Content Portals are Great Marketing Tools

Highly targeted, focused sites that are related to specific market segments are highly advantageous and can often be created using existing web content. The key is to provide value. Think of the time spent surfing the web gathering resources and information. By creating a topic-centric resource compiling information, webmasters are providing a service or value. In many cases that value is simply the compilation of topic-specific information in a single resource. The compilation of this information in itself is the value. These highly focused content sites can be great supplemental portals that are invaluable as a marketing tool for niche products. Niche portals help define expertise in a specific market segment, not to mention the added benefit of providing valuable topic-specific links. The topic-centric portals also tend to achieve high search placement and will often provide advertisers high quality exposure, allowing webmasters the opportunity to capitalize on their efforts. What to put in topical portal? ARTICLES Many article writers allow webmasters to republish their articles. Search the large article directories for quality topic-specific articles using keyword searches. The articles contained in these directories often allow publishers to freely reproduce the article's contents as long as the hyperlinks in the article and article resource box remain intact. Resource for finding articles for publication: GoArticles - http://www.rss-specifications.com/displaying-rss-feeds.htm for instructions on displaying feeds). Resources for finding RSS feeds for syndication: RSS Network - http://www.rss-locator.com LINK DIRECTORY While this takes a little more time, compiling a collection of niche websites on related topics can significantly enhance the value of a portal. Topic-specific directories and search engines can achieve high search engine rankings with the larger engines like Google and MSN, and can easily be optimized for a collection of search terms. The process can even be automated if you have programming experience. Sample Link Directory - http://www.phpbb.com More on topic-specific portals or information radars can be found in Robin Good's book 'Newsmastering'. http://www.feedfordev.com an RSS component for developers.