How-To Guide for Creating Outstanding Website Content

When sitting down at your computer to produce eye-catching, jaw-dropping website content, you may find yourself staring at an empty screen wondering where to start. Even if you have an engaging, well-researched topic, your content may still fall short. Many writers begin by envisioning their readers by picturing someone who sits and reads every word of your masterpiece. Unfortunately, this is probably not the case…
In reality, you must create truly remarkable content to catch the attention of most website traffic. Luckily, Midphase can help. We’ve created a helpful guide to assist you in your efforts in creating outstanding website content. Whether you need eye-catching visuals, an appealing color scheme, or genius written content, this guide can help you get on the right path. Let’s first tackle the text on your website, both blog and web page content. 

5 Tips To Keep Your Website Content Picture Perfect

The digital landscape is full of skimmers. Reading from a screen when browsing through websites is a different type of reading from reading a physical page. Eyes follow a basic F pattern to attempt to gain the most information in the least amount of time. So how do you write to accommodate these readers? 
Below we have gathered five top tips to keep your website content accessible and enjoyable to encourage return visits:

#1. Keep it short.

This does not mean that you cannot write long pieces of content. Just be sure that sentences are short, 20 words or less, and that no paragraph has more than four sentences. Readability is an algorithm that looks for complicated text, long sentences, and passive voice. Maintaining a great readability score can help your search engine optimization (SEO) and keep readers coming back for more.

#2. Use images.

Use images and white space to break up the text. Readers often evaluate what they are about to read in terms of how much concentration will be required. More often than not, tightly spaced text will send readers elsewhere. You can prevent this by including lively images and white space between paragraphs and in the margins of your text. Headings and subheadings can also take the pressure off of tough reads to help readers quickly skip to the section they are looking for.

#3. Be upfront.

Good writing isn’t always seen as simple writing. Many content creators assume that complicated or vague information keeps readers interested, which simply doesn’t work for website content. Keep titles informative. Quickly state what you are trying to say in a conversational tone. Don’t be afraid of laying it all out on the table. Internet users aren’t willing to commit to your content unless they know exactly what the benefits are. Think of content as a transaction. Readers give you their attention and you give them helpful or entertaining information. Be clear about what that information is.  

#4. Keep it simple.

To be realistic and factual about certain topics, you can’t always convey simple information. Oftentimes you will approach complicated or technical topics. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t attempt to break information down to simple ideas and concepts. Don’t be afraid to use metaphors or hypothetical situations to make a point. Whenever possible, demonstrate what you are describing through video or screenshots. Try to create a visual to keep readers interested.

#5. Add value.

Before adding any content to your site, whether it’s images, video or text, always ask yourself “what is the value of this content?” Be sure that your content is never fluffy or superfluous. Keep a clear audience and purpose in mind. Even the most personal, mundane blogs should have a clear-cut reason for being there. If you can’t quickly and easily express why your content is important, then you might reconsider your online content strategy.
It can be tough to create engaging, exciting content for your website. However, with a little planning and some tough editing, you can increase website traffic, social media followers and time spent on your web pages. But what about visual content? How do website owners ensure that they are presenting graphics, photos, and images that add value to their overall purpose? Let’s dive in…

Boost Your Business With Visual Content

We know that written content can make or break a website, but have you ever considered the importance of visual content within your site?
Written content is a must within any successful website, but recently there has been emerging importance on visual content to accompany text. Social media is changing the lens through which marketing is viewed, with major visual players like Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest dominating social media. Facebook now ranks video content higher than its textual counterpart, so it could be time to invest in some visuals to boost your website.
Quicksprout, a website consulting company, found that 63% of social media is now made up of images and nearly 66% of social media updates include some sort of visual content. Posts with relevant images get 94% more views than content without (the equivalent of double the views). Considering that tweets with images receive 150% more retweets it is definitely worth experimenting with images on Twitter.
According to Kissmetrics, visual content can give your site the extra boost it needs if done correctly. Here are some tips on how to make the most of visual content on your site.

