Ways You Can Create Effective Website Content
The number one thing that you can do to get a great website that people will visit is to offer good website content.
Writing solid content for your website is vastly different from any other type of writing. Website content must be written in a specific way because readers’ expectations have changed.
Those who visit a website want to see:
- Ѕhort punchy sentences
- Ѕentences that allow them to scan
- Bullet points that offer them a quick look
- Carefully-selected visuals such as images, video and infographics placed strategically in the content.
- Еasy to find main points
- Relevant information or highlights in bold text.
The average internet website visitor wants to review the information that you are offering them in a specific way.
Typically, they want to review what you are offering them in an informative, yet concise way. This means scanning the information that you offer, rather than spending a lot of time reading it.
While some visitors may want to read longer paragraphs; simplifying the most important information that you are offering is critical.
The biggest mistake that is made when writing online content is to leave gaping holes in the directions, or to fail to create your sentences in ways that people can understand. Bear in mind, that your content may be accessible to everyone. Whether you’re writing about animal husbandry, or the technical specs of a smartphone, it should be written in such a way that everyone can understand it.
Distilling complex information is imperative. Keep it neat, write short sentences and keep your text in a vocabulary level that is easy to read.
Typically, unless your website is geared towards another language - and ONLY that language -it is best that all of your text written in English.
Creating pages that are easily understood means that your keywords should be kept to a reasonable level and appear naturally. Stuffing your text with keywords will decrease your ranking potential on Google.
The most important component of online writing is understanding that it needs human elements e.g. content with a conversational tone is far more relatable to readers. Too often we create content based on what we believe Google (and other search engines) would like to see. That is a huge mistake. Google puts their emphasis on a good customer experience. If you write for the human who is behind the computer, create your website content in such as way that it is impressive to them, the search engines will normally notice that and your content will rank higher.
However, the content on your website should inform, educate and engage prospective clients while concurrently developing your online authority.
Here are 10 ways you can create good website content.
- Identify Your ‘Why’
Each piece of content you post on your website must have a reason for being there. If you don’t know why you’re posting the content, rather don’t post it at all.
- Understand Your Audience
When you produce any content it’s crucial that you know for whom it’s being created. This is why it’s so important to know your target audience – it can help you develop very personalised content that gets results.
- Stay Updated
You may think that you know your niche but things change over time as technology improves and styles change. Keep up to date in your industry so that you’re ready for changes that may occur.
- Keep an Eye On Your Competition
Join your competitor’s mailing lists, and look at the content they’re sending out. Can you identify if it’s working well for them or not? How can you do it better?
- Know the Buying Process
There’s a set buying process that your audience will go through, even if they don’t realize it. It’s important to recognize where people are in the buying process. Generally, it’s a five-stage process:
- Awareness
- Information Search
- Evaluation
- Decision
- Purchase
Plus, after purchase, your customer will decide if they will buy from you again.
- Improve Your Strategy
Take the time to work on improving your strategy to make it work better. Base this on the information and facts you have about your customers, your niche, your products and your customer’s buying process.
- Be Consistent
To ensure that the content on your website will get results, it’s important to post content on a consistent basis.
- Promote Your Content
If you don’t let people know that your content is out there, you won’t get the results you want. Post content to your social media platforms and email it out to your subscriber list. You can even promote it via pay-per-click ads.
- Create Engaging Content
No one wants to consume boring content. Ensure that the content matches the needs of your audience, speaks to them on their terms and provides value for your audience.
- Mix It Up
The more variety that you provide to your audience, the more engagement you will get. Don’t limit your website content to text. There is a diverse selection of visual media that will add value to your content e.g. video, infographics and GIFs. Incorporate these into your content and you’ll reap the benefits.
