Just stumbled upon an article at awesomeblogs.com which looks at Why Blogs Have Become the Search Engine Optimization Equalizer. It’s one of those mass produced ‘free articles’ that I warn bloggers from using too much – but it does make a useful observation about some of the top sites on the internet:
‘The big sites on the internet got to be that way because the consistently add new, original, and exclusive content to their websites.
While you and I may never have as much content on our sites as the big boys do, we can benefit from the lessons they teach to us.
Now that you have also learned this important lesson, it is time to put this knowledge into action. Make it part of your daily or weekly schedule to add fresh, interesting content to your website. ‘
The lesson is a good one. The following are some of the words that describe the best type of content if we subscribe to this theory:
fresh – original – interesting – exclusive – new – daily
This is the type of content that will get you ranking higher in search engines, its the type of content that will get your readers coming back every day and its the type of content that will generate incoming links to it and referral readership.
Of course most bloggers have a mixture of this type of content and other content – links to other sites, quotes from others etc – but in most cases the more you increase the quotient of the fresh and original stuff the more chance you give your blog to grow.
Isn’t it ironic that the blog you link to with this article doesn’t subscribe to the advice contained in it. They are reposting a very NOT fresh, UN-original, UN-exclusive article.
I think you’re wise to advise people not to post these types of articles on their blogs. They will never grow a blog.
Hm, right after I just spent over an hour working on a fresh, original article and published it, I see this. It’s a good thing I’m too busy blogging to worry about somebody reposting this sort of content. But I guess people need the advice.
I just don’t see the point of taking other articles and copying them wholesale. There’s no added value, so there’s no reason for anyone to come to your site. I very frequently take quotations and excerpts from other sites, but I also add my own content and links and opinions and analysis to them. This adds value and gives people a reason to subscribe to me. Even if I’m occasionally dead wrong, which does occasionally happen.
Just reposting articles that 5,000 other sites have is pointless, even if the advice is good; it’s likely you will have seen it before, and it therefore won’t do you any good. So people aren’t nearly as likely to subscribe or keep coming back. Not to mention the search engines don’t like it.
Since people on this site might know: Since when were Alexa results skewed towards the B2B market?
“The reason why the Alexa results are skewed to the Business-to-Business market is because most people using the Alexa toolbar are involved in Business-to-Business activities, either as an user or provider of B2B services.”
Greetings from Michigan!
I have been watching and learning from your blog. I have a very successful mortgage practice and am very excited to continue learning how to use my blog to bring value to my clients and create an easy space for them to refer their friends to me.
Thank you for all that you have taught me thus far!
David Porter
Darren is bang on that originality is key. The biggest challenge, and most fun, is coming up with original content. Even with national stories, though, look for new angles to explore to differentiate yourself.
I did that recently with a series of articles on a BP oil platform disaster. National story but one with a short play in the media and almost no bloggers beyond the first disaster day. I dug in to the story and wrote a series of analytical articles on the implications of the diaster (from multiple angles) and provided daily updates. And I owned the story — and I’ve seen a readership jump and believe a chunk of them will become regular readers of my blog.
That experience and others has changed my thoughts on blogging. If everyone else is writing about a topic, find an other one! There are exceptions, of course. Some things you “have” to join the crowd to talk about.
[…] There are different styles to writing but one of the most popular ones is the use of a personal tone in communicating with the readers, which, admittedly, can draw them to patronise your blogs more. One thing that I’ve noticed so far is the fact that there are bloggers who emphasize on the importance of creating original content. It is the best way to let your reader know that you do know what you’re talking about. I really have to agree. Heehee. […]
I have questions about the laws around blog content. Isn’t it true that it is illegal to use photos, etc without permission?