Top 5 tips for creating content on your website

If you're struggling to write new content for your site, you're not alone. Many new site owners find it hard to write - that's the reason we offer a content creation service. However, most people can learn how to write their own content, and once you've learnt you'll be able to continue to develop your site and to build your online reputation.

There are a few key points to keep in mind while you're churning out all those keyword laced pages.

1. Focus on the outcome and Communicate

What's the outcome you would like from your this page? Let's start with something along the lines of 'My site visitor understands that we sell widgets, that our widgets are superior quality and is convinced that we are the best people to purchase widgets from'. Sketch out a list of what they need to know about your product/service to come to the conclusion that this is the product/service they need - put yourself in their shoes, what would you want to know? You might have items on your list such as:

• 'Steel instead of Alloy' or '1:1 tuition sections within every group class'
• Guaranteed for x years
• Locally produced
• Recommended by someone you expect they will have heard of

This is the number one place that people get stuck and start to spin their gears instead of going forward.

2. Communicate

This is what your page is really about, it's not for search engines or robots - it for real people with real needs and real money to spend. Tell them what you need them to know and be yourself. Don't be afraid to show who you are on your website - people don't often buy from marketing robots, they like real people.

If you find yourself communicating something that isn't really core to the message of your page then use the cut and paste function - you just started a new page, Woohoo, now we're talking! If the tangent is more interesting to you at this point then run with it and knock out that new page, otherwise keep it somewhere safe until later. Our websites all offer a published & unpublished option you can use for this.

Don't get hung up on how the page will look, good content can be tailored to fit a design - and if we're building a new site for you then we've probably asked you for some of your content before we produce a design. 'Content first' is the best way to build your site - the site will then truly reflect the message that you're putting out there and be congruent with your sales efforts.

3. Don't sweat the keywords

Not at this point anyway. Just get your thoughts down, flesh them out and come back to them in a week or two. It's much, much easier to review and edit your work once there's a bit of distance between you and it. Keep in mind is that Google is continually downgrading the effects of keyword stuffing, so don't be afraid to use synonyms to make the text flow more easily.

4. Keep the momentum going

After the first page it gets a whole lot easier. Once you've got that first page sitting there waiting to be edited give yourself a nice pat on the back/cup of tea/beer and knock off for the day. Tomorrow you move onto the next one. When you write you're just exercising a muscle in your body - the more regularly you do your workout, the easier it becomes - but if you overdo it you can burn out, so take it easy when you're starting and build it up.

5. Close the sale

Great! You've convinced them, now you need to make the sale. Provide a clear call to action and make it as simple as you can. You will probably need to include pricing, and the ability to purchase or book, don't be afraid to 'make the ask' once you've done the hard work of producing such great copy for your website! This isn't really part of content production and is often as much a part of the site design as the copy, but keeping sale closure in mind will improve your copy.

That's the 5 tips, go have fun with them, and if you're not having fun with your content then drop us a line  - we're always happy to help.

Image on this page courtesy of Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0