Finished your website? Think again.

This article first appeared August 12, 2009.

A few weeks back this blog discussed the notion of ‘brochureware’ – websites whose content was essentially lifted from brochures and left to rot on static, never-changing web pages.

The result of these websites is a bit like the online equivalent of a static storefront window. The lack of activity and change makes the shop look as if it can’t be bothered trying to entice you.

Visitors wonder if your website is some kind of ghost ship in cyberspace, aimlessly floating about without meaning or direction.

One of the reasons this occurs is that the business operators behind the website have planned their website to be a finished product like a brochure instead of the ever-changing and dynamic showpiece they have evolved to become.

Before you moan at the thought of yet another expense – that of updating your website, remember that Content Management (editing) technology is now commonplace with websites due to its affordability and relative ease of use.

Brochures the wrong analogy

Its only human nature that when confronted with something new, you try to associate it with the concept closest to your experience.

Sometimes the provider of the new dooverlackie deliberately names it something familiar so as to achieve a faster understanding of it.

For example, computer terms ‘mouse’, ‘desktop’, ‘menu’, ‘page’ and ‘document’ when they of course aren’t close to any of these things in reality.

But when new players consider the creation of their website content, they could be excused for thinking ‘brochure’ when instead they should be thinking ‘newsletter’.

Brochures of course are limited by their technology. The relative expense of paper and printing processes mean that you plan to produce it ‘once off’ and it will last you for some time, possibly years. Therefore, the content contained in the brochure is necessarily generic and non-specific so as to avoid it dating too quickly.

Not ‘finished website’ but website Version 1.0

This ‘permanent content’ phenomenon is a common one.

Clients who take time to grasp that their website is a fluid, dynamic document painstakingly move through version after version of content, leading to time and budget blowouts and a ever-shifting launch date.

While all this is happening, their competitors’ websites attract the business they should be attracting.

The answer to this costly way of thinking is to consider the initial build of the website as a ‘First Edition’ or ‘Version 1.0’ rather than the ‘final cut’.
This way your content will demand to be changed, keeping it fresh and attracting new visitors.

On the other hand, newsletters represent a moment in time that are meant to fill a temporary need for recent content. Subsequently, the content of newsletters refers to recent and upcoming events that will quickly become dated and hence disposable.

It’s a bit like those magazines in the medical waiting rooms. Flicking through the available literature and its dated fashion makes you wonder if you’re a few years late for your appointment.

Even worse – dated content!

But poorly executed newsletter-style planning can lead to another common problem. Content designed to be temporary and frequently turned over which for one reason or another has ceased to be forthcoming and stopped months and sometimes years ago.

We’ve all seen it. The top piece in the ‘Latest News’ section clearly showing its publish and essentially ‘use-by’ date.

If in doubt about how often you can add new content, try omitting the publish date to avoid this problem.

The other benefit of ‘newsletter’ thinking is that it has the dual benefit of keeping your website fresh while providing content for your eNewsletters.

This means that both of your ‘push’ customers – those that you ‘push’ information passively out to via eNewsletters, as well as your ‘pull’ customers – those who actively set out to visit your website, are both catered for.

Other clients have struggled to think of anything new to add to their websites. Here are a few ideas that might stimulate some new content:

New Releases or Versions
Write a few paragraphs about your latest product or service and add a professional photograph.

Special offers or discounts
Come up with a handful of well-priced offers – again with good imagery attached.

Achievements
You might have won a local or industry award. Tell the world about it!

Staff moves
You might have recruited a gun performer, or a favourite has moved on. Keep customers informed about moves that might affect them.

Case Studies
Tell your visitors about how a client used your product to stunning effect. This has the double benefit of giving your valued client some useful promotion.

Of course, all new content provides even more reasons for search engines to scan your content and improve your ranking – leading to that all important viral eMarketing benefit.

For more Internet Secrets, click here.

Craig Reardon is a leading eBusiness educator and founder and director of independent web services firm The E Team which provide the gamut of ‘pre-built’ website solutions, technologies and services to SMEs in Melbourne and beyond.