Forum Moderators: not2easy
Given the state of WebmasterWorld, do you think we could use and sustain a general forum about {i]content[/b]? We've looked a a whole range of new forums. We have the tech and promotion end of things covered well. I just see us having a "hole" for coverage about content itself.
Input welcome and appreciated.
"Content" is a broad subject and I am not sure what your goal would be with this topic specific forum. Would it be content insofar as what is suitable, grammar, presentation, clarity.... It seems like an infinite and finite topic at the same time. Beyond saying that content should be clear, concise, and relative to the purpose of the site, what is there to talk about besides how wonderful the webmaster is :)
It's early and I wasn't thinking in those directions. But at the same time, would not those topics be covered in other, existing forums?
How does one go about starting off a website with no content?
How to be creative with for site stickiness?
Visual content and textual content?
Active content vs static content.
Content providers and solutions (like newsfeeds).
Just some ideas.
It is the single biggest 're-education' issue for our customer base.
Most of our customers are small to medium local concerns. Often they haven't a clue about what should go into their web site.
Of course, we advise them to the best of our ability, but we are not vain enough to think we know it all.
Any new ideas more than welcome.
Marshall,
<playing devils advocate myself>
Of course most ideas are covered by other fora, but then Google might once have been covered by 'alternative search engines'. I think the question should be 'is there enough potential input fill a forum?'
</playing devils advocate myself>
I think there is, but I may be wrong. I can already think of a shed-load of starter posts - so the first week is filled!
Copywriting, working with copywriters.
Copy and the sales pitch, a fine line.
Arranging the content on the site and on the page itself.
Creating content around keywords and phrases.
Tips for content generating and success.
Keeping content fresh.
Integrating articles from others into the site.
Email sales content [as in follow ups to downloading software to get them to buy]
Making the copy work for more than one search engine.
<added>As 4eyes has mentioned, in just a few hours we have enough topics to go one for a week at least. Once those discussions start I don't think it would difficult to move on from there.
(edited by: paynt at 11:22 am (gmt) on Oct. 8, 2001
I got work to do. Talk to you all later.
As Marshall pointed out, some topics are covered in other forums, but one like this could have a specific emphasis. For example, the HTML forum covers design, but a content forum, having a broad, goals-oriented view rather than being specifics like JS and CSS, etc., could cover issues like effectiveness of types of design for sites.
>a forum about stickiness
Many of us have probably developed content and/or written text for site pages with the purpose of getting search engine listings for them, but they may or may not also serve the purpose of inducing the site visitors to inquire further or make a purchase of products or services.
Creating HTML pages and site graphics is covered, but choosing the design (and the color scheme) geared toward conversion, in addition to targeting sites to specific niche markets has only been touched on a little. This also can involve presenting a specific scope of content, or doing the writing with a different "voice," and writing style, geared to the potential customers.
In view of the current economic climate, covering content development with an emphasis on content with a goal of effectiveness for conversion to sales or producing revenue could be very timely.
A few issues I've wondered about-
How much is too much content?
Do people like promotional language?
How much detail should be given about a product?
How to present the benefits of a product quickly and effectively?
Just off the top of my mind. Great idea Brett!
The point is that once a site’s got the traffic and visitors, “content” has to be one of the main determinants behind successful conversions.
Aspects like usability, use of language, visual impacts, navigational structure, text/graphic layouts etc. could be covered in other fora but content is really about getting a message across and getting a visitor to “take the bait” (whether that’s making a purchase or simply making contact). So, yes there’s definitely scope for a content forum!
