How to Strategize Your Website’s Content
- You’ve got a business. Check.
- You’ve got a domain name. Check.
- You’re ready to start designing your website, so you hire a website designer. Check. One of the first questions the designer asks is if you have your website content completed. Oops!
Wait, what do you mean by “content”? Content is put simply, the text and visuals you will have on your site. Some examples of different types of content are articles, case studies, pictures and videos, infographics and blog posts.
Why does your web designer want your content first?
Your developer needs your content first so she can:
- understand the message for each page
- know how much content will be on the page for layout and design
- identify the location for calls-to-action
- create a sitemap to establish whole site architecture
Your web design team can create a much better website if they know how much content each page will contain. Knowing which pages are going to have only a few sentences or a few paragraphs is crucial to the design phase. In the business world, your website is a vital marketing tool in attracting, educating and retaining customers, and every website needs content. Let’s go over some concepts and strategy to help you get started.
It’s not about you!
The first thing to understand is that your website is not about you. It’s about the user…what they need and are interested in. So, when you’re planning the text for your web pages, this is very important to remember. Tip: Create a user story to help direct the content to the person looking at your website. Your website’s homepage is generally the first page customers see. It is your welcome mat. Users general take only about 5 seconds to size you up and decide if your site is relevant for them.Questions to ask about the top portion of your website
- Is it immediately clear to the user what you do?
- Are you using industry jargon or terms your user would use in a search?
- Avoid using imagery your user may not understand. The home page needs to have a clear and direct message that the user can instantly identify with.
- What problem does the user have that lead them to your website?
- Is there an easy call-to-action that leads them to their solution?
- Is it clear you are the solution to their problem?
- Is there a simple path to contact you?