Forum Moderators: not2easy
Since it seems search engines are cracking down on duplicate content it is important that your content be original. And, let's face it, content is the number one make-or-break aspect of websites today.
Personally, I find it difficult to find topics and/or sub-topics and kick out article/info pages day after day. Maybe some others, more experienced than myself, can shed some light on how they go about creating content, finding topics, finding research resources and keep the process going consistently.
Over the past year, I've been taking suitable questions and my answers and either posting them in a blog-like area of my site or actually turning them into new articles.
So solicit people's questions. It's a great way to find out what your site might not have.
Not everyone can write a best seller. Some cant write a shopping list. Some people just have nothing interesting to say!
If you are having to buy/steal/copy content then you are wasting your time.
Maybe some others... can shed some light on how they go about creating content, finding topics, finding research resources and keep the process going consistently.
a) I try to constantly keep myself updated on industry news so I can write my own commentary on industry developments.
b) I raise issues and questions related to the news to encourage comments from readers.
c) I go to trade fairs, make contacts, and keep in touch with them.
d) I track down industry representatives and give interviews.
e) I test products and write my own product reviews.
f) I work on growing the community on my site and encourage community members to contribute thoughts and commentary of their own.
g) I compile data on and profile companies in my sector.
h) I help readers with topic-relevant questions - sometimes the answers are sufficiently in-depth as to form articles themselves. (What hunderdown said).
Suffice it to say, I'm never short of work to be getting on with and things to write!
content is the number one make-or-break aspect of websites today.
This, like the rather facile observation that "content is king" seems akin to noting that "it seems that with offline magazines and journals the content is what makes people buy a copy." Well, duh. They're not visiting websites to admire the coloured scrollbars, are they?
Some of the biggest publishing moguls in the business aren't writers at all but that doesn't stop them from being very successful at publishing other people's work.
If you're looking for topics to write about for whatever your site might deal might I suggest that you sign up for Google alerts in your email.
If you feel you can't write then employ others to write for you.
Don't be put off by people like our friend who suggested that you would be wasting your time because you buy it - if that were so then Rupert Murdoch would be a huge time waster instead of someone who makes a huge amount of money.
If you feel you can't write then employ others to write for you.
Yep. It's the difference between being a writer who makes web sites and being a web publisher. Even prolific writers can't keep up with publishers who outsource. There's nothing wrong with either approach, but the former will get you from A to B in X amount of time, while the latter may do it in a fraction of that time. Of course, cash flow is the big question that determines which path most of us follow. Unless you know my 'secret.' I'm such a tease. ;-)
