20 Jun Don’t look like an old fuddy duddy online
Today we tap into the brilliant (if somewhat twisted) brain of Ayushman Jain, 20-something IBM engineer and writer from Bangalore.
In the age of cosmetics, botox and anti-aging creams are we paying enough attention to our online “appearances?” Is your website design just putting off traffic on a daily basis because it too is out of date? Simply put, do you come across like an old fuddy duddy on the Internet?
These are just a few hard facts that need a reality check every now and then as one spends more time creating content. Internet standards have changed a lot in the past few years. So has the of audience and the kind of content they’re looking for. The most important thing for a dope site has become the content quality and variety of your online presence.
Your website will lag in rankings and traffic if it doles out advice that makes you sound like a crabby old aunt. Here are a few tips for keeping up that youthful attitude in your content:
- Staying in touch with modern realities and sensibilities is more important than your preconceived notions. Make sure if you’re giving advice that it’s based on current trends, not necessarily what you learned in business school in 1988.
- Monotony in the kind of articles that the website contains will also turn away a lot of people. Variety and premium content are the need of the hour. The Google panda update is one example of how search engines are adding extra weight to these qualities.
- As attention spans decrease and the volume of content online increases, articles should be sharp, short and focused. Read a good blog like Copyblogger.com on a regular basis to learn how to write punchy content that will grab the readers’ eye. Don’t go on and on in a preachy tone as if the reader knows nothing.
- Stay away from old blogger themes (like a pink background with purple font) that can make your site site look like a fossil from the stone age. If you’re on WordPress look for the newer themes that incorporate the latest in user interface design and give your blog or site a “facelift” on a regular basis.
- Avoid references that will date your evergreen contentFor example, a phrase like “The royal wedding of social media and marketing” might find an instant connect at the time of publishing but will lose its relevance.
It’s a good thing to have experience and be viewed as a seasoned professional. But staying current will keep your website looking sick.
Ayushman Jain is on Twitter or you can find him on Facebook.