Simply put, it is absolutely essential for your written web content to do your company justice. Yes, different color schemes, a creative web design, and a solid social presence are certainly good to have, but without the copy, any web presence is relatively pointless. You need to know how to write good content because a lot of businesses can’t always pull in new customers with in-person charm. Sometimes, you have to rely on your website, and the only way to be content with the content on your page is to make sure the voice in your words gels with your business.
Any well-written blog or report has a lot of moving pieces on the content conveyer belt, so it is often best to outline your content before you start writing. There are three different things you need to research before crafting your copy – the three c’s, if you will: company, customer, and competitor.
Company
Before telling others why they should trust you when purchasing a product or service, you have to understand who you are as a company. It sounds so simple, but there are many businesses out there operating without a true sense of who they are or what they stand for. And if can’t sell your services with complete confidence in every aspect, why should anyone buy it?
If you find yourself to be one of the many business owners in this boat, go back to the beginning. Remember why you started what you started. Outline the reasons why your company should be a leader in your respective industry and make sure your website’s content relays the message. During this process, you’ll surely want to run a content audit of all your existing copy to make sure everything you currently have is serving a purpose.
Customer
You have to know who your audience is. Period. What do they want? What do they need? Figure out the purchasing journey of your customers. Remember, your customers are the most important part of your business. Without them, your company would not be able to exist.
Once you get these answers, you’ll start to see trends, and these trends will being to paint a picture showing exactly where your audience consumes the most content.
Competitor
Much like with your customers, you have to know who your competitors are. You have to know what they are doing. You have to make sure your business is standing out in the sea of shoe stores, or sports equipment suppliers. You should also see how they’re branding themselves to their customers. Are they connecting better than you are? Getting those sorts of answers will help you review your work to better connect with your consumers.
What you need to consider
Once you have a clear idea of who you, your audience, and your competition are, you are ready to begin outlining the look and feel of the content for your website. So, what exactly constitutes, as content?
Content, in short, is a textual, visual, or aural representation of your business that users see when visiting your website. Text, images, sounds, videos, and animations are all different types of content, so here are some of the most important factors to consider when re-vamping yours:
Craft Creative Content
If you’ve done some serious thinking and believe you can single yourself out as a major competitor, then you most likely know the angle you’re going to take. Remember: you want original, SEO-rich content to help single you out. That’s where you get those keywords people will use to find you.
Stop recycling the same things and do something original. If you use bad bait, you’ll never reel in the big fish.
Headline Material
If you have a creative and original piece of content with a bad title, it will most likely get skipped over. You want to draw people in with your headlines.
What catches your attention when you’re flipping through your news feed? Short titles? Catchy titles? Yes. The answer is yes to both. Don’t get too wordy, but show your spirit here!
Show What You Know
Tell the world how much you know. Your business is not the place to be modest. If you’re a know-it-all, let them know. People want to feel confident that they’re working with people who are knowledgeable in their field (and this is where some more of that research will come in to play). Support your smarts with facts from other well-known professionals in your field. A recognizable name in conversation can often help your customers feel confident in their decisions.
With that said, keep in mind that a familiar name will only go so far. At the end of the day, you have to know your stuff.
Concise Content
If you’re throwing some casual blogs out there, make sure you’re clear with what you want your consumers to do or learn. Don’t ramble on just because you think word count is important. It’s not. What’s important is the quality of what you have to say, not the quantity. If your customers are confused while they are on your site, they won’t feel comfortable doing business with you.
Consistent Content
Don’t leave your audience hanging for three weeks until your next post. They want to know that you’re invested. Not only does consistency show your consumer base that you’re available and dedicated, but it also shows them that you have a lot to say about your products and services.
If you’re ever in doubt as to whether or not your content is good enough to make you successful, please give our guys a call. It’s never a bad idea to get an outside pair of eyes on what you’re doing, especially in regards to something as important as your business. Our team at Compulse is flush with experts who can help you get to where you want to be. All you need to do is call.