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| GREAT CONTENT AND FISH |
By:
Bob McElwain |
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Most have become convinced the basic ingredient of a greatsite is practical and useful content that potential visitors arelooking for. (Those not yet convinced, will not succeed untilthey embrace and implement this fundamental.) But at the word, "content," many roll their eyes upward indespair, for they feel their writing skills are not sufficient. While this may be true, there are ways to improve them. Foropeners, click Topics in the navigation bar on my site, selectWriting Skills, then dig in.Great Content Versus Great Writing You do not need to be a Pulitzer-type writer to produce solidsite content. Those who disagree, are generally good writers. Thus they tend to believe great site content is great prose. This is stuff and nonsense. True, the easiest and most straightforward way to build greatcontent is to create quality prose. But it's far from being theonly way. For example, a site loaded with "how to" informationwill do fine, provided enough people want what is offered. Andin writing this kind of content, the focus is on clearexplanation, not grammar. Here's another example.An Aside About Fishing My fishing experience amounts to having been with somefellows upon three occasions who were doing so. All I rememberabout the ocean trip is being seasick. Another time I walked theperimeter of a small lake twice with a neat fellow moreinterested in walking than fishing. The only pro I've met was a fellow with a fly rod. He caught his limit in minimal time in a stream rod & reel types claimed was "fished out." This makes me uniquely qualified to define a site of great interest to fisherman. What follows is all made up. Any resemblanceto truth about fishing is pure coincidence. Let's Go Fishing Bill, who owns FishNow.Com, got a call from Phil, made somenotes, and immediately wrote the following, sent it out in hisnewsletter, and posted it on his site. "Bill here, with a neat update from Phil Randal who just called. (You probably remember him from our Caught 'Em forum. He knows what he's about.) Just now he's at Triangle lake. It's great country and even better fishing. It's about 20 miles east of Kramer's Junction on Hy 145. To get there, take the dirt road that starts behind Kelly's Feedstore. Takes maybe 40 minutes, and you don't need four-wheel. (Click here for a map you can print. I've marked the route.)" An Aside: The map is a GIF copy of an actual map on whichBill has sketched the route. Throughout he's added text like,"Stream here; drive right through it." And below the map is alink. "If you're short of time, check with the Travel Desk. They'll arrange to pick you up and put you beside Triangle lakein quick time. And the rates are the best I've seen." "They've got a room at the lodge at Rising Creek cometomorrow if you want. And a cabin this weekend. You can get from there to Triangle on horseback in about four hours. Or Jake can run you up in his Land Rover in about an hour and a half. Fact is, fishings pretty good in Rising Creek just now."Back To The Message "Now get this. Phil says he's catching his limit every day in less than two hours. And they aren't minnows, either. He's got one he wants measured. Thinks he's got a record. Whatever, it's got size. Those who know Phil, know he doesn't lie. But here's the best part. The other guys aren't catching diddle. They're all over him asking what he's doing they aren't. Again, if you know Phil, he's not saying. But here's what he told me. He's using a BlueLine lure. He tried a FlatFish and did pretty good, but he swears the BlueLine is the trick here. If you've got the time, get on up to Triangle and let me know how you make out. Click here for info on a BlueLine lure. Click here for the FlatFish."An Aside Each of the above links is to a page picturing the lure indetail. There's a link below to a page that shows you how tomake one. And, of course, another that lets you buy one fromBill.And There's More. In a PS, Bill added, "Just now, the week's forecast looksawfully good. Click here for the latest." Take this link, andyou have a long term forecast for the weather at Triangle lake.And More Triangle is not the only lake Bill follows. And he has thiskind of info on all of them. And about the local streams. Further, he'll be happy to sell you a great fishing rod, wadingboots, cooking gear, even camping stuff.About That Fellow In New York James Bartell faces yet another major business crisis. Butreading Bill's newsletter gives him a thought. He calls to hissecretary, "Will you get Joe and Pete in here, please?" Grabbingfor the phone, he mumbles, "If they can't handle this, I'll findsomebody who can." Half way through the sentence, the phone isringing at Travel Desk.Bartell Is Not Alone Many people who bust it day in and day out are quite willing,now and then, to cut loose for a few days. Bill offers one greatway to do it. He gets a commission from Travel Desk. And fromthe local lodges he refers to. If he chooses to do so, he is in a great position to buy a lodge, thus extending his onlinebusiness offline. If he targets upscale fisherman like Bartell,such a move could be enormously profitable.End Tale Okay, so that's just a yarn. And hey, likely someone alreadyhas something like it going. But it's bound to be local, elseone can't keep up. Find a local area *not* being covered, oneeasy to get to, and go for it. The task is simpler if youalready know something of the area. But if you love fishing, you can have a lot of fun learning whatever you need.So Where's The Content? Measured in total words, there is very little content on thishypothetical site. But in the eyes of a devoted fisherman, it'sloaded with the stuff. Bill needs some good text content forsearch engine positioning, but that's another matter.What's Bill Really Selling? Will anybody visiting this site see it for what it really is? Have you figured it? What is readily available is great info that matters tofisherman. Behind this, Bill offers everything you need to getto a great fishing spot, catch your limit, and be comfortablewhile doing so. His visitors will not see this as a trick orcon. They may not even recognize the site is a selling tool. Products offered will be seen simply as an additional serviceBill provides.A Catch This is not the greatest example, for it's seasonal. You'dhave to do very well in order to take the rest of the year off. But it's a possibility. If you owned a lodge, you might pick up some off-season business from skiers and hunters.But I Don't Like Fishing Is that what I heard you say? If so, join the club. I don'teither. But the idea works in many areas and differing products. Competition is fierce in the travel business. But how about asite featuring weekend adventures for families or seniors orboth? House plans might work well with how-tos about remodelingand interior design. Home gardeners are a committed bunch. And there's lots ofpotential here for repeat business. Anything people love to dothat requires resources you can provide is a possible target. Each must be checked with care. Competition needs to beexamined in depth. And you must find a niche that sets you aboveor apart from all of it. But given a defined position and a goodbusiness plan, you have the basis for a successful onlinebusiness.Wrapping Up There are several errors in Bill's prose. Did you noticethem? If so, will they matter to a fellow who wants to catchsome fish? Or will he just grab his keys or the phone?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bob McElwain Want to build a winning site? Improve one you already have? Fix one that's busted? Get ANSWERS. Subscribe to "STAT News" now! mailto:join-stat@lists.dundee.net Web marketing and consulting since 1993 Site: Phone: 209-742-6349
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