Digital marketing is essential for brands that want to stay competitive. This means that a company’s website content game must be strong. From quality content to tuned-up SEO, every facet of a brand’s website must work together to convince customers that this brand has the solution that they need.
The various aspects of digital marketing fall under the heading of website content strategy. This strategy is the plan that brings these different components together. The basis of an effective website stands on the quality of its content. With sharply written, intelligent content, a website can improve its appearance, the experience of its users and its SEO rankings. It takes time and a lot of effort to create an effective website content strategy but this effort will pay off with improved brand recognition and higher levels of customer interest.
Developing A Smart Content Strategy
In order to use content effectively on your website, it’s important to develop all the different aspects of an overall content strategy. To do this, start with your most important content. Consider these points:
#1. The Message
What are you trying to say with your content? Your message needs to get straight to the point without wasting any time. You need to tell your readers why they need your product or service and why your product or service is better than the competitors. You have to be direct without pandering or playing to the lowest common denominator.
Above all, be honest. Don’t exaggerate or make false claims. If your product is good, your content can be just as good.
#2. The Details
Your content needs to be specific. Don’t just tell your readers what your product or service is, tell them how it works, where it works best and what it can do for their company. They need to get a real sense of how your product can change their workflow so that they can get excited and tell their coworkers.
#3. Know Where You Want To Go
It’s important to have a sense of what you’re trying to accomplish with your website content strategy. You can track page views and product orders but you need to know if people are responding to your content. If you know how your website is being received, you can fine-tune it and rework aspects that aren’t effective. This will give you the ability to specifically tailor your website message to reach the exact audience that you’re seeking.
#4. Organization
You may be able to write beautifully and get straight to the point but people will miss your message unless you get organized. Make an outline of all the major points you want to address with your website content. Consider how you can express these points most directly and efficiently. Make sure to pay attention to the ways in which your major points link together. This will help you stay organized and on track as you fill out your website.
It’s also important to routinely check your website to make sure that all of the information is current. If your website is online for any length of time, some of your information will be out of date sooner or later. Having old information in your posts can make your website look unprofessional. Make a plan to regularly check your content and update it as needed.
Is Your Website Content Ready?
Before your website goes live, it’s important to make sure your are fulfilling the basics of effective web content. Run through these points and make sure your content is good to go before launching your site.
#1. Make Big Points First
Wrap up all of your major points into a few sentences above any paragraphs. They should outline and highlight the most important features of your brand, service or product. They should give readers a good description of your service. You can get into more detail later.
#2. Be Direct
This isn’t the time to be poetic. Get straight to the point, be clear and direct. Remember, you’re trying to convince readers of the value of your product or service before they get distracted. You only have a few seconds to accomplish this goal so don’t waste time with excess language.
#3. Break Up Your Content
Using long paragraphs and run-on sentences will make your readers glaze over your information. Split up your info into chunks so that they can easily digest each idea in order. This makes it easier for the readers to organize the information in their mind. It also makes your points hit home and stand out clearly. Bullet points and paragraph breaks are great ways to keep your content focused and laser sharp.
#4. Provide Additional Info
You may not be able to store all the relevant information about your brand in just a few paragraphs. Remember, it’s important not to stuff your content full of extra information. Use links to reliable, relevant outside sources so that your readers can learn more if they wish. Remember to check your links regularly to make sure the extra content is still live and updated.
#5 Stay On Target
Before you start writing, make sure that your content is supporting your main themes and points. It helps to have others proofread and check your content to make sure it’s on target. If a sentence or paragraph strays away from your main points, cut it no matter how good it sounds. It’s better to be direct and focused than to sound good while straying off topic. Make sure every word builds your content towards its primary focus.