The content you choose to add to your website can determine many things, for instance whether your visiting guests or existing customers will choose to return, make a purchase, reprint your articles for use in their ezines, be compelled to participate in your online communities or seek out your expert advice.

Useful content that is geared to attract your target market gets visitors to your site, engages them, builds credibility, and converts them into buyers. Surveys indicate that 80 percent of visitors go to web sites to get information, so it is important to add new content to your site on a consistent basis, and make sure that information is also up to date. Only 5 percent of visitors are interested in graphics, so keep your site banners, clipart, flash animations and such to a limit.

What type of content should I be using you ask?

Compelling content that will keep your visitors returning. That can include how-to articles, on going contests, tips, links to useful resources, regular website discounts and freebies. For example, a Virtual Assistant can offer 1 hour of Free consulting services and basic database management tips. A Business Coach can offer free business plan templates, an accountant can offer a discount on services and a WAHM site can offer tips on keeping your home office organized and separate from your personal life.

To encourage purchases from your website you should also include:

- Your Contact information IE Phone, e-mail, physical address, hours of operation

- Company information. IE a brief description of what your business is all about

- Product information, the benefits of your products and services and how to purchase them. It is good to have customer testimonials listed on your site as well

- A compelling, benefit-oriented sales letter. Works best if located on your main page

- A special discount to new customers whenever possible

- A call to action so visitors have only two choices, to leave or make that purchase.

- Tools necessary for customers to make a purchase via your website

- And if possible include an opt-in newsletter that enables you to collect your customers information so that you may keep in touch with them and inform them of your new products or services.

Appeal to your target market

- Provide information, products or services that are valuable and useful, to your target market.

- Feature content relevant to the topic of your site. Let all of your information flow and compliment one another IE Banners, articles, topic of the day, products

- Use a website survey to find out what your visitors and prospective buyers want.

- Add instant messenger or live chat your site or start a forum to interact with your customers and guests

- Submit your site with Google Adwords and encourage visitors to your website

Where do you locate content for your site?

- Utilize information you receive from newsletters, articles that you write personally, use topics of interest to you from other forums

- Join income generating affiliate programs and add their products to your site (rotate products according to your sites content)

- Go to free content sites providing archives of articles you can publish on your web site.

Most people will come to your web site numerous times before they will make a purchase. Provide valuable content and update your site regularly to give prospects compelling reasons to return and invite them to bookmark your site. The more often they return, it is likely they'll buy your products and services, once they have either built a relationship with you or found you to be a credible source of information.