How Much Content Before Launching A New Site?

[Planet13]

Hi all;

Thinking of starting a new information / article site.

How much content needs to be in place before launching in order to make google happy? (or, at least in order to not UPSET google?)

While the site will probably have about 5 main categories and about 4 subcategories per main category, and round 5 subject pages per subcategory, can I just start with 1 informational page in 1 subcategory in 1 main category? Then build out one page at a time?

Or should I wait until I have a certain number of information / articles first before launching?

I figure most BLOGS start out with just one post (or two) in a date-based navigation structure, so while my structure would be more hierarchical category -> Subcategory -> Information Page, I am not sure how much difference that would make.

Thanks in advance.

[mack]

Concentrate on making the site usefull to a human. If you provide enough content to make the site truely useful then you will have a better chance of doing well in google.

Google needs signals. One such signal is inbound links. If you only have the very minimal amount of content, its not going to encourage other websites to link to you.

Think of the user first and foremost, Google will generally be happy if the user is happy.

Mack.

[Planet13]

Hi there, Mack:

thanks very much for the reply.

"Concentrate on making the site usefull to a human."

Yes, user usefulness is my new mantra.

Since I am going to focus on quality content, it might take a while to fill out the content.

so the question is, can a few pages be truly useful to a user if it is really good content?

"If you only have the very minimal amount of content, its not going to encourage other websites to link to you."

While I see your point, I don't think many people will link to my site either if it is either not launched or has a meta noindex in place (and hence, not listed in the SERPs).

BTW: I won't have any links to any categories / subcategories where there is no content yet. There won't be any "under construction" pages.

[netmeg]

If your small amount of content is good enough, they'll be willing to come back for more.

Forget Google - start off with a mailing list so you can tell them when more content gets added and lessen dependence on the G.

[Howzitza]

Forget Google? I think that might be a very risky comment?
My knowledge of sending out mails in bulk can do more harm to your site.

[Planet13]

"Forget Google - start off with a mailing list so you can tell them when more content gets added and lessen dependence on the G."

Thank you. I shall do that.

"Forget Google? I think that might be a very risky comment?"

I think netmeg was speaking in hyperbole; I think what she meant is that it is best NOT to have all one's eggs in the (google) basket, and that diversity is good when it comes to getting visitors.

[netmeg]

My knowledge of sending out mails in bulk can do more harm to your site.

Then you're not doing it right. The idea is that people will WANT to sign up for your list, if you're offering them something useful. No matter how many emails you send out.

Yep, that's what I said - forget Google. I mean obviously the site has to be technically sound, but concentrate on the users, and don't worry about Google to begin with.

[tangor]

A good home page with description of "who we are and what we do" and a link to just ONE page that's all the above will do as a good start. A constantly evolving site is, in some respects, more noteworthy than one that jumps out all at once... and if the content is compelling enough for folks to keep coming back, you'll get the interest desired.

[Planet13]

Thanks for the reply, Tangor.

Thanks for the clarification, netmeg.

[buckworks]

A possibility to consider: block the search engines for a few days while you're getting the site started.

Let them in as soon as you have enough content to feel credible.

[Howzitza]

An activated site, de-activated for a few days is not good... Google will frown on it?

[JD_Toims]

How much content needs to be in place before launching in order to make google happy?

3742 words consisting of 22344 characters including punctuation but not counting character encoding or spaces -- No more; no less and you'll be golden ;)

* The serious answer is: enough so during the "honeymoon period" people have a reason to share it, bookmark it, and visit it again -- How much that is really depends on the specifics. On some topics it's one page. On others it could be 10 or more.

[Planet13]

@ JD_Toims:

"The serious answer is: enough so during the "honeymoon period" people have a reason to share it, bookmark it, and visit it again..."

I think that is the gist of my question;

Should a site have the majority of its content in place to maximize the benefit of the honeymoon period?

If I anticipate there will be, say, 50 pages total, should I get the 50 pages completed first and then launch?

Thanks in advance.

[JD_Toims]

I think I might "tease" a bit more than that with something like you're talking about with say one main category page and a complete subcategory [so 5 or 6 good pages total], then on the main category page(s) where there will be more subcategories I'd let people know more is on the way and they should:

Follow on Twitter [link]
Follow on FaceBook [link]
Get E-mail Notifications of Releases [enter email address here]

[and of course]

Remember to Bookmark this Page for Updates and Additions [link]

---

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You Can Find Out As Soon As It's Released By:
Following: Facebook [link] - Twiter [link]
Email: [enter address here]
Bookmarking Example.com [link]

I would probably also do something like the above at the bottom of the pages in the completed section.

[Robert Charlton]

Planet13 - This is a question I've considered with the launch of many new sites, even before Panda.. and I think it depends on the type of site, the expectations defined by the subject matter, how you're likely to get traffic started off, etc.

There's the obvious question, of whether a site will satisfy user needs and expectations, and whether there's a suggestion of enough material there to keep visitors coming back.

If you start very small, you need to ask yourself what might users expect on a first visit? A reference site, eg, would probably require more content on launch than an opinion site. For an article-based site where the subject matter can be categorized in advance and where there's some expectation of breadth, my inclination is that if it's possible to define several categories and build a foundation (say of at least 3 or 4 or 5 categories with one or two articles each), I'd do that.

How long are your articles? How often you're going to need to update so visitors who do return aren't disappointed. How current is your topic, and how much momentum does it need? Will you need to update often to keep from being forgotten and becoming irrelevant?

If it's an ongoing blog in a date-based navigation structure, and you think you can stay ahead of your visitors, then the approach you suggest in the original post should work, particularly if you already have a following, on or off line. Maybe you should have an unpublished post or two in reserve, to serve as a buffer, in case you can't keep up with expectations.

I don't think you should have empty category pages in advance. On some sites, I've indicated categories without making them links, to suggest what might be coming. Don't frustrate the user, though, with a link to an empty page.

[Planet13]

Ahh... many good questions and ideas.

since it will be more like an information / article / event site instead of an opinion site, it might be good to fill it out first.

The articles will tend to be a bit longer (probably 1,000 words and up).

So I will try and follow the advice of building 3 categories and maybe 3 articles per category first so that visitors know what the breadth of the site will be (i.e., the number of different categories).

Thanks again.