Content Development Las Vegas PubCon 2007

1. Content Development Las Vegas PubCon 2007

2. Why Content is Important Content is the single most effective way to differentiate your site from the masses, develop traffic, and develop good inbound links that will propel your site to the top of the various search engines - and keep it there. SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

3. Why Content is Important Content is the single most effective way to differentiate your site from the masses, develop traffic, and develop good inbound links that will propel your site to the top of the various search engines - and keep it there. • Good content published on a regular basis can: • help develop links • help develop other kinds of traffic referrals and website citations (email, etc) • help position your site as an authority • help develop repeat traffic • help increase feed subscriber counts • help develop partnerships with affiliates and advertisers • help your chances of traditional media mentions • help your mentions in social media • and much more… SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

4. Why Content Is Important Content is the single most effective way to differentiate your site from the masses, develop traffic, and develop good inbound links that will propel your site to the top of the various search engines - and keep it there. • Good content published on a regular basis can: • help develop links • help develop other kinds of traffic referrals and website citations (email, etc) • help position your site as an authority • help develop repeat traffic • help increase feed subscriber counts • help develop partnerships with affiliates and advertisers • help your chances of traditional media mentions • help your mentions in social media • and much more… Links from other sites Email/Message referrals Repeat traffic Feed subscriber traffic Traffic from partnerships Media mention traffic Direct type ins All SE traffic Social Media SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

5. Hiring Content Developers There are three main ways to get content developed for your website… Freelancers Pros • Cheapest • No commitment • Use as needed Cons • Trial and error for quality • Availability issues • No commitment SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

6. Hiring Content Developers There are three main ways to get content developed for your website… Freelancers Pros • Cheapest • No commitment • Use as needed Cons • Trial and error for quality • Availability issues • No commitment Full Time Remotes Pros • No overhead costs • Dedicated • More skills for less money Cons • Distance management • Training barriers • Just a paycheck SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

7. Hiring Content Developers There are three main ways to get content developed for your website… Freelancers Pros • Cheapest • No commitment • Use as needed Cons • Trial and error for quality • Availability issues • No commitment Full Time Remotes Pros • No overhead costs • Dedicated • More skills for less money Cons • Distance management • Training barriers • Just a paycheck Full Time In House Pros • Easier to manage • Easier to train • Dedicated Cons • Overhead costs • More expensive • Must have long term needs SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

8. Finding Content Developers Finding where good content developers of any type are takes a bit of effort… Freelancers Where to find them • www.elance.com • www.writerfind.com • www.gofreelance.com • www.guru.com • www.freelancerspace.com • www.seo-writer.com SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

9. Finding Content Developers Finding where good content developers of any type are takes a bit of effort… Freelancers Where to find them • www.elance.com • www.writerfind.com • www.gofreelance.com • www.guru.com • www.freelancerspace.com • www.seo-writer.com Full Time Remotes Where to find them • www.craigslist.org • jobs.problogger.net • www.seomoz.org/marketplace/ • Local papers • Local job boards • www.tjobs.com SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

10. Finding Content Developers Finding where good content developers of any type are takes a bit of effort… Freelancers Where to find them • www.elance.com • www.writerfind.com • www.gofreelance.com • www.guru.com • www.freelancerspace.com • www.seo-writer.com Full Time Remotes Where to find them • www.craigslist.org • jobs.problogger.net • www.seomoz.org/marketplace/ • Local papers • Local job boards • www.tjobs.com Full Time In House Where to find them • Local papers • Local job boards • www.monster.com • www.craigslist.org • www.careerbuilder.com • www.workopolis.com (Canada) SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

11. What To Look For In Content Developers • Knowing what to look for in a content developer will depend on the type of content you plan to develop and what type of industry you work in. • But a few things to keep in mind are… • good organization skills • ability to work independently • ability to follow instructions • ability to think for themselves • good [whatever language you target here] skills • good to stellar writing skills • ability to hit deadlines • basic HTML skills (trust me) • the right writing tone for your site (corporate, conversational, instructional, etc) • a great sense of humor (especially important for linkbait pieces) • expertise in the area you need a writer for or the ability to learn it quickly • journalism specific skills (if you plan to do interviews or industry reporting) • for video content: someone who is personable and not being afraid to be on camera) • basic promotional skills (I consider this a top three trait) www.wolf-howl.com SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

12. Training Content Developers Having someone that can write killer content is only part of the equation. People need to know that your content exists to “talk about it”. Train your writers to promote their own work as much as possible… • develop media lists for the topic area your writer is working on for them to be able to push their best pieces to • encourage your writers to become active in the community by interacting on forums, blogs and with writers for the big industry sites (a.k.a. develop contacts) • teach your writers about social media and encourage them to become knowledgeable of, if not involved with, social media sites and be aware of their demographics when writing towards them • explain to your writers how they can take angles on pieces to receive traffic and citations from big sites they may not normally appeal to with their straight niche writing SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

13. Training Content Developers Having someone that can write killer content is only part of the equation. People need to know that your content exists to “talk about it”. Train your writers to promote their own work as much as possible… • encourage your writers to pitch stories to traditional news outlets within the niche to get exposure for your site with a byline that includes your site information in addition to citations in the form of links if they also publish online • train your writers to link out when it makes sense and to follow up with notifications to companies or people who have been mentioned of cited in the article they’ve written once it has been published • explain to your writers how to use Google news alerts to stay abreast of important happenings in the sector and not only write about them, but to alert other reporters of their own existing content on important topics making news SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com

14. Thanks Thank You www.sugarrae.com www.mfeinteractive.com SUGARRAE INTERNET CONSULTING sugarrae.com