When first putting your website together, it can be frustrating and incredibly time consuming to come up with content that succinctly and clearly tells the reader how you can help them. Recently I was asked by a client to help them with their website content. I quickly threw together the following tips in the form of 8 E’s of website content that you may find useful.
Engage – Your goal is to engage the visitor from the get go. Have strong opening lines that engage the visitor. For example, a need you are fulfilling, something that lets them know that they have arrived at the right site, that you can help etc.
Escort – Like a travelling companion, have your content walk your visitor through your website pointing out items of interest along the way, all the time focusing on your visitor and meeting their needs.
Execute – Every page should have clear calls to action that encourage the visitor to continue browsing, make contact, something other than leave your website.
Extract - Don't let your visitor leave your website without capturing their contact details. Outside of the 'sign up for…' box (free white paper, top tips, how to…etc.) on your home page, continue to direct the visitor to the sign up box throughout your content. Remember - contact details = leads.
Empower – Provide content that the visitor can use without having to contact you. It is important to give and empower the visitor to take action.
Energise – Always be positive and use positive language in your content that illustrates your energy, motivation, enthusiasm and passion for what you do.
Exit – Step back from your website regularly and look at the content as if you were a first time visitor.
Edit – Don't worry about going live with your content. It is there to be edited. Understand that editing is an integral part of keeping the website and content fresh.
The last E – Edit – is probably the most important tip. Going live with your website is your primary goal. Don’t let a paragraph or two of text you are not happy with, stop you from going live. Remember your website is never a finished article. It is supposed to be tweaked, updated and refreshed with new content on an ongoing basis.
These are only 8 of the E’s of website content. Can you contribute any more? I look forward to your input.
About Next Chapter Marketing
Next Chapter Marketing is helping small businesses with small marketing budgets grow in the current climate with cost effective and zero budget marketing strategies and marketing plans. Next Chapter Marketing provides a Blog and Website Content Writing Service specifically designed for businesses with a small marketing budget. Click here for more.