With increased internet competition and search engine scrutiny, it's no wonder that web business owners lose business, become discouraged and drop out of the rankings.

But there's one saving grace that can help keep web businesses afloat. It's content.

In recent years the debate has heated up over what is required to keep websites ranked well among the search engines, but one thing we can all agree on is the need for quality, useful content. You needed it ten years ago and you still need it today.

There are many ways to provide your site with useful content however your challenge will be to keep it unique, easy to read, interesting, informative and regularly updated.

Here are a few content rich ideas that will help you achieve those goals:

1. Provide Editorials
This is your own personal opinion about a story or event rather than an objective approach you often see in the newspaper. Editorials provide food for thought and invite viewer opinions.

You can write editorials yourself or you can urge your visitors to write relevant editorials for placement on your site. A good editorial will keep your site interesting and colorful.

2. Provide Articles or How-To Guides
Write articles or have them written for you. Use your articles to offer tips, facts, resources and information that your viewers might be interested in. Write articles with the intention of offering a solution to a problem. Readers also appreciate it when you include your own personal experiences and suggestions.

Similarly offer a how-to guide that offers step-by-step instructions or advice on how someone can achieve a desired goal or learn how to do something.

3. Provide a Knowledge Base / Glossary of Terms
Post a question and answers page and/or a glossary of terms. Both will provide a comprehensive knowledge base of information related to your site's topic.

A glossary of terms is a perfect way to help educate your viewers and clarify confusion. Also, as new questions come across your desk, they can be added to your Q&A page, expanding and updating your content on a regular basis.

4. Provide News Stories
Post the latest news stories related to your site's topic. Simply post a news item you find interesting and relevant and write a brief 2-3 line summary. Below the summary attach a link to the full story.

Remember to post only articles that are recent and relevant. Old or off-topic pieces will result in lost visitors.

5. Offer Contests or Surveys
Posting a contest or a survey allows your viewers to be interactive with your site.

Contests are unique because they can make your site 'sticky' meaning your visitors will check back frequently. Additionally, surveys not only provide you with information about your visitors and what they are looking for but once your survey has been completed and tallied, you can post the information to your site.

People love to enter contests and offer their opinion. Both options offer unique ways to get your audience involved and provide you with interesting content.

6. Provide Guest Interviews
Find expert in your field and ask them to consider doing an interview with you. Compose a number of relevant or burning questions that you can ask your guest speaker. You can later post the question & answer interview to your website.

7. Post a Calendar of Events
Offer a calendar of events that pertains to your site's topic. For example, if you have a site for runners, offer a calendar of marathon events. Your viewers could come to rely on you for such events encouraging return visits.

8. Provide Product Reviews
If you have purchased a product that your viewers may be interested in, post a product review. This not only adds original content, it creates credibility and establishes you as an informative resource. This form of content is also ideal when offering affiliate products.

9. Post a forum on your site
A forum often provides your visitors with candid, honest information. Visitors can also post comments, questions, articles and opinions. A forum not only allows visitors to add their content, they can also help you network and build joint ventures.

10.Create a Blog
Blogs are easy to create, they offer a variety of information sources on a huge number of specific topics and the search engine spiders love them. That's because blog content is updated in real time offering its visitors news and information that isn't readily available anywhere else.

About the Author

Elizabeth McGee has been a top resource for online marketing success since 2001. Her talent and experience gets YOU results. Get her Free Newsletter & Online Traffic e-book at: http://www.homenotion.com