If you are in the throes of redesigning your website content or, rethinking a website design, then this post is for you.
When I googled how to set up and design a new website and what content to include there was little if nothing to help aspiring entrepreneurs or SME’s. 
How to get started writing website content
The most important thing here is to really think about your customers and then try and put yourself in their shoes.
I remember in 2011 going through the whole website redesign for digital print management and sitting down with pen and paper working out how I wanted the website to look and feel.
I can tell you I had a few sleepless nights, planning it, thinking it and then writing the content.
Because my business is unique and niche, I wrote the content but my challenge was and still is, to put my visitors first.
What are they looking for and, will they find it when they get there?
Website content and website design are more than just words on a page it should flow easily and give your visitors a good feeling when they arrive.
How many times have you entered a search into google and ended up with a dozen SERP’s half of which are either irrelevant or don’t make any sense?
Eight years later and with an SEO qualification and years of writing under my belt I am still learning the art.
I should point out that if you believe your website is done and dusted trust me when I say it is not.
It is a constant work in progress.
What next?
Value first, what is your value proposition?
What is the purpose of your website?
What is your visitor looking for when they find your site?
Why do you want or need a website?
Is it to generate leads?
Attract new visitors
Help your visitors solve a problem for them?
Are they looking for someone qualified to help them and are you that person?
How do you intend to position yourself as that ‘go-to expert?’
Are they looking for specific information and is your website it?
Break it down
Into how many pages you think you need to make up your website and name the pages.
This will start your primary navigation which should include the following pages:
Home/Main Page
About us/you
Products
Services
Testimonials/Case studies
Contact us
Google calls these groups of information silos, below is a simple diagram of what I mean:
Your visitor should be able to find what they are looking for ideally in three clicks.
But this is based also on SEO and keyword planning i.e keywords that are used within your content and will determine how your visitors find you.
As you start designing your website you need to think about how the navigation will work, the audience you are writing for, the content, your brand and persona, URL’s and links to other pages on the site, the legality aspects and finally contact details.
Do you know who your competitors and customers are?
Your website content will need to include specific keywords to help visitors find your products and services.
Take a look at your wannabe customers websites, what do they do?
How can you write content that fits their needs?
Take a look at your competitors, what are they saying and how do they make use of industry context.
This will help you refine the keywords you need to research and include them within your website content.
Now for the tricky bit?
Writing the content.
Writing website content is hard, after all, we aren’t all born writers nor do we have degrees in English literature and language.
Think about the body language and tone of your website?
Is it friendly, conversational or formal and business-like?
I believe above all else this is the fundamental difference that sets websites apart from each other.
A website can have a crap flow and design but if the language is appealing and relevant the visitor will put up with the poor design, grammar mistakes and will continue to find what they want.
Keep it simple. Avoid the vernacular, keep jargon to a minimum if it is industry-relevant then, by all means, use it.
Avoid long words like ENERVATE (to make someone feel drained of energy) or INELUCTABLE (unable to be resisted or avoided), don’t you just love these words?
Your visitors don’t want to use a dictionary to find out about your products and services, they want to understand and do it quickly.
Visitors view differently on the web they tend to scan and pick up keywords they have used to find the information they need so keeping it simple makes it easier on the eye.
Good website content engages the reader and, with a good call to action makes it easier to go to the next step; picking up the phone to call your company or, fill out your contact form.
Who is it for, what is for?
As I stated earlier this is the complete ethos of your website, your whole being and what and who you are.
Because I am writing this in the singular doesn’t mean it doesn’t apply to the whole.
An SME or large corporation requires well-written content that appeals to every visitor.
Websites are the first port of call into an organisation’s hub they project the feel of the company, its people and culture.
There are many sites that I have viewed who have lost sight of the fact their visitors are human and not robots.
Consolidating all of the above, aim to ensure your website content is concise, with easy to read content in a language that can be understood which will help sell your products or services.
If all of this is too much like hard work then contact me here and I will be happy to offer a free ten-minute consultation over the phone.
Further reading for you
https://onewomansview.co.uk/why-good-content-is-so-important-for-your-website/
https://onewomansview.co.uk/why-a-content-writer-is-good-for-your-business/
