How to Creatively Amp Up Your Resources Page (And Why You Should)
Consistent content is proven to drive traffic and build a relationship with consumers, but keep in mind that content creation is a long game. Intentionally crafting the standing pages on your website with continuously relevant content can provide prime opportunities to connect with your audience and organically boost traffic. Your resources page should work behind the scenes to generate leads and relationships while driving more of the right visitors to your website.
Think of your resource list as a long-lasting landing page – a potential one-stop-shop of tips and tools that establish your expertise and offer readers an in-depth education. Readers are there to learn about a problem and they need to know you understand their questions and can offer solutions. Gathering resources related to the common problems your company sees on a regular basis will naturally help readers find effective solutions through your various company offerings.
Here are some ideas you can use to ensure your company’s resources page is working for you around the clock.
Creating Resource Library Traction
With an overwhelming 92% of website traffic driven by Google, you need your website to be optimized so it will show up in search results. A resources page with valuable information and active links will not only widen your audience through improved search rankings, but it will also keep users on your site for a longer stretch of time. Be sure to consistently use keywords and phrases throughout the page to intentionally drive targeted traffic, and check often for any broken links that need to be updated.
Bringing visitors to your page is only the beginning. You also want your resource page to offer valuable information that will convert learners into customers. Here’s how you can achieve this.
Answer FAQs. A reader’s research can become your company’s results – just focus on comprehensive content that leads them from Point A (their questions) to Point B (your answers).
Problem Solve. People visit your website to figure out whether or not you can help them. Everything on your page should reinforce your expertise and proven track record so they can feel confident knowing you are the right fit for their specific needs.
Diversify Information. Take advantage of the way your resource list can offer a wider variety of materials than your blog ever could. Categorize content across any areas that might be helpful to your customers, and use affiliate links when possible.
Thinking Beyond Blog Posts
Your resources page is an opportunity to offer timeless and in-depth content. Linking to research, case studies, reports, white papers, e-books, and more can provide helpful and persuasive research to educate customers. Their learning process becomes their buying process, and you want to offer value from the beginning to the end of their experience.
There’s no denying the value of an active blog and on-trend posts, but relevant and evergreen content on your resources page will provide credibility with both readers and search algorithms. Your resource center serves visitors differently than your blog. You need blog posts that are conversational and timely, and that keep your business on a buyer’s mind when certain topics are on the table. However, a resource page should do more to establish your company’s trusted expertise. This space is your chance to really educate visitors about your industry, services, products, and more – all while establishing your company’s thought leadership. This page will help readers through their buying process differently than reading a blog.
Don’t forget—your resource library is your own! And this page should become increasingly customized over time with the value you both find and create. Curate your own list of articles, reviews, studies, how-to articles, white papers, reports – anything that serves your readers while solidifying your relationship with them as they spend time exploring your self-made info hub.
When you produce your own downloads, infographics, or other multi-use content, remember to add links on your resource page to anywhere that content has been used on other sites. These connections continue to build your relationships while boosting your site’s SEO through active links, all while further establishing your credibility.
Watching Resource Library Trends
A resource library opportunity that cannot be ignored is the page’s potential gateway to email marketing. As readers spend time researching the problem you want to help them solve, be sure to offer an opportunity to follow up with them in their inbox to provide more answers and solutions. Figure out the best way to prompt an email opt-in on your resource page, and produce an automatic, relevant email marketing campaign. You need to continue to communicate two things: you know all about the problem they’re trying to learn about, and you offer a solution to solve it.
Be sure to categorize your resource page in a user-friendly way, and think about adding visuals to keep interest. Check out the way Content Marketing Institute keeps its resources page focused on its own best content in an intuitively categorized list, or peruse this varied list of visually appealing resource pages among SaaS (Software as a Service) sites.
A cutting-edge feature to consider investing in for your resources page and website is adding live chat capabilities. Emarketer.com recently discovered that 63% of customers were more likely to return to a website that offers live chat. Customer service is increasing in availability and convenience, and optimizing your site to provide those interactions could be well worth the investment.
Last but not least, think of your resource page as an opportunity to educate, connect, and see behind-the-scenes returns as you convert researchers into customers. Take advantage of all the real estate available to you on your website, think beyond your blog, and prioritize the upfront time or investment to create landing pages that will continuously generate leads. Creatively amping up your resources page can provide lasting value to both your company and your clients.
Need a polished landing page or automated email marketing copy? Our expertise in content marketing, copywriting, and editing will help you connect with your ideal audience. Schedule your free 20-minute consultation today to get started.