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The Great Content Debate
By Jim Daniels
©2004 All Rights Reserved
Question: What's the best way to sell online?
Do you need a content based site? Or will web pages designed as sales letters work just as well?
I'd say I'm in the minority on this one. I've spoken to lots of online marketers, many of them experts, and most disagree with me on this. But today I'd like to state my case and look at both sides of this issue...
For the record, I'm on the content side of the debate. I feel that there are major benefits gained by offering a content based site to your niche market, no matter who that niche may be.
Yet there are plenty of marketers who do well using simple direct sales copy websites and virtually no content. They contend that a site loaded with content is no more effective at selling than a carefully crafted sales letter website.
I'll get to their side of the coin in a minute, but first let me explain why I'm for content...
You see, there are a few things that a content based site can accomplish, which a non-content based site cannot. And I feel that they are important enough to sway the debate. Content sites can generate...
- 1. Lots of repeat visitors and a 'following'
- 2. More incoming links and high volume traffic from search engines (for free)
- 3. Increased chance of free publicity via other media
- 4. Lower cost per visitor!
Let me touch briefly on each of these items above...
Number one, "lots of repeat visitors and a following" is quite simple. Web surfers who find a site that helps them learn about their interests usually bookmark the site and return to it. They also are more likely to opt in to receive more information via email, whether it be a free email course or an email newsletter. In time, this factor will grow a customer base substantially.
Number two above, "more incoming links and high volume traffic from search engines" is also something sales letter sites don't usually get much of. After all, most webmasters want to link to sites that help their visitors. Those are usually content sites. The one exception is affiliate links but many search engines do not give them enough merit to help search engine ranking. More incoming links means content sites get more free traffic, via the links themselves, AND the via search engines. Engines rank popular sites higher. Just look at all the content based sites near the top of the major search engine returns. That does not happen by accident. Oh sure, you'll find many sales letter sites near the top too, but many times the webmaster is paying dearly for every click, via some pay-per-click engine that has partnered with the major search engine.
Let's move to number three above; "increased chance of free publicity via other media". Have you ever seen any sales letter sites written up in newspapers, magazines, trade periodicals or the like? Not likely. Most free publicity goes to the sites that share valuable information, tools or services for FREE.
Finally, number four says it all. "Lower cost per visitor!" This is the resuls of items one through three above, working together. Content based sites simply enjoy a lower cost per visitor. I know this first hand because I have cut my advertising spending literally to zero many times in the past and still watch traffic pour into my sites.
That's right, it is my content that significantly lowers my cost to acquire new website visitors, and in turn, customers. This is far too important for small businesses to overlook. Most businesses fail because of poor marketing or lack of marketing dollars. So unless you have very deep pockets to promote your site with, you may actually NEED content to grow your business.
So why do so many experts and proven marketers contend that a site loaded with content is no more effective than a carefully crafted sales letter website?
Perhaps they are measuring conversion rates, or visitor to sales ratios and NOT cost per visitor.
But cost per visitor is just as important in my humble opinion. And I maintain that the cost per visitor is ALWAYS lower for content based sites. That's because content based sites always have those four factors above working for them!
OK, now let's let the other site of the debate and share their viewpoint. Here are two major arguments made by non-content site proponents...
The first one is the obvious; it just takes too much time to construct a content based site. And that is indeed a valid point. Many marketers simply do not have the time it takes to put together a site with lots of content.
My take on that is, why not add content on a regular basis, say weekly or even monthly. Over time your site can begin to slowly to take advantage of all the benefits listed above.
The other main argument made for simple sales letter sites contends that a content based website attracts too many "freebie seekers". Again, a valid point, however...
I maintain that ANY targeted visitor is valuable to you as a website owner, even if they are so-called freebie seekers. After all, aren't we all freebie seekers at one time or another? I search for free information on the web on a daily basis. To me, that's the very cornerstone of the web itself. It's a place where you can learn about anything, simply by searching for it and weeding out the results.
Oh sure, there are lots of people who will NEVER buy anything on the web. But there are also lots of people who start out as freebie seekers then end up buying. Where do they buy? In most cases they buy from a site they are familiar with. A site or person that has already helped them. And gaining that customer is MUCH easier with a content based site.
Here are two letters I received just last week that back up this theory...
>"Jim, I just wanted to let you know I just bought your new
>Make A Living Online package. I've been getting your
>newsletter for two years now and have been to your
>bizweb2000 site probably 100 times. I'm finally ready to
>start my venture and you've proven to me that you have the
>help I need! I look forward to working with you and
>picking your brain even more."
>
>- Name Withheld
>Jim,
>I've been on your list since way back when you had 5000 or
>so subscribers. I don't know why I didn't take the time to
>look at your www.Make-A-Living-Online.com site a LONG time
>ago! I sat down tonight and read completely through it
>ONCE... I was immediately convinced I needed to buy your
>package and do it right this time! I'm tired of fiddling
>around with "opportunites" and making mistake after mistake
>trying to get a business going.
>
>By the way, I am very interested in the affiliate program
>for this package! Have you launched it yet? In addition to
>the financial products I plan to create, your Make A Living
>Online package is absolutely PERFECT for my visitors who
>might be looking to start a home-based business.
>
>Thanks Jim! Of all the online business people I know, you
>are definitely #1 and have earned the most respect in my
>book!
>
> Best Regards,
> Dave Mauder - Mauder's Money Matters
> http://www.mauder.com
I know, those are just two letters. But I get stuff like that all the time. I don't think I would get much of that at all had I not concentrated some effort on providing content.
Finally, I contend that many well-known marketers are beginning to realize all of this. I'm seeing more and more of them adding free content, tools and more to their sites. And while I certainly do not recommend every webmaster try to turn their site into a 100+ page mega site, perhaps you should consider adding SOME content to your site too.
And one last thing I want to make clear... sales letters are NOT a bad thing. Carefully crafted sales letters should play an integral part of your site's makeup. But should your sales letter BE your site? I think not. Of course, I'm just one so-called online marketing expert. The decision is yours and yours alone. At least now you know both sides of the debate.
JIM DANIELS
Visit Jim's five page guide at http://www.make-a-living-online.com reveals how he makes six figures a year online in his part time -- and how you can do the same... www.make-a-living-online.com
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