FAIR WARNING TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS: You will actually have to put real stuff like words and pictures on your website to go along with that nice, pretty design you paid for. Sounds simple, right?

Tell that to the hordes of small business owners who have gone 'missing' since being asked to provide content for their websites.

Solving the Mystery
It's really not a mystery. I know exactly what happened to those missing business owners. They've been swallowed whole by the Web Content Monster -- a beast that begins stalking you when you first realize that your logo, service listing and contact information doesn't quite make the show-stopping website you were hoping for.

How does it happen? While small business owners may have the expert skills required to run their business, that skillset may not include copywriting or product photography. Others simply don't have the time. And if this lack of skill and/or time was not planned for, the dream of an all-informative web site complete with staff bios, product photo galleries, monthly articles, polls, helpful tips, etc., now sends these doomed business owners running blindly right into the arms of the beast. Chomp, Chomp.

Tips to Avoid the Web Content Monster

• Be realistic about what you and your employees have time and skills for. Don't commit to more of a website than you have time or budget to handle.

• Contract out your content needs to someone skilled in copywriting or photography.

• Can't afford to contract the work out? Get the word out to your staff that help is needed. You mind find out that your payroll clerk is a talented photographer or that your bookkeeper is as good with words as he is with numbers. At the very least, they may have contacts that could result in a discounted rate from an outside contractor.

• Make the most of work that's already done. Scour your existing company materials for content. Brochures, flyers, ads, manuals, client handouts, press releases, business plans, PowerPoint presentations--even e-mails--can be great sources of content.

• Don't try to put your whole wishlist on your website at once. This may sound like a no-brainer but I see it occur over and over again. There's nothing wrong with gradually building your site over time. In fact, in many cases, this may be the better approach even if you're not feeling overwhelmed.

• Don't wait until a week before your site is scheduled to go live to ask for help. Do that and you'll feel the fangs of the Content Monster for sure!

If you really want an informative site that adds value to your consumers, that's great! Just realize it will take time and effort on someone's part to achieve that. Decide who that someone will be, develop a plan of action and stick to it! There will be one less tasty snack for that old Web Content Monster.

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