A website’s success is driven by its content – so if you’ve invested in a business website, then make sure you also invest in the right content, that will appeal to your visitors and encourage them to take the next step… We take a look at some great tips for really optimizing your online content, and getting it right the first time.
Remember that digital content is scanned
When you read print content in a book, newspaper, or magazine, you genuinely tend to read it – looking at each word and reading everything sequentially. However, readers of online content tend to quickly scan pages, looking for information that jumps out at them and generally not getting past the first few sentences. Make use of this and incorporate bullet points, bold headers, short sentences, and paragraphs, and pages that are light on content, and high on the call to action.
Prioritize
Knowing that visitors will only spend a few seconds deciding whether or not to persevere with your content, make sure you put the most critical content at the top of the page. Use boxes or graphic devices to flag up calls to action, and offer different ways to get in touch, as well as quick routes to sign up or make a purchase, where appropriate.
A graphic designer from a web design agency in London, such as britishwebsites.co.uk, can help ensure that your website is designed and structured to facilitate rapid and easy navigation by visitors.
Language
Your website is not the place for flowery and complex language. Focus on simplicity and be mindful that the visitor is looking to acquire information in just a few sentences in order to make a decision. Write in plain English and keep it short. Remember that only 16pc of visitors or so will actually read information word for word. Choose simple words and recognizable phrases, which also speed and aid readability.
Make your graphics work
Good copy tends to be most persuasive when it is paired with good design and the right graphics. Use boxes, separators, and other visual devices to organize your content into bite-sized chunks and use images that explain the content and bring it to life. Visitors are more likely to engage with an attractive page that clearly has a compelling offer, relevant to their search objectives.
Remember SEO
Use keywords that link to the words your customer search for – an SEO practitioner can help you to identify these. Use those keywords in headers, images, and meta descriptions to help optimize your website and make it prominent in search engine results for the searches that matter to your business. Remember, content is the key to getting effective and impactful SEO benefits for your digital assets. Integrating your site with content-led social channels is also key.
Using a freelancer
Most businesses will invest in the services of a freelancer or specialist copywriter to produce their website content and keep it fresh. The job is a skilled one and requires journalistic ability and a strong knowledge of websites and how they are used, structured, and read. A good digital writer will also know how to write content that is optimized for search engines, to improve SEO.
