Ivygirl Media & Design

Unless you’ve been vacationing under a rock for the past several weeks, you’ve probably heard of The Secret. The Secret is a DVD (or you can get it in hardcover form) that shows us how to use the Law of Attraction to manifest absolutely anything we truly desire. All the great thinkers were privy to The Secret, the DVD tells us, and it will work for us just as it worked for them.

So, what’s this got to do with web content and SEO?

The Secret is currently at the top of the “buzz” list, showing up in the most unexpected places. Your friends have heard of it, your family may be talking about it… even Oprah dedicated not one but two shows to it… that has to say something, right?

Which brings me to the point of this post:

In order to write effectively, you’ve got to be able to tap into what your readers want. It’s not enough to know that they want to learn more about personal finance for example, you also need to tap into the obstacles that have held them back so far. What challenges do they face? What goals have they set? Is there a realistic path to help them achieve the results they’re hoping for?

I see so many blogs and sites that talk about what “I want to do for you” but nothing about “what do you need from me” and I think that’s a key element that needs to be addressed.

People want what they want. And either you’re ready to give it to them or you’re not. But if you’re not, they won’t wait. They’ll click back and keep searching until they find someone that will.

And as far as writing for the web is concerned, that’s the real “secret”.

Building a website is easy. Building a successful e-business is another thing altogether. How to make the most of your web presence? Here’s five easy tips to maximize your site.

Give Good Service
There is nothing more annoying than a site that doesn’t offer adequate customer service. FAQ’s and contact information are just two ways that you can offer assistance to your customers. Users with a question don’t likely want to wait until your regular business hours to give you a call and they’ll likely surf somewhere else to find the answers they seek. Your objective is to make the business process as painless as possible. That means a quick checkout, easy navigation and yes, good customer service. Make sure your site includes answers to all the questions an uninformed user might ask. You’ll be surprised at what a little service can do for your sales.