Many smaller companies make the mistake of focussing intensively on their website while it is being designed and set up, only to practically ignore it for months or years until they decide it needs updating. Larger or more internet-savvy companies, will be constantly analysing the performance of their website to ensure it is ‘earning its keep’.
We always consider a website a work in progress – it should be continually evolving with fresh content as well as being marketed on other sites to gather new traffic. A good website is a business tool like any other which needs to be bringing in new visitors and converting them to sales, and it can’t do this unless it’s up-to-date.
Of course, the larger companies will have a dedicated department, or team, who can concentrate on the website, write new content, design pay per click campaigns and comment on other people’s blogs. Smaller companies may feel they have neither the time nor the manpower for this kind of effort. However, when you consider the website is a sales tool which should be increasing your revenue, you will probably decide it’s worth the minimal effort needed to keep it actively earning you money.
So what should you be focussing on? It does depend how much time you can give to the project, but as a guideline, you should spend most of your time adding original content (adding a blog to your website is the easiest way to do this) and then binging Google to let them know your website has new content. Content that is interesting and thought-provoking will encourage people to bookmark the page on a social bookmarking site, and if you manage to write about something slightly controversial, you could have loads of people talking about (and linking back to) your blog.
