What is Considered Good content

[Mr.bailey]

Everyone says you need to have good content on your site if you want it to be successful? What is good content though is there a guide line i should follow?

[pricethat]

It depends on what your site is, i would of thought that is quite obvious, for example if you was a sad git visiting a train spotting site then i presume people might like to read all about errrrr trains, in depth write ups, where it was last spotted etc.

If you are running a porn site then i would equally guess that people might actually like to see some real hardcore betty sweaty action.

And if you are running a forum i guess people might like to read other peoples posts and related info.

It depends what you want to do dunnit! easiest was is to think, if i was joe bloggs and i was to visit my site what would he or she like to see, then you need to take a step back and say ok thats what they would like to see and then how can i make money out of it.

For me i give them enough information to get them started but make sure they visit the merchants site to get any extra or missing information because if i tell them too much they never leave the site to buy anything as the more information you give people sometimes the more questions they have, especially if they are trainspotters.

EDIT: No direct offence to train spotters, if you like dressing up in cagools or however you spell them and earting packed lunch out of tupperware and having a nice old thermos down at the local railway track then thats just fine and dandy, though a tad silly if you ask me. But like you dont bother me when i am watching porn, i will not bother you while you are watching trains........ trains/porn...trains/porn...god its hard to choose between them....

[OLBG]

Id say content that gives the users what they want, leads them to come back to the site again, and they tell other people about it.

[sweetpete]

as with everything all the search engines strive for is relevance whether that be in ppc ads or seo listings - hence the need for clear page flows, logical page names etc etc

[smn2]

Hi

I think this is a good question as it's obvious what 'it' isn't
but not obvious what 'it' is.

I'd say it's content written with 'your voice', or unique content
that people want to read or duplicate content written in a way
that is easy to understand - you just explain the same thing
in a better way (so it's not duplicate as in a copy, but it's
not saying anything new).

Imagine, say, if you could explain all the different mobile phone
tariffs or broadband tariffs in a way that just made the reader
understand, for example. That, in my opinion, would be good
content.

What websites do you like visiting for content, Mr Bailey?

Steve

[jhood]

It's about "meaning"! And here's a very helpful free Ebook (direct link to PDF) written by Seth Godin, which may help to answer (if only in part) your question.

[saira_SR]

I would say that content is one of the most important things to have on your site. It’s great to have banners and text links, but you need to have content as well.

So, what is content? Essentially, it is just information.

- Articles
- Reviews
- Testimonials

Reviews and testimonials are especially important. If you write a genuine review, visitors to your site are likely to sense your sincerity, and be interested in what you have to report. Word-of-mouth is a great marketing tool.

There really are no guidelines for content. Just make sure that what you post is relevant to your target audience, and that it will keep them interested and coming back for more.

[Steve Thomas]

Content plays a crucial role for a website. though what is considered as a good content is a debatable issue. from my experience I can safely say that every website has different needs , for effective use content should be tailor-made keeping design constraints in mind.
effective content is one that sets seamlessly with your design and color combinations. try to be crisp in the language without being cold. every important feature must be presented in points for quick eye catch. do not go overboard with the promises that they may beng to sound false.
stick to the point and flaunt your positive points in a manner that do not sound too decorated.


Steve Thomas
.................................................. ....................
www.siterack.com

[marketingmind]

Hi Mr Bailey,

Good content is definetely important. As well as what others have posted above it depends on what you are trying to achieve on your website.

If you are trying to achieve a high ranking in the search engines then good content is all about relevant keywords, with relevant links in and out to your site and others. Its about your content being keyword rich and relevant to what the searchers are trying to find.

If your website is full of affiliate links and you want people to buy from you then you might want to have relevant inforamtion, reviews and testimonials (saira_SR) so they have a bit more information before you hit them with a sales page.

Also if you are using your website as a lead generator and intend to follow up with them at a later date then it is important to give them content that they will find useful that is fairly unique or at least said in your own words. That way they are actually gaining something from visiting your site. Good content should be engaging and relevant to your particular audience whoever they might be.

J

"Helping You Grow Your Business"

www.marketingmind.co.uk

[pricethat]

And of course marketing mind can help you, also demonstrate how forum marketing can benefit your business

[globoChris]

I would say good content is content which satisfies my thirst for knowledge but, like most soft drinks, keeps just just thirsty enoguh so I return again.

I have a number of sites that i visit frequently as although Ive read what they have to offer, i forget their exact words of wisdom overtime and so go back for more!