Monumental Mistake

Most people who want to make money online make a monumental mistake when getting started.

They focus first on how they're going to make money from their website. They research what products they're going to sell, and they consider what kinds of ads they'll feature.

There's only one problem with going this route …

It actually hurts your chances of making any money. Because you'll end up missing the most critical piece of the entire online money-making puzzle:

Creating great content.

The fact is your content will ultimately determine your success or failure online.

Think about it … 99% of people access the Internet to find useful information. So, without great content on your website, they'll never find you … because the search engines won't index it properly. And for those people who do manage to find your site, they won't stay for long – let alone make a purchase – if your content doesn't have anything of value to offer.

So what makes for good content?

According to web expert Nick Usborne, all great website content has these four characteristics:

It has a clear voice and personality. You are what separates your website content from everything else out there. That's why everything you write needs personality and a clear voice. Establishing this is vital to writing content people actually want to read. One way to find the right voice and personality for your particular website is determining what Nick Usborne calls, "a point of view." Take a stance on how you'll be writing to your audience. And above all else, don't try to please everyone with your writing. It simply doesn't work.

It has credibility. Your visitors need to trust you. Otherwise, they'll never buy anything from you. For example, if they come to your site and know instantly that your intention is just to make a quick buck, they'll hit that back button in no time flat. Just be honest. Be objective. And be real. These three qualities will ensure your sincerity shines through, quickly gaining your visitors' trust.

It's interesting. This goes without saying. Your content needs to engage your visitor. They need to think, "Wow, this is really good. I'm glad I'm reading it." Too many people try taking shortcuts, either by using content-creating software or flat out copying someone else. This never works in the long run. Because ultimately, your visitor will know he's being duped. The best way to ensure your content is interesting is to do your homework. Research the topic you're writing about. Find interesting little factoids. Write in a conversational tone. Better yet, do a little keyword research to find out what your visitors find incredibly compelling and interesting. Then make that the topic of an article on your site.

It's useful. Make sure you're giving away valuable information in your website content. Answer your visitors' potential questions or provide solutions to their problems. Either way, make sure your visitor is better off as a result of having read your content.

Larry Potter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkJCsIMAiNY

www.ATicketToWealth.com