Your Content

In Automatically Publish to Your List, I discussed how your site has what’s called an RSS “feed”. We used that feed as a way for an email service like Aweber to notice when new posts are published, automatically get the new post from the feed, and send it to your mailing list.

The example site I used was Not All News Is Bad (NANIB). To send to the NANIB mailing list, I need do nothing more than publish a new post; the rest is automated by virtue of using that feed.

However, RSS feeds can be used for good or evil. They can be used to automate things like mailing lists (good), make it easier and more convenient for the interested to consume content (also good), and make it nearly trivial for thieves to steal and re-publish the content you just poured your heart and soul into (evil).

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 7:14 — 3.4MB)

I’ll be honest: the title is an oxymoron. Automating posts to social media sites isn’t very “social” at all.

But sometimes, it’s the most pragmatic approach to getting your content in front of the people who want it. As part of Not All News Is Bad, I elected to automate posting the daily entry to its Facebook page.

Let’s look at the thought process that lead me to this decision, and the mechanics of how I set it up.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 9:58 — 9.2MB)

As I’ve noted here several times, one of the common stumbling blocks people face is what to publish. I’ve stressed my belief that regular, fresh content is an important aspect of overall website health and “find-ability”, but that does mean coming up with something every so often.

It’s a valid concern, because it’s not always easy. For example, it’s been a couple of months since I updated this site.

I recently began a new project of a less technical nature, and it dawned on me that the approach I was using was not only appropriate for many types of web sites, but it’s also one many people don’t consider.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 5:45 — 5.4MB)

If you have much content at all – say, anything over about three pages – people are going to want to search your site.

Most content management systems have search functionality available. For example, in the sidebar of the “Ask Leo! on Business” home page is a “Search (Using WordPress)” item using the WordPress native search functionality. The problem is that the quality and flexibility of the searches provided by CMSs varies dramatically. Most are, to put it bluntly, quite poor.

Google, on the other hand, understands search. Fortunately, they also offer a search function you can install on your own site. We’ll use that on our example site, askleoonbusiness.com, replacing the WordPress-native search function there now.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 5:03 — 4.8MB)

At the risk of continuing to beat the drum about creating content, I was reminded of another objection excuse this week.

It’s an excuse that, if used by everyone, would bring civilization to a crashing halt.

The excuse is simply this: “Why should I write about this? Others have written about it before, and better.”

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 5:59 — 5.6MB)

In my opinion, this is the single biggest reason new websites for small businesses and causes fail …

… the biggest reason by far.

In a flurry of activity, the website is set up and configured. It looks pretty, the basic information is in place (a very good thing, by the way), and lots of good intentions are set to create ongoing content.

And then?

Nothing.

A continuous flow of content – be it a daily flow or a monthly drip – is one of the cornerstone techniques for getting your website – and your business – noticed online. It’s a key strategy to finding new customers and making new connections.

So why do so many get to this point and stop?

I want to examine a few of the more common problems I see when it comes time to put virtual pen to virtual paper.

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Podcast: Download (Duration: 8:06 — 7.5MB)