Some of my clients write the content for their own sites. It helps keep costs down and is particularly useful when the tone of voice flows directly from the business owner – after all – you are the expert in your field!
I often have to give guidance and edit the content that they send to me to make it work better on their new website. Here are my top 3 tips for creating engaging website content...
1) Consider the customer!
Always consider the customer and their goals before writing anything. People get so nervous about writing that it ends up being a brain dump of everything they know on a subject, or the complete history of their business or project. Think about what questions the customer is trying to answer when coming to your site – and address them as quickly as possible.
2) Break up content
If your content is many paragraphs long it is very off-putting to most people – who tend to skim and scan text for what they need. Break it up into small bite-sized chunks, add relevant headings and break text down into bullet points if possible.
3) Put your key message first
Most people write down thoughts as they come out of their heads – which means that when they finally arrive at the key point, it is at the bottom of the page! Take that key point, and put it right at the top. Back it up with pertinent information or a summary, and then go into the detail/history/background further down the page for people who really want to go into detail. That way, even if someone only reads the header and the first sentence, you have got your most important point across.
Bonus Point: illustrate your point with images wherever possible!
Of course writing engaging content takes practise and time, and you may be busy running your own business. I can write all necessary content for your new website, as well as designing and building it. Please contact me at info@emma-dixon.com to discuss your requirements.
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