Cosmetics or Content?
What a curious title? As someone who has just recently embarked on this online adventure I have been faced with several challenges. This, of course, is not unique to me but to everyone who has embraced the excitement of creating a blog. There is a juggling element or balancing factor that comes into play.
What comes first?
Do I first create a beautiful looking website and then focus on producing content? Or do I get my content published so that Google will start indexing me and hopefully ranking me? The answer for me was quite simple. I got my site set up and functional with the necessary logo, menu, images, etc. and then I started creating content.
What I've learnt so far is that the Google algorithms are controlled by them. I can never know how or when they are going to position one of my posts so I had better make sure that I'm ready at all times for that oh-so-sought-after-page-one ranking.
The basics
Getting the basic structure in place was very important. There was no point creating outstanding content with nowhere to put it. We can all agree that architecturally it can be fundamentally sound but it's bare and dull. Bring in the interior designer to spruce the place up with some color for starters. I put my signature on my site. I made it my own. I honestly didn't want people to get to my site and think, UGH!!
There is a discussion thread called https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/getting-started/please-give-... and it is a great place to get feedback from others about their experience when they visit your site. This is one of the places where you'll find out what needs to be tweaked to refine the look of your site.
The content
Having put that in place I needed to get some furniture to put inside. Another great place to go for insight and comments from others here at WA is https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/authoring-writing-content/th... . I've had very useful feedback from others on the content that I have included on my site. I encourage you to become part of this. Comments on posts signals to Google that there is activity on your site and not only this but you are starting to communicate with an audience.
The balance
I've had to learn to balance my act. A bit of content here. A few cosmetic touch-ups there. All coming nicely into place. A website really can be an online home.
All the best,
Brian
Recent Comments
21
Thankyou for this insightful post asked myself that question also
It is hard to think of content before you know your product. I found it hard doing my niche not, that I did not know what that was going to be but more about the product I really wanted to promote. within my site.
Thanks for all your tips, Brian. I wished I had done it that way and first made sure everything looked great before concentrating on the content. So far, I've followed the training step by step just in the order given and my site still looks very unfinished. However one of my posts is already on page one in 4th position for the targeted keyword. I thought it would take a while to come up on the first page so I can only hope that visitors are not put off by the unfinished look.
Hi Beate. Thank you for your feedback. That is excellent that you have been ranked for one of your posts. Now that you have some "furniture" built you can spend some time spicing up the look of the site. As I said, I do a little here and a little there and eventually it all comes together.
All the best,
Brian
Hi Sulamai. I'm happy to hear that you were encouraged by it in some way.
All the best,
Brian
I agree with you it's a difficult balance especially at first. Create some content, then understand the architecture, then you need to redo the content you created due to the structure. The sites that I review that have form and content stand out from those that are just some content. Takes time but once you have it down you can create a lot of content and know exactly where to put it reducing time and effort in building out the site.
Hi Steven. Thanks for your feedback. I think this is something that one will be doing constantly as the site develops over time. A bit like putting a jug-saw puzzle together.
All the best,
Brian
See more comments
I enjoyed reading your post. I think you're right, in terms of finding a balance. It's important that you like the look of your site enough to continue working on content. It doesn't have to be perfect to look at, since as you pointed out, it's an ongoing activity.
~Mark
Thanks, Mark. Happy to hear that you agree with my thoughts.
All the best,
Brian