SEO #5a: Quality Content

In short: quality matters and clarity is the key to quality. Basically clarity works.

When we think of quality content we tend to think of aspects such as:

• writing style
• interesting
• informative
• engaging
• unique
• spelling, grammar, punctuation
• you know..... the traditional measures of quality.

To get a deeper look at the quality of your page content, consider the following: when a visitor looks at your page are the following key points clear:

• What is the purpose of your website?
• What is the purpose of the current page?
• What is special about your site and this page in particular?
• What other products, features, or services do you offer?
• How can I find these other products, features, or services?
• Is it clear what happens when the user clicks on something?
• Who is behind the website? In other words, who are you?
• What information (if any) do you collect?
• What do you do (if anything) with that information?

The last two points are handled by inclusion of a valid link to a privacy statement. It is not required to explain on each and every page your privacy policy -- at least not in words.

Before we discuss the next thing I'd like to bring to your attention, let's have you do a little experiment. This experiment will require access to about 15 people -- three groups of five.

For this experiment you will divide the 15 people into three groups of five.

Have the first group of five people look at three pages on your website. Give them 60 seconds to study each page. Immediately after the 60 seconds have elapsed have them answer the following questions.

• What is the website about?
• What does this web page offer?
• What products, features, or services are offered on the page?

After someone has studied 3 pages in this fashion ask them the following:

• Would you trust this company enough to make a purchase -- assuming you wanted the product?
• Would you be interested in finding out more about this company?
• Would you recommend to any friends that they take a peek at this website?

Have the second group of five do the same thing -- but this time give them only 15 seconds to study a page.

Have the third group of five repeat the above, with only 5 seconds.

These will be the 60 second, 15 second, and 5 second groups.

The 5 second group is gathering their impression about the website based almost entirely on the look and feel of the site. They don't have enough time to read fine print. Detail will elude them. So whatever impression they come away with will be based on that all important "first impression."

More about this later.