A website is always (and should be) a work in progress. In order to entice visitors to come to your site again and again, you need to keep the content fresh! But as a busy business owners, we know that it can be hard to find time to come back to work on your website once it’s already up and running. Updating website content doesn’t have to be a huge drain on your resources. With a little foresight and organization, keeping the content on your website up-to-speed with your business will be easy as pie. Just follow these 6 time-saving tips for website content.
1. Keep a running list
Why is it that strokes of genius always seem to come up at the strangest moments? On the train, in the shower, at lunch with your grandmother… As a small business owner, I’m sure you can appreciate that a good idea could be vital to your business, and it’s definitely not something you want to risk forgetting. Every time you get an idea for something to add to your website, write it down! Whether in a handy dandy notebook, on a Notes application on your phone, sending an email to yourself, or even a dedicated army of Post-it notes keeping you on task, compiling your ideas on paper is a massive first step in getting those concepts onto your website. The next time you’re running short on content, you’ll already have an entire archive of brilliant, original ideas ready and waiting.
2. Write when you think about it
Creating content for your website should be an extension of managing your business, not a chore! While it can feel like a necessary evil at times, if you write content in bits and pieces whenever you think of it, whenever you’re ready to publish it on the site you’ll easily find that the worst is already over. Seize those moments of inspiration as they occur and write out a paragraph or two. Content can be created months in advance and published whenever you’re ready for it. Most websites will allow you to create items that are not published, meaning they’re only visible to you as an administrator. Post your semi-developed content on your site without publishing it so that whenever inspiration strikes again it will be there for you to knock out of the park.
3. Schedule publication
Having an extraordinarily prolific day and churning out more content than your site needs for a while? Schedule your updates to publish on set dates and make that content last! If you’re feeling inspired, write several posts or updates at once. Most websites (including Web123 ones!) will allow you to set a publication date right on the post, so that no one but you will be able to see that content until the scheduled time. Scheduling posts in advance not only lets you put the content of your website on auto-pilot, it allows you to stagger updates so your customers know to come back regularly for more. (Google also loves it when you update content regularly! Learn more about how to leverage your content to make your website more visible on Google using simple SEO strategies.)
4. Break it into chunks
Is the latest update for your site turning into an epic novel? Rather than writing a 10-page post covering every last detail on a certain subject, break it into bite-size pieces. Turn that tangent into a series of short posts and schedule one to go out every few days or once a week. This will not only make the content more manageable for you as a writer, it will be easier for your readers to digest all that information, PLUS you can schedule the posts so you don’t have to worry about writing content again for a while. Did I mention automation is the best time-saving trick ever?
5. Replace your keyboard with a camera
If writing isn’t your thing, or maybe you just need a break from it, consider putting down your pen and picking up a camera instead. Visual content can be every bit as effective as written, if not more! New stock just arrived? Post a picture! Want to showcase your expertise for some of the work you’ve done? Snap some photos and share them with your audience. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words — and that’s certainly more than you can write in the time it takes to upload.
6. Go for video
If you’ve got the words but you can’t quite get them out on paper, recording a quick video explaining your topic makes for great, easy content. Many laptops and smart phones come with built-in video cameras already, or you can borrow a simple recording device from a friend. Videos are very powerful for SEO, and also add authenticity to your website by making your content more personal. Learn more about getting started with video here.
What other tips for website content do you use? Tell us in the comments!
No matter how much time you invest (or save!) in keeping your content updated and your website fresh, it’s always good to have the professionals around for backup. Our expert copywriters are just a click away if you need help!