Quality Content – What IS It?

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Ever since Google sent their black and white animals out to get us, the term “quality content” sure has become a THING.  I hear so many definitions of ‘quality content’ all over the place while traveling the internet.  I also see a lot of “poo-poo’ing” from other online marketers because they see content they think isn’t quality or it’s too salesy or there’s not enough quality content on their web page.  So let’s talk about that – what IS “Quality Content”?

So, let me ask – what does Quality Content mean to YOU?

 

– it means x amount of words..

– it means unique content…

– it means well-keyworded content…

– it means non-salesy content…

– it means a certain keyword density…

– it means little to no affiliate links…

 

All of the above?  So, take for example – a 600 word unique article with 2% keyword density that is not salesy and has little to no affiliate links is QUALITY content?

Sadly, especially these days since Google has beat the crap out of us, I think many, many people would agree that above example is absolutely quality content.  I think this is even more true for those that are new and are “growing up” online in the wake of Penguins and Pandas.

Add in the fact that we know there are human raters for Google checking our sites and pages for quality and, well, it’s easy to imagine how nuts this can make us and how confused about WHAT quality content really is.

So, I imagine you know I am about to give you my 2.5 cents on this topic, right?  If so, you’re totally right  =)

Here’s What Quality Content Is To Me

To me, quality content is achieved when a web page visitor (ie, a real PERSON) lands on my web page and finds what they are looking for.

Period.

That’s it.

If a web page visitor is looking for words – I give them words.

If a web page visitor is looking for things – I give them things.

For example, if I make a lens about styles of rabbit hats for chickens, a lens visitor is NOT wanting a 600-word unique article on  my thoughts about rabbit hats for chickens.  They DO want to LOOK at styles and be led to where they can get them if they like a particular style.

On the other hand, if someone is looking for how to MAKE a rabbit hat for a chicken, then words and video will/should give them what they want.

Does the reader care if your content they landed on can also be found somewhere else on the web? 

Uh, no.  If they found what they were looking for on your page they landed on – then they feel as if they found the quality content they were searching for.

Does the site you are putting your content on care if your content can be found somewhere else online? 

Quite likely – especially now in the aftermath of Panda and Penguin.  They’re scared of Google so they probably don’t want “repurposed” or “syndicated” content.   I know Squidoo cares… but that varies site to site.  You have to check their individual rules.

Do I post content here, on this blog, that can also be found elsewhere online?

While the topic and pieces of the things I talk about can most likely be found elsewhere online – and I’ll quote things and cite them in my posts – for the most part, I don’t do that.  My posts are my thoughts and they are designed for people to read.

Now, that’s not to say my posts don’t get scraped and posted elsewhere (sigh), but my content starts here.

Whether YOU think it’s quality content is totally up to YOU, the visitor.  Google does not decide that for YOU.

Yes, they try constantly to tweak their algo to show what a computer program thinks is “quality” and return those web pages higher in a search result.  But that has no bearing on the fact that the quality content *I* am looking for might be found 5 pages deep in a Google search result.

If you’re trying to please Google and play by the ‘quality rules’ that are touted online, you might be messing up.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to give your visitors what they WANT and THEY like it and visit, you’re on the right track.

Sure, Google can still send some zoo animal to get you… but it’s really not likely if PEOPLE like your web page and it genuinely gives them what they were looking for.  You can’t fake that – I don’t care WHAT the ‘loophole of the day’ is.

Best part is this –

if REAL PEOPLE do like your content, Google can’t destroy you with an algo tweak.

If you’re faking the ‘real people’ part, and faking your off-page, and you really don’t have the content that real people want – well, it’s gonna be a problem.  I don’t care how many words your content is, or that it’s “unique” or if the keyword density was x% or you created tons of backlinks – none of that matters.

I could create a web page that answers one little question with 5 words and a link…and PEOPLE might think that web page is the best thing since sliced bread.

Why?  Because it’s what they were LOOKING for.

You know the feeling you get when you find what you’re looking for online, don’t you?  For me, it’s awesome – such a relief that I can stop searching.

(sidenote: ‘stop searching’ is key in that statement – that is Google’s goal as well:  to return search results that stop the search)

Google doesn’t do feelings – all they can do is look for signs of that feeling. 

That feeling is the definition of quality content.

Provide that feeling for people and you’re golden  =)

In other news….

Tax Stuff

It’s that time of year again – time to get the taxes and books done.  I’ve had a lot of people ask me how I keep my books and prepare for tax season so I’ll refer you to a previous post of mine:  Bookkeeping and Taxes for Internet Marketers.

New Affiliate Marketing Article

My latest affiliate marketing column article over at MarketingLand.com was published Friday – you can read it here:  Learning Outside the Affiliate Marketing Box.

I’m honored to guest post there about once a month – you can keep up with past and latest articles on my bio page here.

Birthday and Anniversary

I’m also about to have a birthday!  Wednesday, Feb 13th, is the day.  Anyone who knows my story (you can read it in the free sneak peek area in the One Week Marketing Training Center) knows that it was literally days after my 40th birthday that I started this whole “I’m gonna make money online” stuff.

That means that February 18th is my 6 year anniversary for working online…. and the 27th will mark 6 years on Squidoo.  Six YEARS… wow!   It’s amazing to me that Squidoo was such an integral part of me making my first money online back then and is STILL a major powerhouse for me now all these years later.  Above all, a big congrats to Squidoo for not only surviving all these years, but for thriving as well.

New Training for Training Center

Speaking of Squidoo – my One Week Marketing members have really been kicking big time a$$ !!  Seriously, I am so delighted with all the ‘first sale’ reports and more sales reports and totally amped up sales reports from them that it humbles me and makes me SO happy.

I also realize that now, they are really ready to take things to the next level.  Because of that, I have been working my tail off putting together some really advanced training for the members of OWM.

Sure, it’s AWESOME when you make a lens that does well and makes sales – but how to amp that up?  How do you protect that income stream?  Above all, how do you make MORE sales?

It’s all about leverage – and if I may so myself, I’m pretty darn good at that.  The new training really rocks (again, can I say that about my own stuff?  lol!)  I’m super excited to get the finishing touches on it and get in the training center.

The new training will teach a lot of things I do including using Pinterest (the RIGHT way for us One Week Marketers – and this took me a long time to figure out… no one else teaches it this way) and other free-to-use properties that *I* use to amp up my earnings from that one little Squidoo lens.

Best of all, it just plain WORKS – and it’s not nearly as much “work” as people think is involved in growing out a “campaign”.   Heck, *I* don’t like to sit around pounding out endless articles so I’m not gonna teach that – and doing it my way doesn’t REQUIRE that.  Sometimes, you just need to learn how to get things to work FOR you  😉

So Proud of Y’all

Above all that, I’m just so PROUD of my One Week Marketing members that I could bust.  A lot of love and “spilling of secrets” went into that training center – not just from me, but from Gary and Logan as well.  It’s awesome to see people take all that info and RUN with it, ya know?  And when I see “runners”, I want to tell them everything I know about doing better and getting to the next level.  I’m SO excited to share all that.

I’ll announce when it’s ready and put in the training center.

Ok, that’s it from me.  Comments are open – would love to hear your thoughts on what quality content means to you.

 

 

 

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