Guest blog by Idris Fashan
Last week, Mike, Joseph and I had a stimulating conversation about the X5 Management website, and Mike asked if I would be interested in writing a guest post on website content.
Since I could never resist the chance to write about writing, I jumped at the opportunity.
Many of our clients come to us during or shortly after their websites have been designed, and though the website looks great, their content isn’t fresh.
Web designers and web writers agree that your website should be more than a backlit business card that sits idle in cyberspace. It should be a living reflection of your business, moving people through your pages the same way they move through your sales/service process.
What is content really? Your written web content should be seen as the soul of your business. It presents brand value as it brings people to your website, and it’s one of the most effective ways to extend your reach into the marketplace, building authority, community and conversions. Optimized content can improve your site ranking in search engines, ensuring that it remains visible for people who are looking for what you offer. Content can be used to prime that buyer from a research experience into a sales relationship.
New visitors can understand your style, approach and expertise.
Researchers can compare the merits of your business with others.
Buyers who are ready to act can move through your content easily and make their decision before they even contact you. Effective web content does this effortlessly. Answer the following questions to determine if your content is working for you:
- Do you know what people are looking for when try to find what you offer?
- Look at the pages your customers arrive at when they find you. Are you moving them through the sales process on your website?
- Is your content written for your customer, or does it sound like it was written about your company?
- Are there complicated pages, links or stages that could be simplified or removed?
- Is your content readable and easy to scan, or is it full of industry specific terms and long paragraphs?
- Does your content include ALL the information potential buyers need or want about your product or service?
- Does your content consistently reflect the attitude and value of the brand with the writing style and the “voice” of your content?
By no means is this an extensive audit or explanation of content, but by working through these questions, you can gain an idea of what your buyers are looking for and how you can begin improving your content to best serve them.
If you’re eager to delve deeper into the rules of content, this article by Colleen Jones explores the fundamentals of content creation and evaluation. Content Analysis: A Practical Approach Good luck and Godspeed!