Photos

Images are the best way to engage with customers on your website as well as on social media channels. The human brain can process an image 60,000 times faster than text and images can help our brains remain interested in any specific topic.
There are a few rules that you want to follow when using images:

• Don’t use any photo you find just to have an image; the key is relevance.
• Pick an image that catches your eye and piques your interest; chances are, your customers will find it interesting too.
• Avoid stock photos that are obvious or overused.
• Keep file size in mind whenever posting a photo; large images can slow down your site.
• If you are taking your own photos, test out different filters. However, it’s best to stick with one so your website has consistency.

Infographics

Readers love infographics, it is a proven fact. While they might seem a little intimidating at first, infographics are worth the time spent creating them. Try different tools and if you’re not ready to commit to paying for a service, try PowerPoint. PowerPoint is a great tool for designers who are testing the waters. Start small like this simple visual and work your way up to greatness. For more information about creating infographics from scratch, take a look at this great article from Visme.

Video

YouTube and Vimeo have made embedding and sharing videos super easy, although Facebook has worked hard to rival both platforms. In fact, many social media sites have now embraced video posts. This is great news for your website! 
Creating and posting video content could boost customer engagement with your site up to ten-fold. Readers expect a video for explanations of difficult tasks and if you provide the answers to the questions your readers are asking you will quickly become known as an expert in your field.
Other forms of visual content to consider:

• Comics
• Screenshots
• Visual notes
• Graphs & Charts
• Memes
• Gifs

Not every form of visual content is going to work for your site, but with a little trial and error, you will be able to find the perfect fit for your readers. You may be thinking that all of these tips are much easier said than done, and you are absolutely correct. Great content takes time and effort, but no content is better than stolen content. 
Far too many website owners seek out ways to cheat the system or ‘borrow’ content from other successful websites. However, you should know that this is a very big mistake. Duplicate content can irreparably damage your online reputation. Learn more below…

Six Reasons Why Duplicate Content is Bad for SEO

Duplicate content is one of the top concerns of online publishers and content marketers. In the SEO world, it’s the same content published on different URLs and may negatively affect a website ranking.
“Duplicate content is content that appears on the internet in more than one place or URL,” writes SEOMoz. “This is a problem because when there are more than one piece of identical content on the internet, it is difficult for search engines to decide which version is more relevant to a given search query.”
Is duplicate content bad for your brand? Yes, many believe it is including Google, who advises sites to carefully consider the reasons for publishing duplicate content. The following 7 points may help Midphase hosting customers interested in protecting their Google search rankings.

Negative User Experience

Google’s main goal is to provide relevant search results to users. Duplicate content creates a negative user experience because they are directed to the same content inadvertently. This is a waste of time for them because readers want to consume fresh content that matches their query.

Affects Search Engine Rankings

“Google perceives that duplicate content may be shown with intent to manipulate our rankings and deceive our users,” said Google.
“We’ll also make appropriate adjustments in the indexing and ranking of the sites involved. As a result, the ranking of the site may suffer, or the site might be removed entirely from the Google index, in which case it will no longer appear in the search results.”

Damages Brand Credibility

Readers share high-quality content that resonates with them. Publishing duplicate content across domains affects your brand credibility and integrity as a thought leader in your niche.

Search Engines Don’t Know Which Page[s] to Exclude

“If you re-publish your blog content on an article submission site, you’re creating duplicate content that the search engines need to filter through in order to find the original source,” said Scott Benson from Vocus.
“The engines are trying to determine which version is the original, and therefore should rank highest. You don’t want to make things harder for them.”

Traffic Decreases

When duplicate content is present, site owners may suffer lower rankings and consequently lower traffic, to less relevant results on search engines according to SEOMoz.
Overall, content is king. It’s best to write for humans instead of machines and Google is encouraging this approach more than ever. While it may seem like adding website content is a full-time job, there are platforms available to help you. 
For example, Midphase’s Website Builder allows you to quick drag and drop the content you want to appear on your website in just a few minutes. From eye-catching templates, flawless photos, and plenty of font options, you will soon be on your way to truly remarkable website content. Learn more about Midphase’s Website Builder today.