What are Content Sites?
If you are like many of those who started out with intentions of making millions online and are struggling to capture the attentions of the large search engines, you are in good company. Times have changed, and due to the low cost of entry, the online world is becoming very competitive for businesses starting out. Unless a website has a regional appeal or caters to a very niche product or service, it is rare that a webmaster can create a website that is only focused on selling.

What is the answer?

The answer is content. The concept is not new, it comes down to the simple concept of bartering, give something in order to get something. In this case the trade off, is free information in exchange for website traffic and search engine ranking. The key is to create a website with content that other webmasters, bloggers, and publishers will want to link to. In order to generate interest and incoming links that result in web traffic, you will need to provide unique content. Related content drives traffic, understanding what makes one website a stand-out when others fail is the key to building a content rich portal.

How do I use content to sell my stuff?
First off, the content you provide must be of interest to potential customers. If you are selling a product, why not provide dimensions, customer ratings, reviews, warranty information, additional product suggestions, color or size charts. In addition to additional product information, consider your demographic, and find content that will be of interest to individuals (or businesses ) that you feel typify a potential customer. It is also best if the content your provide is related to the product you are promoting.

Lets take a look at some content rich examples:

Gourmet Living (http://www.gourmet-living.com )

How does the site Gourmet Living that is focused on selling cooking items use content to promote their products and sell their wares? Gourmet Living uses recipes to draw in individuals interested in cooking. The topic (recipes) is clearly closely related to the products they are selling (cookware and gourmet cookbooks), additionally the recipes targets their potential audience, those with an interest in cooking. The Gourmet Living website uses additional food preparation tips and articles that discuss gourmet cooking to generate additional interest.

Recipe Directory - http://www.gourmet-living.com/recipe-directory.htm http://www.gourmet-living.com/category.html?category=prepar Tips for Food Preparation - ing+food Along with articles that discuss gourmet cooking - http://www.gourmet-living.com/gourmet-articles.htm

Dog Pound (http://www.dog-pound.net )

How does Dog Pound, a website promoting products for dog care, use content to generate website traffic. The Dog Pound website has educational articles related to dog breeds and training. In addition, the dog pound website has videos of common dog breeds, cute pet photos, and free recipes for dog treats. My recommendation would be to take the photo section a step further, encourage individuals to send in their favorite doggy photos and conduct a dog beauty contest.

Articles about dog training - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-articles.htm Videos with dog breeds - http://www.dog-pound.net/videos.htm

Dog Treats - http://www.dog-pound.net/other-dog-treats.htm Photos - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-photos.htm

Security Port (http://www.security-port.net)

How does security port, a website that does not sell anything and profits from advertising, use content to attract traffic and promote their website? The security port focus is on aggregating a host of security resources, from security glossaries to security forums. By creating a topical portal with information relevant to security, they are providing one stop shop for security information. Searchable Security Databases - http://www.security-port.com/security-databases.htm Security Blog - with related security news - http://www.security-port.com/blog.htm Security Articles - http://www.security-port.com/security-articles.htm

Remember, at the end of the day that all of the advertising campaigns and attractive affiliate programs will only result in traffic spikes which will be transient. Generating a content rich website that is useful, educational, or entertaining will attract and retain customers. While it's hard to assemble a content-rich site that motivates others to link to you, it is certainly not impossible. Keep in mind that search engine rankings are influenced by the amount and quality of a website's content. Provide content that will make webmasters want to link to your website.

About the Author: Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage a wireless text messaging software company.