You don’t turn out the lights on your website when everyone goes home for the day, and there’s no such thing as regular business hours online.

Content on your website affects your brand around the clock, so it’s critical that your site host high quality content, along with content that engages visitors and supports revenue development like special reports, ecommerce products, and custom job boards.

The content on your web publication or trade publication website should work to build trust and establish your brand as authoritative. Here are seven ways you can ensure your site contains high quality content that helps quietly build your brand 24/7.

1. Find Your Voice

You should have an idea from the outset of what your brand represents and how you want it to come across. If you publish an online humor magazine, your voice will be quite different than if you have a trade website for patent lawyers. That’s not to say that you establish a tone on the first day your site goes live and never deviate from it. You start out with a concept, and over time, with continued commitment to quality content and audience, your voice will become more refined and identifiable. Consistency of voice is important, even if you undergo a rebranding effort or website redesign.

2. Engage With Your Audience

Encourage responsible commenting, and respond to comments. This should be your rule across platforms including your blog, Facebook page, Twitter feed, Pinterest boards, and other social media. You don’t have to offer detailed responses to every single comment, but you have to interact enough for your audience to know that you know they’re there, and that they matter. And with an engaged audience, if content goes viral, the positive effects can be magnified even more.

3. Be Transparent

Honest content is important. While your website should be devoted to its primary mission, it should also include content that shows that behind it are actual human beings. If your brand has a fascinating origin story, share it. If a site’s key contributor celebrates an important milestone, say so. And don’t be afraid to occasionally ask your audience’s opinion. It’s not easy to ask what they think of your new product and service, because web audiences generally speak candidly. But learning about what ”clicks” with your audience and what doesn’t helps keep your brand on the track to success.

4. Make Content Available Across Platforms

A consistent brand presence across devices is absolutely vital today. According to the Pew Research Center, 56% of American adults have smartphones, and for young adults age 18 to 29, the figure is 80%. Mobile users simply don’t put up with sites that don’t translate well to these devices. Whether you create apps or engaging mobile site versions, you have to address the needs of mobile users. This is true also of revenue development content on your site. Mobile users should be able to access and use your job boards, shop in your online store, and download premium content, whatever device they’re using.

5. Build Guest Blogging Relationships

Establishing reciprocal guest blogging relationships with other respected websites in your industry helps you and your guest blogging partners by cross-pollinating audiences and bringing something new and fresh to each site.

6. Host or Sponsor Industry Events

Few things are as effective at giving your brand a boost as hosting or sponsoring an important industry event. Whether it’s an educational webinar or an in-person event (that you can stream live), these occasions boost brand recognition and can in some cases bring welcome press attention.

7. Try for Industry Awards

If your organization is eligible for industry awards, why not apply? If you believe you have something of substance to offer, learn about the history of the award and realistically assess your chances based on award criteria. You may be surprised at how qualified your organization is. Winning, or even being nominated for certain industry awards, is practically unmatched in terms of building reputation and authority in a short span of time.

Quality content is the voice of your brand, and it’s ”on” at all times. Try these tips for creating and drawing attention to your outstanding content, and you can make great strides in building your brand, reputation, and authority in your industry.

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