Redesigning your Website? Here’s 5 Tips to Make Great!
Now that “having a website” for your business has shifted from a luxury to an essential, we do a lot of work with businesses on taking their website to the next level with a redesign, inbound marketing or blogging. We get just as excited as our clients to have a new website launched or improved, but I’ll be honest, typically the thing that slows our team down the most is tracking down information, images and videos from our clients.
It’s very important that your brand’s true identity and personality come through in the copy and here are some tips on crafting content to shorten the time to launch.
1. Don’t Be Concise
Probably the only time I’ll encourage breaking the C’s of effective communication. It’s easier for our writers to edit and trim down information when it comes directly from you than trying to expand on ideas. While we have tons of industry experience, we want the content on your site to accurately represent your company and its best if we have more ideas and thoughts to choose from.
2. Mix Types of Writing
We find that most websites have one of two problems. Too much writing as block text that doesn’t really get read by visitors, or way too little text that doesn’t accurately represent the product or service. Keep in mind that different content types keep people engaged and learning more about you. Write sentences, paragraphs, quote staff and clients, provide bullet points or numbered lists. Some people learn visually so dig up as many photos or get new ones done. Even better, schedule a video shoot! The different types of content will ensure your message gets through.
3. Ask Everyone On Your Team To Participate
Not everyone that you work with has the exact same role. Nor do they have the same perspective or lens that they see things through. Having a feedback opportunity for the entire team to participate will give a great sense of completion for you content. The other side benefit is that everyone will have contributed to the new site. Go team!!!
4. Provide Examples Of Great Writing
Thinking beyond the website, look back through sales materials, old advertisements, social media posts, company newsletters and bulletins. You’re looking for good examples of when you had something in writing that made an impact. Possibly a great sales,brochure from your most successful quarter. Or a company bulletin that made a positive change to the company’s ethos. Whatever you can think of, include it. It’s all relevant and we’re not going to publish anything without your permission.
5. Frequently Asked Questions and Comments
Customer feedback is often overlooked. We want your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Comments to be as long as you can possibly think up. No matter how small or silly it seems to you, the customer’s perspective can help understand your position in the market. Not all make it into your copy, but it provides a valuable look into the mentality of your potential clients and how they buy your product or service. It could be something that helps us with the conversion path on your website, or choose certain keywords to aid in SEO. We have also created a blogging schedule for many of our clients that revolve around their FAQ. Instead of just answering the same question repeatedly, let’s turn it into a sales tool. If a more than one person asks the same thing, we know it’s a common topic.
All of these things might not be the quickest to pull together and we understand. However, if you start supplying content along the way, we can work though the build process quicker and have your site launched quicker. We’re looking forward to building you and amazing new website.
This post written by Chris Milton who spends plenty of time trying to make it easier for clients to get their message across. He writes about marketing strategy and sprinkles in all the tactics necessary. You can follow him on twitter, checkout more of his articles, or subscribe to have marketing insights, tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox.
