How to write for your website
Writing for your website is quite different than writing for print media. Following the guidelines below and receiving guidance from your website design firm should get you in tip top shape before you know it.
People reading online content have the attention span of a gnat. Not that they lack intelligence, it’s just that you have a very small window in which to provide users with the content they are looking for before they leave. It is estimated that most users will leave a website in 20 seconds or less unless they find what they are looking for fast!
First and foremost you MUST have a well organized, intuitive and simple navigation structure. Your navigation is the key to effective content delivery.
Secondly your content must be organized in such a way that users can scan the content quickly to find the information they are looking for. It is estimated that most users only read 30% of content on a given page…yep!
Use bolded and descriptive paragraph heads:
Use bolded and descriptive paragraph heads, use bullets and other organizational tools to present content. And above all keep it short! Certainly there will be instances where you will need to expand on a topic, but a page full of key paragraphs linking to more expansive details on the paragraph content will more effectively provide for quick surface scans.
Keep most content to a paragraph or two, and then link that content to a complete article if necessary. This way you have given the reader the opportunity to skip over the paragraph and find the one they are looking for, or provide a link to more substantial content should they be interested in more detail.
Organize your content as though you had 20 seconds to find cursory information on three different items, and organize your pages in such a way that you can provide for more detail in the event it is necessary.
Search engine optimization:
It terms of search engine optimization…are you trying to get google to buy your product/services or a real human being? Certainly the search engines need to be a consideration, but you ultimately have to write for your desired audience. It does not do you much good if the search engines place you higher but prospective clients don’t.
Take a peak at the keywords related to searches for your industry and services, keep those in mind and use them when appropriate to your message. DO NOT use these keywords just to use them, annoy your users at your own peril!
Pay attention to using complete terminology, if you are a website designer use “website” not “site”. People searching for you will use website, people using site could be looking for planning, construction, land purchase etc. etc.
Use industry specific terms, use your company name and location and above all say what you do. It is amazing how many clients are ultimately vague in using specific terminology or listing a complete list of services/materials/products etc.
Hiring a copywriter or ghost writer:
If you need someone to re-work or edit your content, this would be an appropriate direction to move in. Make sure that the firm or individual you use has lengthy experience in writing specifically for the web and can site successful examples.
I would not recommend you find a “ghost writer” to write your content for you from start to finish. The point of your website is to share information on your company and services, ultimately trying to get an edge on making the sale. Who knows what you do and how you do it better than someone within the walls of your company? If you want your website content to stand out, you need to open a dialogue with your clients and prospective clients personally, not just in an open letter from the president on the homepage.
To have a personal dialogue, to share the way a company works, the character of that company can only truly be achieved by the content coming directly from that company. As I said above, hiring a copywriter to rework what you have written is fine, but I would recommend you avoid having someone outside your team write the content completely.
Final thoughts:
Write for your desired audience, consider the search engines in mentioning all that you do in complete proper terminology where appropriate, use good organization in your navigation and get to the point in short descriptive paragraph heads with short paragraphs and bullets leading to more expansive articles.
Use your website design company to it fullest. Even thought they might not write content for you, they certainly should be able to offer some tips for improvement and help guide you in constructing your navigation set.
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