Content - How do you Become King?

Let's hear it, how do you get to the top of the content provider ladder?

[Nick_W]

So,

We all know that content is king right? - There are many ways to both write and aquire content.

How do you do it?

Personally, I like to write original topical pieces and subsidize it with on-topic commentary of other peopls (in my nicke) content.

C'mon, let's hear it: How do you generate your content?

Nick

[Mohamed_E]

C'mon, let's hear it: How do you generate your content?

1. Power up computer.
2. Scratch my head.
3. Type in content.

Is there another way?

[brotherhood of LAN]

4. Fire in some references too

[kevinsl]

the best way IMO? let other people create it for you.

[digitalghost]

>>C'mon, let's hear it: How do you generate your content?

Start tapping away on the keyboard. After I research the topic. Sometimes the research will lead to ideas for many more topics. By the time I'm done, I have 40 or 50 pages for that session. (one day).

Edit, edit, edit, cut and paste. Publish.

40 pages of raw content get trimmed to about 10 pages of finished content.

[creative craig]

I use atomz as a site search engine, once a week they send me an email that tells me what people have searched on, I check it and can then tell what people are interested in and what new pages of content need to be added.

Craig

[georgeek]

I use atomz as a site search engine, once a week they send me an email that tells me what people have searched on, I check it and can then tell what people are interested in and what new pages of content need to be added.

That is an excellent idea imo and very creative craig :) - Thank you

[too much information]

I search different boards with the same topic as my site, then if I find something really good I ask the person if I can publish it. It usually costs me a link to their site, but the bonus is their site is relevant and I usually get a link back.

I would say that around 25% of people won't respond to a request, but another 25% are so excited about it that they will write more and send it to me.

From their topics I can then generate my own as well. Let's face it, we are not all experts in every aspect of our topics, you have to get help every now and then.

[jbinbpt]

Our websites are basically infomational since we manufacture and sell wholesale.
Whenever we hire a newbie in the office, I grab them to read the websites as the begining of their training process.
They are asked to point out errors, conflicts and so on. As the rest of their training proceeds, they are asked to let us know what has been left off of the sites.
jb

[Ivana]

When you write for the web, you have to remember that it's text on a screen and not text in print. It's quite likely that your audience is very different than it would be off the web.

The reading process is different from print. The structure of your copy therefore has to be different from print.

You need shorter paragraphs, emphasized words, lists, repetition, summing up and probably more volume. People skim, they don't really read, so you need to tell them where in the text the important information is.

You need clear, unambiguous copy because your readers are impatient. The want the info and they want it now.

I had a temp job as a student opening letters with signed returned contracts for a credit card company. The customers were sent an original contract for signing and returning and a copy of the contract to keep. The copy had 'COPY' written in grey across it. More than 50% signed and returned the copy.

This was print and if they don't even read that properly, how do you think they'll read your online copy? It's something like that you should expect: People who don't actually read your copy but still expect to understand it.

[jimbo_mac]

re- atomz:

you're right, I use it on one site and have had some great little nuggets come up.

also, login in and check words as they only email you a weekly list of phrases.
A pity they don't have a csv file you could download.

[killroy]

Using findfast, same deal as atomz. Give me recent searches and top 50. I can also go in and get it daily or hourly, great source for new topics.

I've also recently found that Many non-profit writers, like universities, or professionals (doctors and the like) Happyly give reprint permissions with credit by-lines, some with, some without links.

Affiliates are harder. Some want exclusivity (yeah RIGHT!) for reprint rights. Others reprint themselves, they are easiest, they get permission for you from their source, and can't really deny you since it's not theirs. They often get it form the producer or wholeseller of the products.

Otherwise I have a sci-fi book author as my researcher and content writer. Man does he have the PERFECT skillset to produce online copy :)

Often it takes more creativity then you'd think, even (or especially) for factual stuff. Most of the time I have to remove the 80% of hype from sales copy and then replace it with factual research from other sources.

SN

[creative craig]

I've also recently found that Many non-profit writers, like universities, or professionals (doctors and the like) Happyly give reprint permissions with credit by-lines, some with, some without links.

I like the sound of this and might look into it :)