Business owners and marketing leads can use their website news section to reach a much wider audience and improve their Google search rankings, Osborn Communications and award-winning partners VOiD Applications have outlined in a podcast.
In a recent episode of the Into the VOiD podcast, our director Chris Leggett joined VOiD’s Chris Carter and Neil Cooper to reveal how a news section can be used strategically to drive long-term success for businesses of any size.
Chris explained: “If you invest the time and effort into having a website, you can’t expect it to grow without updating it. Google will always favour websites that are updated regularly with authoritative, engaging content that people engage with and link back to.”
In the first guest appearance in the Into the VOiD series, Chris spoke to Chris and Neil about the engagement and impact which businesses can generate by sharing their news updates on a regular basis.
Award-winning Osborn, which Chris founded in 2020, has produced successful digital, PR and marketing work for a range of organisations. VOiD Applications works with a diverse client base of businesses to transform their online presence, increase leads and boost sales through web design and development, application design and development, SEO and marketing services as well as branding and design.
As well as being on YouTube, you can listen via Apple Podcasts.
Here is an edited transcript of the ideas which Chris shared in the recording:
The news section is an often overlooked but crucially important part of any business website. It’s not just about news – it’s your chance to tell the story of your business, share your expertise and amplify your messaging.
It’s also a frequently neglected marketing tool. Business owners and marketing leads can use their website news section to reach a much wider audience and improve their Google search rankings.
Many companies neglect their news section and forget to keep it up to date, while others leave it off their website altogether. I’ve worked with people who say: ‘We’ve got a website, and we’re really proud of it,’ but it hasn’t been updated since it launched.
That undermines trust. When you’ve got something new happening and it’s not on your site, the risk is that potential clients or even journalists do their due diligence and find nothing.
No one wants to land on a website and wonder if the business is still active.
Feed it to grow it
But that trend is reversing. We’re now seeing more businesses than ever coming to Osborn Communications to build or improve their news section. They want a strategy, a programme of content and something they can share through their social channels and partnerships.
If the opportunity’s there, some of these news stories could even attract influential press coverage in local newspapers, business press or industry titles.
If you invest the time and effort into having a website, you can’t expect it to grow without updating it. Google will always favour websites that are updated regularly with authoritative, engaging content that people engage with and link back to.
You need a ‘river’ of news and information – once or twice a month – so that the site continues to flow. That helps with search engine optimization (SEO), feeds your social media accounts, and gives your audience something to interact with.
Building a content bank
We work with a lot of SMEs who say: ‘We don’t know what to post on LinkedIn.’ Well, if you’ve got a news story every two or three weeks on your site, you’ve got ready-made material that’s already aligned to your message and tone.
Having said that, one of the mistakes many businesses make is focusing only on their social media platforms. But social media moves on fast, so it’s important to have a permanent home for your stories.
It’s not about quantity. It’s about consistency and quality. One story every couple of weeks – it builds up. And in 12 months, you’ve got a visible track record that tells your story better than any one-off press release ever could.
If you’d like support with developing your website news section, we can help. Osborn’s skilled team have years of news and storytelling experience, and can help you craft regular content that boosts your online presence. Drop us a line to book a chat.