Putting together compelling content is challenging for the typical small business owner, but providing great content gets you noticed in search results and helps visitors establish a relationship with you. Avoid marketing hype and provide your visitors with information that is timely, useful, and helps build trust. Whatever you provide make it original and fun.

Here are some basics to get you going:

1. Publish Helpful Information

Provide your visitor with information that educates them about your product or service. For example as a web developer I work with small businesses that often have very little experience using the web to promote themselves. Visitors to my web site gain value when my content helps them better understand the process of creating and managing an online presence. I write articles that explain basic concepts of web marketing and highlight important technical aspects of the process.

2. Use Rich Content

These days broadband Internet connections are ubiquitous and most computer users have the capability to access and inexpensively create rich content like audio files or videos. If it is possible you may want to consider providing your content in one of these more engaging formats.

3. Establish Your Identity

New visitors to your site need to know what you are about right away. Describe your business as concisely as possible. If you have been in business for a number of years you may want to include a brief history of your company. Talk specifically about what you do and how your visitor will benefit.

4. Showcase Your Work

Most businesses have some type of portfolio. This may include photographs of work completed and testimonials from satisfied customers. If you don't have any material already available make it a point to begin gathering the information. Consider professional photography for your portfolio shots.

5. Communicate Your Brand

If you have an established business you most likely already have business cards and stationary that contains a logo. Provide the computer files for the logo and other art work to your web developer. You may need to contact the graphic designer or printer to get the files. Photoshop psd files are usually the most useful. If you don't have a logo your website developer can most likely help you find a resource to create the artwork or he may be able to create this for you.

6. Prominently Display Contact Information

This is very basic, but indispensable to building trust. Include locations, phone numbers, and email. If you have a bricks and mortar operation you should also include hours of operation. You may also consider creating one or more contact forms which allow you to gather specific information from your site visitor. This can help you qualify leads you get from your web site.

7. Organize It

Provide information that helps the developer organize the work in a way that makes sense. You should provide any information that can help categorize the material and that can be used to generate descriptive copy. If your web developer doesn't provide the service consider using a professional copy writer to generate the text.