Dot.com doubts affecting content providers?

How's your freelancing business lately . . . .?

[jlr1001]

Not only am I interested in providing content, I also would like to start writing about trends in the web content "industry".

This topic might have been discussed before, and if that's the case forgive me.

Have misconceptions and reservations about the Internet in light of the "dot.com fallout" had a negative influence on your business? Obviously people still need websites, but are potential clients as apt to sign you on to produce content as before?

I also design sites for some of my clients, and they seem to get stuck at the "We can do the content ourselves," phase. To me it seems like things have gone backwards a bit . . .

Does this resonate with anyone else?

-J. L. Reid

[martinibuster]

The concept of the Internet is changing. Most companies seem to have a more mature understanding of it. It's not a land-grab anymore. And this land-grab phase is a part of our history, nothing new about what just happened (remember the goldrush? Old news).

Now it's the offline merchants who are driving the internet more than anything else.

I live in San Francisco, and our experience of this is quite unique. We lived through incredible changes and displacement and unprecedented, and I mean unprecedented displays of cruel greed as a result of this dotcom thing.

Quite frankly, I'm glad it is dead and gone. Now, it is our job to provide the vehicles for the offline merchants etc. to get online and do business with everyone else.

No revolution. No fanfare. Just business. (but if you're creative, it can be a kick!)

[chiyo]

They can do content by themselves agreed! Most content can be gleaned from existing ad copy, company documents, press releases, etc. But they CAN'T generally write in a way that is easy for search engines to figure out. Strategic bolding, titling, headings, imp text at bottom and top, and interlinking and outerlinking. I think maybe the value we can offer is by "webalizing" existing data by major copy editing. Other than that there is no substantial difference between web copy and traditional copy. If we are writing original, new content, we should be selling it not only to Web sites but traditional magazines, newspapers and whathaveyou as well.

[chiyo]

I love your concept of the land grab Martini. Nicely summarised.. Yep, we are in a maturing phase, the good land has been staked, raped, or corrupted. now we need to develop what land is left and slowly get back the latter. Land by itself has little value unless people develop something useful on it. At the start is was all about claiming your stake and basically doing little to develop it in hope of quick fortunes on the basis of first come, first grabbed. Now we have to be smarter and decide how to turn that land into something substantial.

[TallTroll]

>> land grab

That is probably the best analogy for the internet boom I've ever come across. You can draw so many parallels.

Anybody who wants to get a rep as an ace predictor of the future of the internet, go get yourselves a history book...

>> "We can do the content ourselves,"

Hmmm, that sounds familiar. Then after about 3 months of hassling them, they finally admit that they can't, and you end up doing it anyway, yes?

Having said that, I think that business is starting to get the idea. Mid-sized businesses, in my experience, are starting to move away from the "need a website because everyone else has one" bit, and looking at what their web presence can do to improve their business. This means getting a professionally built site, and more and more that also means professionally written content (some companies do have those skills, but not all). The ones who do are a joy to work with on the whole, because they tend to have a much clearer idea of what the site is about, how it should be structured etc

[jlr1001]

Earlier this week I was at a panel discussion on SEO. There was one business owner--and mind you this was held for a group interested in internet and marketing so most of the firms are IT related--who couldn't wrap his mind around the concept that an SEO campaign can get a website a high rank, but that won't necessarily result in a customer conversion.

The point had to be hammered into his head a few times that once a visitor's at your site, it's your content and site usability that take over from that point.

And all of you are right, I'm mainly asked to parse--or worse yet just cut and paste--pre-existing marketing copy into the webpage. Most small businesses have little problems asking me to consult on/build a website, however I'm a writer above all else.

(I'm a little saddened when I feel my best talents are neglected)

-J. L. Reid