are hours and hours of research. This is one of my core skills.

Podcasts – I have been podcasting since 2010. I approached it with great timidity because, at the end of the day, I’m actually a very shy person. Podcasting begins with great ideas followed up by strong research and great writing. It helps to have a little Johnny Carson in you, too. Interviewing on the fly is critical to captivating audio content. Producing a podcast also requires exceptional sound editing skills, a talent I’ve picked up in the past decade. I can produce any kind of podcast you need.

Videos – How many times do you turn to YouTube to figure something out? Imagine how the perception of you will increase if you showcase your expertise in a helpful video? Videos are expensive and time-consuming to produce. But they are a critical form of communicating your expertise.

Newsletters – A great email newsletter provides service and value. Very few email newsletters out there actually do that. I can produce email newsletters that bring folks back to your site, your products and your services.

Forums – Forums were the first level of social media. They are still relevant today. Building a community takes much more beyond site design and forum layout. It takes time, engagement and thick skin. I have been managing forums since 2004.

Feed Management – Feeds are still relevant, though the technology behind them has remained fairly stagnant. They work as long as they put out engaging headlines that draw people back to your site. There is a science and strategy to it.

Form Design – You need to stop looking at forms as merely a means of data collection. They are customer interactions. Your design of forms and how well you respond to them is a critical part of your content strategy.