Although it tends to be overlooked in favor of more statistics-based search engine marketing strategies like link building and keyword stuffing, there are few things that are more valuable to your website in the long run than having quality, useful content. Ultimately what's going to attract users to your site and keep them coming back is a useful, entertaining and informative experience. Marketing tricks and techniques certainly help, but in the end it's the strength and quality of your product that counts, and nothing illustrates that better than content that will set you apart from all the other stuff out there.
There are lots of ways to provide users with a great experience, and here are a few to keep in mind. Your content is the backbone of your service, so develop it first and then use more technical search engine optimization techniques to enhance your marketability.
There are a lot of flashy, eye-catching websites out there, but in too many cases there really isn't much to them beyond all the gimmicky graphics. Sometimes what users want most is useful, detailed information that has real value to them. One of the best ways to provide this is by providing articles and educational materials on topics that matter to your userbase. Good writing is pretty rare on the internet, and if your website chooses to make providing it a priority, you can be sure others will take notice. In fact, providing quality relevant articles can serve several purposes. Apart from the obvious opportunity to fill your writing with keywords, people from all over will link to information they find useful so that others can share it. More inbound links means a higher page rank and a boost in search rankings and visibility. You simply can't understate the importance of quality information.
One way to set your website apart is to provide useful tools that will help users in a practical way. This can mean almost anything, whether it's an analysis tool that helps you compare rates or products from different services, or a tool that is specific to your content, such as an instant search feature for a database of real estate listings. Try to consider what a visitor landing on your home page would find most useful to better understand your service, and then provide that for them. Be sure to make any tool simple and effective. Overdoing it will distract from your other content, so don't overdo the presentation either. Remember that providing tools is a way to diversify your site or service, not its main feature.
Sometimes features that act as sidekicks to your service can draw a lot of attention and help increase your visibility and visitor base. Things like games, quizzes, polls or interactive maps can draw users deeper into your service and cause them to spend more time with your website than other content. If you can, try to relate these features to aspects of your service, and above all keep it simple. You don't want these kinds of features to be too distracting or come off as cheap gimmicks. An example of a successful interactive feature might be step by step processes that allow you to customize a product or service that your site offers. The idea here is to bring the user deeper into your product's identity.
We left this feature until last because it's one of the most controversial parts of content creation. There's no denying that intelligent, well-designed animation and graphics can be a huge boon to your website. Quality visual content can add a level of professionalism, interest and credibility to your product that few other things can. However, it can also be easy to overdo these things. Go easy on the flashy animations, and don't have your home page overcrowded with visual stimulus. Too much going on can easily turn a lot of users off before they even learn what your website is really about. Take from Google's example. They built one of the most recognizable and popular internet brands out there around almost no visual content! Once again, when it comes to effective visual content, simplicity is king.
Creating unique and dynamic content is one of the most effective ways to get your website noticed, but it's also a fine art. Remember that the best strategies usually revolve around quality and simplicity, and your site will maintain a professional reputation and appearance.