In Part 2 of this three-part series, we took a deep dive into successfully monetizing website content. Here, we take a look at some key considerations and best practice recommendations from digital marketing experts.
Key Considerations and Best Practices
Topping the list of key considerations is alignment with your brand. Building a strong brand can take a long time and a lot of effort, but its value can diminish quickly. That means ensuring alignment between your desired brand and any monetization efforts you undertake.
Everything Matters
Everything you do on your website can either support or detract from your brand. That includes backlinks, ads, and offers. “While backlinks are crucial to drive more traffic to your site, it’s important that they’re relevant to your content. If they’re not, it can decrease your SEO rankings, which can lessen your credibility and prominence in the niche you’re pursuing,” Shukla explains.
Brand Considerations
Maintaining your brand and its relevance requires high-quality content, which includes your own content as well as any content being used to help monetize your efforts. Gianluca Ferruggia is the general manager at DesignRush, a marketplace that connects businesses with professional agencies. “There’s a balancing act between financial gain and maintaining brand integrity if you’re running a service-oriented business,” Ferruggia points out.
“At DesignRush, while we’ve successfully monetized our platform, we remain vigilant about preserving our brand’s authenticity,” Ferruggia says. It can be easy to be “swayed by the promise of quick monetization,” he says, but it’s important to focus on opportunities that are aligned with your mission.
User Experience
User experience, Shukla states, should be a top priority. He recommends “always putting user experience first to ensure customer satisfaction.” Content should also be aligned with user interests. Ferruggia agrees: “If we start seeming too commercial, it might turn our audience off and it might affect our traffic, ultimately affecting our monetization options anyway.” It’s always best, he says, “to make sure that monetization should never compromise the quality and relevance of our content.”
Well-Defined Strategy
It’s also important to have a well-defined strategy. “You have to start with a well-crafted content strategy coupled with diligent execution,” Ferruggia states. “By investing in a consistent content planning and production process, we were able to grow a platform that became recognized as a trusted resource that resonates deeply with our audience,” he explains.
Ferruggia says: “Our goal is to align our content with the business’ broader objectives so that every article informs and contributes to our overarching mission of connecting businesses with the right agencies.” This “might take longer than if you invested heavily in ads, but it does help drive organic growth, which naturally attracts profitable affiliate partnerships and sponsored content opportunities.”
Legal and Regulatory Considerations
There are legal and regulatory requirements to be aware of and to follow as well. “Transparence about sponsored content is important to maintain trust with your audience and avoid any potential loss of credibility or backlash,” Shukla says. It’s also required by the FTC. Ferruggia points out that money isn’t necessarily the only objective to consider when thinking about ways to optimize your site through strategic partnerships. In addition to financial benefits, he recommends “aligning with affiliates and sponsors whose offerings enhance content and resonate with your audience’s specific needs.”
Remember: Aim for Quality Over Quantity
Whatever your goals, it’s critically important to maintain a focus on quality over quantity. “Focus on a niche that can be monetized effectively,” Brill advises. Then “put effort into search engine optimization to get organic traffic. Make your site fast to load, easy to access, and uncluttered.” Providing a high-quality experience for your users and partners in monetization—including advertisers and affiliates—is the best way to nurture both audiences to achieve and maintain long-term success.
(Note: This article first appeared in the April 2024 issue of Information Today.)
About Us
Strategic Communications, LLC, works with B2B clients to help them achieve their goals through effective content marketing and management with both internal and external audiences. We work with clients to plan, create and publish high-quality, unique content. Whether on- or offline, or both, we’ll help you achieve desired results at reasonable rates.
In addition to content creation we specialize in helping B2B clients raise awareness and drive website traffic through a strong LinkedIn and X presence.
(Strategic Communications is certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise through the Wisconsin Department of Administration.)
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Tags: content marketing, internet marketing, making money from your website, monetization, website analytics, website best practices, website marketing