When sitting down to plan and write your content for your shiny new website, it can be hard to figure out where to start. Of course, if you’re just looking for a quick conversion for a one-off sale then content can remain pretty focused on calls to action, but if you want to stand out among your competitors and convert people into long-term customers then it’s important to put a little extra thought into it.

When it comes to content, website managers are normally pretty good at sussing out what information is important to relay to their customers, but it’s just as important to consider how you deliver and present the content. Today we’re going to run you through some of the important things to consider when preparing that content!

DO focus on your customer, not on yourself

Put yourselves in the shoes of your potential customer. What kind of problems do they have and what kind of solutions are they looking for? Naturally your company is in business to fix the problems of the consumer, so when you remind yourself what issues they’re facing it becomes a lot easier to produce content that actually makes their lives easier. Create a value proposition that’s focused on them and solving their problem, not on what you do.

DO consider the user journey

You can create absolutely life-changing, world-shattering content, but if your website is hard to navigate it may never be seen by the target audience. Consider how you can make it easy for people to find the info they need – for example, posing visible questions to the user so that they can determine which pages they need to visit. Check out our friends at Hatch.nz to see a great example of how this can be done well.

DO think about the why, not the what

Explaining to your users why you’re in business is a great way of gaining customers for life. Sure, a services page is fine, but make sure that you address WHY someone needs you and WHY you do what you do. Take a look at Simon Sinek’s ‘Start with why’ video on YouTube to find out how.

DO think about providing instant value

Can you give some value away to your users for free and demonstrate what makes you great? Your blog content, whether it’s solving common problems or providing tips and tricks, can show your users that there is value in your business and that you know what you’re talking about. In this day and age, we all have so many options of who to work with – so demonstrating your expertise and providing value before asking for anything is the best way to establish yourself as the leaders in your field.

DO tell your story – people want to see who you are and what you do

Storytelling has been around for generations, for good reason. Inspire your customers – yes, it’s important to make them think, but it’s also important to make them feel. Hearing a good story has been scientifically proven to increase empathy, which is going to make people more willing to buy in to your company and its ideals. Let your customers know that they’re dealing with real people by telling your own story and that of your customers.

DON’T talk about ‘we’ the whole time

Your customers want to know how they fit into your company – are they just a commodity for you to exploit, or are they people who you want to work with to make their business or lives great? Using words like ‘we’ excludes them from the big picture when you really want to be working together.  As above, it’s important to focus on the customer and their needs, not just your company and what it does.

DON’T assume that people are experts like you are

The last thing you want to do is make your content difficult to understand. Sure, it’s important to use technical terms when appropriate, but try to cut back on unnecessary words that will make your content harder to read. Use plain English aimed at your customers, not jargon.

DON’T just keyword-stuff

Absolutely get in touch with an SEO expert to help you make sure your website is keyword rich – they can have a big impact on how many people find your website. However, Google also judges your website based on the quality of content – not just on how many times particular keywords show up on your website. Instead of stuffing your content with as many keywords as you can get, try to weave them naturally throughout the content. After all, while getting your customers to the website is important, it’s just important that you engage them once they’re there. How can you do that? By delivering great content.

If you struggle to demonstrate what makes you a leader in your field, or translate what makes your business so amazing into content, then get in touch – we can help.