It’s a big day.
You’ve set aside time to write the copy for your new website. Woo hoo.
After sitting on the fence about a new website, you’ve taken that leap of faith, inspired by the new year.
Out with the old, in with the new, and all that good stuff. Awesome!
And the project is going great.
Web developer booked? Check.
Revamped logo sorted? You bet.
Professional snaps of you and the team? On it!
Content? Mmm. Are we there yet?
Like most people, you’re staring at a blank screen, hoping writing inspiration will find you.
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The biggest roadblock to the progress of any website project is: the content.
Whether it’s writing ability, lack of time, or just having no idea where to start, these five super hot tips will get you on the road to producing content with confidence.
1. Have a plan
Remember those assignments from school or uni? There was always a plan.
It’s no different with your website content.
Plan out each page for your site and be clear about the key message you want to convey.
With a plan, you can work methodically through each page to create content that is clear and concise.
Use your site structure to guide your writing plan and you’ll be on track in no time.
2. Know who you’re writing for
Okay, so we all know we’re in business, but who exactly are you writing your content for?
Before throwing together your content, an important first step is to understand your market.
Not just in a high level way (oh, everyone needs my product or service!), but in a really specific way.
In marketing speak, you want to write for your business avatar or ideal customer; that person who will read your content and think, hey, that’s me.
The more specific you are about your ideal customer, the more targeted and effective your content will be.
3. Solve problems
It’s natural to want to tell everyone who comes to your fancy new website just how great your business is.
And you can, but it needs to be done in a certain way.
That certain way is by solving your ideal customers’ problems.
What troubles them, what’s their pain, what keeps them awake at night?
Present the answers to their burning questions and you’ll not only make an interesting read; you’ll find people clicking through too.
4. Tell stories
Ever visited a website and found yourself bored senseless in less than three seconds?
Sure you have.
Because website copy usually goes in the too hard basket, people often write the business version of Tolstoy’s War and Peace.
They literally throw everything at it thinking, Google is gonna love this!
Wrong. Google will not love it and neither will your ideal customers.
Rather than bore site visitors, invite them in with language and stories that connect.
Avoid boring by using stories.
These can take many forms: your business or personal back story, customer testimonials, before and after shots, video snippets, project profiles, and success stories.
Providing social proof and unique points of interest, stories are one of the best forms of content for your website.
5. Balance SEO and who you really are
I know your question is, but what about SEO?
And there’s no doubt SEO is a big deal and must be taken into account when preparing website content.
Equally, however, and if not more importantly, is preparing content that sounds like you and your business.
If you’ve done your homework (i.e. researched your ideal customer) and you’re really clear about the value of what you do, good SEO should follow.
Will it need tweaking? Most likely, but write authentically first, and then build in the SEO.
Remember, the purpose of content is to connect with your audience. Don’t waste the opportunity.
If your copy sounds like it’s been generated by an automated transcription service, it won’t connect with anyone. Not even Google.
You’ll have missed a vital opportunity too. One where you could have built trust and relationship with really important people – your market.
Got content questions? Send them through. In the meantime, crack on with your content using these five tips.
