Driving Website Traffic IV: It is All About Content

Content is a crucial factor when it comes to driving traffic to a website. Good content attracts visitors and keeps them coming back. Good content shared on social media and through links in emails will draw visitors to a website. Conversely, poor content drives them away. Here are fourteen questions to ask about the content on your website to determine how attractive it is to visitors.

1. Is the content on your website current?
2. Is there content on your homepage that has value to visitors on its own, i.e. a thoughtful reflection, an inspiring quote, an engaging question? (Is it more than a promotion?)
3. Does the content on your home page answer the most obvious questions:
   • Who are you?
   • What do you have to offer me? (Think about all of your audiences and their needs.)
   • Where are you located?
   • How can we get in contact with you?
4. Does every page on the site include a link to the contact us information or some other way to connect i.e. social media, subscriptions, etc.?
5. Have you added new content to the homepage in the last week?
6. Do you have content to which visitors can subscribe: i.e. a blog, email updates or news feed?
7. Are the topics on your website usually presented in three paragraphs or less?
8. Do you include images on the homepage and the interior pages to support your content?
9. Can site visitors easily learn about the real life impact of your organization?
10. Is your content unique to your organization?
11. Is the style of your writing clear and succinct? (Do you use short active sentences and everyday language, not Church jargon?)
12. Is the presentation of your content warm and inviting?
13. Is there content on your website that you and visitors may want to share on social media?
14. Do you provide links to social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) on pages so that you and visitors can share content easily?

If you answered “yes” to all or most of these questions, congratulations! You understand the importance of quality content on your website and you are providing it. If there are some questions that you cannot answer  “yes” to, then consider how you can improve your site in those areas. It takes commitment and discipline to set up and then to maintain a site with quality content, but it is worth it especially if you see your website as a ministry and want to attract more visitors.

Feel free to comment on any of the questions or to add your own.