Are you doing everything you can to increase your web presence? There are many different factors that determine search engine rankings. Search engines will look at the relevance of the content, the proper usage of keywords, the number of back-links, and also how fresh the content is. So is your website dead or alive? If you feel that you are not getting the results you would like from your website, you need to consider this question.
While having a blog section on your website is beneficial, you also need to ensure that you update it regularly – by posting new articles. When it comes to a dead site versus a live site, search engines give priority to a live site. What good is a blog, if it can no longer help your customers or your website traffic? Learn more about updating old content and the benefits of keeping your website active.
Old Content versus Relevant Content
One of the criteria used by major search engines, such as Google or Bing, is how fresh the content on a web page is. For example, when a search result comes down to two separate web pages that are equally relevant to a search term, one that is several months old and one that was posted a week ago, the newer post would receive a higher ranking.
Outdated material is a major no-no. If you have a blog and the last post was a year ago, that sends a negative message to both your potential customers and Google. A couple of the main purposes of having a blog is to keep your customers informed and to remain relevant in search engines.
When a visitor can see that your last post was quite some time ago, they may not feel that your business is actively engaging with customers or offering beneficial information. They may even wonder if you are still in business. It is kind of like driving past a store and seeing a “closed” sign on the door, in the middle of the day.
Basically, newer content is going to be more relevant in search engine results than older content.
The Benefits of an Active Blog
There are several major benefits of keeping your blog active. When you post regularly, you are continuing to provide your customers with helpful information. You can increase the number of backlinks to your website, start building trust between you and your clients, and reach more people. Here is an overview of the main benefits of active blogging:
- Increase your web presence
- Build customer loyalty
- Keep your customers informed
- Increase search engine rankings
- Build more backlinks
- Gain more followers on social media
- Provide details of your products or services
For the most part, the purpose of online marketing is to reach more customers and increase your web presence. Blogging remains one of the most effective ways to achieve this. It can build customer loyalty and allow you to explain how to use your products or services. Blogging also gives you something to share through your social media profiles.
Nowadays, most businesses use blogging as a part of their online marketing strategy. If you are not following suit, your competition will have an edge on you. That is why I recommend updating your blog at least once per month. If you have the resources, blogging on a weekly basis is even more beneficial.
You may also want to consider setting up a regular blogging schedule. When visitors get used to the day of the week that you post your blogs, they are more likely to check back and take a look at your latest post. Repeat traffic can be difficult to achieve, so take advantage of this and the other benefits of keeping your blog active.
Updating Old Content
Along with regular blog posting, pay attention to the content on your business web pages, such as your home, about, services, and product pages. Watch out for any content on your site which would expose the fact that it hasn’t been updated in a long while. In addition to adding new blog articles on a regular schedule, consider updating your old content. Go through the major web pages of your site and look for references to products, services, or events that are no longer relevant.
If you come across old content, give it an update. You may even want to think about updating your web pages on occasion. Rewrite some of the content on a web page. Whenever your website is updated, your sitemap should be updated as well. The time stamp that appears in your sitemap is used by search engines to determine the age of web page and blog articles.
Make Sure Your Blog is Active
Having a blog is a great way to increase website traffic and reach more customers. Visitors are more likely to share relevant content with their friends and family on social media. Blogging on a regular basis can increase your search engine rankings and draw more people to your website. With a quality blog and regularly posting, you can start increasing your web presence.
If you want to learn more about how to add a blog to your website, or if you need help with any of your website needs, take a moment to explore some of my other blog articles or look over some of the services that I provide. Thank you for reading and remember that you can always contact me with any of your online marketing questions.