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Understanding the True Value of a Resource
Library for Your Website
Understanding the True Value of a Resource Library
for Your Website
Many websites currently offer
a resource library for visitors - an area filled with
articles covering relevant topics to the industry
with which the site is connected. The articles may
cover how to do something or define a particular aspect
of the industry, but they do not usually directly
sell the company's products or services.
Benefits of a Resource Library
While it's true that a resource
library, on the surface, exists to benefit site visitors,
it doesn't end there -- they also provide benefits
that can directly impact any business. First of all,
they spread goodwill among a business's prospect base
- and its non-prospect base as well. The site is seen
by visitors as offering free information about important
subject matter - and that makes it a more attractive
site to return to in the future when a purchase will
be made or a service established.
Second, with a solid resource
library, the site puts itself in a great position
to organically attract important inbound links. Outside
sites will notice the offerings of important and unbiased
information and link to individual articles or to
the resource library as a whole. This will boost traffic
and rankings overall.
Third, if the articles in the
section are optimized properly, they will also boost
rankings for popular and competitive keyphrases, driving
additional targeted traffic to the site. The traffic
may enter the site at the articles, but visitors are
then likely to click for further information about
the site itself.
A Common Objection to Adding a Resource Library
The most common objection a search
engine optimization company hears when recommending
that a site add a resource library is "I want to sell
my product, not educate." However, this is shortsighted.
It is important to reach buyers at all stages of the
sales cycle. For example, if someone is just starting
to investigate a product or service, a site with an
appropriate informational article will reach him or
her at this critical early stage. The prospect will
then likely remember the experience when he or she
is ready to buy and will return to the site.
In addition, a site with a resource
library can help a salesperson save valuable time.
With quality articles freely available on the site,
the salesperson will no longer need to take the time
to explain the basics to a prospect - the site will
have already taken care of that. Instead, the salesperson
can focus on speaking to the people who are ready
to make a purchase.
Examples of Successful Resource Libraries
There are several sites that serve
as great examples of this approach. Let's look at
three of them - Bed, Bath and Beyond; Lowes; and Step
Two Designs (an Australian consulting firm).
Bed, Bath, and Beyond opens its
resource library with a friendly "Need help shopping?"
and follows it up by telling visitors that they can
"browse through the sections below for helpful shopping
hints on a variety of topics." There is no mention
of specific sales at any point on this page, which
is found at http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/ShopGuide.asp?order_num=-1&.
Taking a deeper look, one will
find that the targeted phrase "window treatments"
brings up Bed, Bath, and Beyond's guide on the subject
on the first page of Google. This phrase has the impressive
monthly search estimate (using data from WordTracker)
of 55,304. Note that this page, which is an unbiased
article offering tips on choosing different types
of window treatments, and not a retail sales page,
is what achieves the rankings.
The home improvement chain Lowes
actually has several resource libraries available
on its site, from buying guides to an extensive how-to
library. Its buying guide page, found at http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=HTindex/BuyingGuideIndex.html,
notes, "Work Smarter: We'll help you find the right
equipment and tools you need for all of your projects."
And the company's article on choosing floor tiles
appears on the first page of Google for the targeted
phrase "tile floor," which has a monthly search estimate
of 2,046. Again, it's an informational page and not
a product page that gets the great rankings.
Both of the above examples are
great, but you don't need to be selling a product
online - or even be in the retail business at all
- to use a resource library to your benefit. Step
Two Designs is a consulting firm that offers a resource
library of whitepapers on its site at http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/index.php.
Its article "How to Evaluate a Content Management
System," for example, establishes its usefulness right
at the top, stating that "No vendors or products are
mentioned in this article: this is not a survey of
current commercial solutions. Instead, it provides
tools to assist you to conduct a review of suitable
products."
This article appears on the first
page of Google for the targeted phrase "content management
systems," which has a monthly search estimate of 2,356.
While this may be a lower number than the Bed, Bath
and Beyond example, a consulting firm's average sale
will likely be greater than that of a single purchase
from a retail outlet, and so these visitors are potentially
more valuable. Even in this type of business, a resource
library will quickly prove its value.
Conclusion
Resource libraries clearly offer
something of value for everyone involved. Prospects
appreciate their existence, search engines reward
sites that have them, and salespeople are relieved
of the burden of explaining basic concepts to early
prospects. You can either create your articles in-house
or, if you're not sure where to start, hire a search
engine optimization company to help you with everything
from idea generation to writing. In either case, with
just a little bit of effort your site too can realize
the benefits of establishing this type of section.
About the Author
Scott Buresh is the founder of
Medium Blue, a search
engine optimization company. His articles have
appeared in numerous publications, including MarketingProfs,
ZDNet, SiteProNews, WebProNews,
DarwinMag, ISEDB.com, and Search
Engine Guide. He was also a contributor to Building
Your Business with Google For Dummies (Wiley,
2004). Medium Blue has local and national clients,
including Boston Scientific, Cirronet, and DS Waters,
and was recently named the number one search engine
optimization company in the world by PromotionWorld.
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