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Understanding the True Value of a Resource Library for Your Website
By Scott Buresh (c) 2007

Many websites currently offer a resource library for visitors -
an area filled with articles covering relevant topics to the
industry with which the site is connected. The articles may
cover how to do something or define a particular aspect of the
industry, but they do not usually directly sell the company's
products or services.

Benefits of a Resource Library

While it's true that a resource library, on the surface, exists
to benefit site visitors, it doesn't end there -- they also
provide benefits that can directly impact any business. First of
all, they spread goodwill among a business's prospect base – and
its non-prospect base as well. The site is seen by visitors as
offering free information about important subject matter – and
that makes it a more attractive site to return to in the future
when a purchase will be made or a service established.

Second, with a solid resource library, the site puts itself in a
great position to organically attract important inbound links.
Outside sites will notice the offerings of important and
unbiased information and link to individual articles or to the
resource library as a whole. This will boost traffic and
rankings overall.

Third, if the articles in the section are optimized properly,
they will also boost rankings for popular and competitive
keyphrases, driving additional targeted traffic to the site. The
traffic may enter the site at the articles, but visitors are
then likely to click for further information about the site
itself.

A Common Objection to Adding a Resource Library

The most common objection a search engine optimization company
hears when recommending that a site add a resource library is "I
want to sell my product, not educate." However, this is
shortsighted. It is important to reach buyers at all stages of
the sales cycle. For example, if someone is just starting to
investigate a product or service, a site with an appropriate
informational article will reach him or her at this critical
early stage. The prospect will then likely remember the
experience when he or she is ready to buy and will return to the
site.

In addition, a site with a resource library can help a
salesperson save valuable time. With quality articles freely
available on the site, the salesperson will no longer need to
take the time to explain the basics to a prospect - the site
will have already taken care of that. Instead, the salesperson
can focus on speaking to the people who are ready to make a
purchase.

Examples of Successful Resource Libraries

There are several sites that serve as great examples of this
approach. Let's look at three of them – Bed, Bath and Beyond;
Lowe's; and Step Two Designs (an Australian consulting firm).

Bed, Bath, and Beyond opens its resource library with a friendly
"Need help shopping?" and follows it up by telling visitors that
they can "browse through the sections below for helpful shopping
hints on a variety of topics." There is no mention of specific
sales at any point on this page, which is found at
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/ShopGuide.asp?order_num=-1&.

Taking a deeper look, one will find that the targeted phrase
"window treatments" brings up Bed, Bath, and Beyond's guide on
the subject on the first page of Google. This phrase has the
impressive monthly search estimate (using data from WordTracker)
of 55,304. Note that this page, which is an unbiased article
offering tips on choosing different types of window treatments,
and not a retail sales page, is what achieves the rankings.

The home improvement chain Lowe's actually has several resource
libraries available on its site, from buying guides to an
extensive how-to library. Its buying guide page, found at
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=HTindex/
BuyingGuideIndex.html, notes, "Work Smarter: We'll help you find
the right equipment and tools you need for all of your projects."
And the company's article on choosing floor tiles appears on the
first page of Google for the targeted phrase "tile floor," which
has a monthly search estimate of 2,046. Again, it's an
informational page and not a product page that gets the great
rankings.

Both of the above examples are great, but you don't need to be
selling a product online - or even be in the retail business at
all - to use a resource library to your benefit. Step Two
Designs is a consulting firm that offers a resource library of
whitepapers on its site at http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/
index.php. Its article "How to Evaluate a Content Management
System," for example, establishes its usefulness right at the
top, stating that "No vendors or products are mentioned in this
article: this is not a survey of current commercial solutions.
Instead, it provides tools to assist you to conduct a review of
suitable products."

This article appears on the first page of Google for the
targeted phrase "content management systems," which has a
monthly search estimate of 2,356. While this may be a lower
number than the Bed, Bath and Beyond example, a consulting
firm's average sale will likely be greater than that of a single
purchase from a retail outlet, and so these visitors are
potentially more valuable. Even in this type of business, a
resource library will quickly prove its value.

Conclusion

Resource libraries clearly offer something of value for everyone
involved. Prospects appreciate their existence, search engines
reward sites that have them, and salespeople are relieved of the
burden of explaining basic concepts to early prospects. You can
either create your articles in-house or, if you're not sure
where to start, hire a search engine optimization company to
help you with everything from idea generation to writing. In
either case, with just a little bit of effort your site too can
realize the benefits of establishing this type of section.

© Medium Blue 2007
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Scott Buresh is the founder and CEO of Medium Blue, which was 
recently named the number one  search engine optimization company 
(http://www.mediumblue.com/) in the world by PromotionWorld. 
Scott's articles have appeared in numerous publications, 
including ZDNet, WebProNews, MarketingProfs, DarwinMag, 
SiteProNews, SEO Today, ISEDB.com, and Search Engine Guide. He 
was also a contributor to Building Your Business with Google For 
Dummies (Wiley, 2004). Medium Blue is an Atlanta search engine 
optimization company with local and national clients, including 
Boston Scientific, Cirronet, and DS Waters. Download Medium 
Blue's latest exclusive whitepaper (http://www.mediumblue.com/
free-whitepaper.php), "Adding Search to Your Marketing Mix," for 
more insight.
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