Monetise your SiteA Best Practice Guide

The Content Flywheel

Research Your TopicExplore the subject areas you want to focus on

What is your Passion?Great content comes from expertise. What are you passionate about what would you like to

share with the (online) World?

Don’t be Afraid to FailJust because your boss tells you to do something,

doesn’t mean it will be good…

Finding a TopicUseful Tools:Google Keyword Planner: A free tool that allows you identify global and local, search volumes for specific and related terms (remember some of the results shown by the tool i.e. competitiveness will only be for paid search, but the results should be indicative for organic as well

Find a balance between searches and competitiveness 

Focus on global not just local. 

Don’t choose any keywords with less than <1000 searches per month; usually target keywords that have around 15% of your current monthly traffic

Don’t pick any highly competitive terms. Focus on the Longtail and grow your keyword target list over time.

Seasonality, dependent upon your niche, you will need to anticipate search volume fluctuations. 

RankingLow = 3months

Medium: 6-12 MonthsHigh: 1+ Years

Great volume + High Competitons

Finding a TopicUseful Tools:Google Trends: A tool to delve deeper into specific keywords Check seasonality

Find traffic spikes

Compare with other search terms

Compare region interest

Finding a TopicUseful Tools:Answer the Public: Powerful tool to identify keyword searches and suggested topics Search by location

How do users search: Questions & prepositions,

Extreme granularity

Simple UI

Please ignore the creepy man…

Finding a TopicUseful Tools:Amazon Associates: Use purchase information to guide areas of interest for you users Product purchasing on Amazon

Clicks & conversion

Track individual pages

Optimise based on commission

StructureUnique Content: Format: Layout

RelevanceThere will always be competition: Make yourself

distinct; be unique

Typically, sites which rank well in Google will receive traffic.

Use these sites as a benchmark

Olaf’s Top TipTry “longtail” keywords

first (Best pillows for bad

necks)

Structure: Check ListContent Checklist: Relevance: Is your content relevant to your user base;

is the content related to the overall topic of your site? Providing Insight: Are you helping your user answer a

question? What is the best product? Where is the best place to have Italian in London?

Unique: Is your content unique? Does your content differ from that of your competitors? What makes you better than the rest?

Shopping Experience: Consider the users purchase journey, are you helping your users find what they want to find?

Providing InsightContent Checklist: Answer a question: Does your content help answer a

users question/problem? What value does your content offer the user?

Provide a recommendation/opinion: Your users trust your opinion, provide them with a concise and clear recommendation. Your are the subject matter expert!

Make it detailed: Make sure that your content is detailed. 600 words + should be the aim for great content.

Shopping Experience: Provide your user with a next step; when they have finished reading let them decide if they want to buy.

Providing InsightLeverage your

Passion!

Content Checklist: Custom Photos etc.: Don’t

always think of stock photos, provide your own photos and video. Make your site truly unique.

www.openclipart.org Make it your own: Share

your thoughts, likes/dislikes. Be honest with your users.

Be quirky: People like your site because they like your style; never be generic show your personality through content

www.spokeandco.co.uk

Shopping Experience: Conversion raiser

Use Amazon

Style

Shopping Experience

Custom Photos (+Cat)

Custom Video (…

+Cat)

Use “Cut Price”

Easy to navigate,

great content and clear call to

action

Content review

Customer Journey

Your site visitor

Engages with a piece of content

The user is inspired by you’re your

recommendation

An Amazon “Call to Action” is present

Amazon converts the user to purchase

Opinions & Expertise

Clear CTA

Amazon Pedigree

Make it relevant

Great user experience = Return users

Technical Etiquette Making sure you are technically savvy

Fix Technical ErrorsTechnical Toolkit: Site Loading Speed: Google Page Speed Insight

www.developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights

Mobile Friendliness: Google Mobile Friendly Check www.google.co.uk/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly

Duplicate Content: Siteliner www.siteliner.com

Fix broken external links Check your redirect chains 404 Errors Change 302s to 301s

Check for canonical errors

Watch out for duplicate META data

Make use of Sistrix Optimiser

High Quality Back Links?Relevancy/Authority

Sistrix/Majestic

Moz Open Site

ExplorerSimilarWeb

Linking

No Link Farms!

Remember No Follow

(for link out)Remember RelevanceOrganic Linking

Use social channels

Make people want to

linksDon’t spam

forums

Create content for

linking pages

What’s Next?

Have fun!