In the last article we spoke about what you need to think about web design so that you can show your company in the best light on the web.
As with all things, though, how you look is just one part of making a good first impression.
What you say is just as important in making the right first impression.

This is where good quality, relevant content comes in.

Content
Good quality content is important to how potential customers perceive you and your company.
It is no use writing content that looks impressive and uses huge words if it doesn’t, ultimately, lead to more business for you.

Content needs to inform, engage and attract those people who are looking for what you have to sell.
In actual fact, content is increasingly becoming a factor in how well your website does on search engines. 
Search engines are actually rewarding websites that have good content. 

Here are some tips for creating compelling content:
  
 » Write for humans
    We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, write for people, not search engines. 
    Content that is filled with keywords and irrelevant information is more likely to be a hindrance, not a help.
    If people cannot find the information they need, someone else is always just a click away.

 » Focus on the customer
    Far too many company websites list their products and services, or talk about their organisational structure,
    or document their origins and history.
    They are focused on themselves, the supplier, rather than on their prospective clients and what value they can deliver for them. 
    Explain the benefits of what you’re selling.

 » Speak the customer’s language.
    Every time a potential client sees a phrase like “reduced overheads” or “marketing solutions”
    they shake their heads in confusion and move on.
    Yes, it may take up more space to say “we will save you 20%” or “we can increase your sales by 16%”,
    but people like seeing things spelled out for them.

 » Make it worth their while
    Tell people why your service or product is better than someone else’s.
    We’re not saying you should bad mouth the competition, just make what you’re selling seem better and more exciting.
    Tell your clients why they should choose you.

 » Be specific
    Tell people exactly what they’re getting.
    Being vague can make you seem a bit like a con artist.
    Tell people what you do/sell, how they’ll get it and what it costs.

 » Make sure the content is good everywhere
    Search engines are all about returning relevant results to their users.
    This is why you need good content on every single page on your site.
    You can’t just have great home page content and let everything else read like a monkey with a typewriter bashed it out.
    Keep your quality consistent and people will love you for it.

 » Keep it short, sweet and to the point
    No one likes the guy who drones on and on about the world’s most boring topic in sales pitches, board meeting or at parties.
    People like that are on the web as well and you don’t want to be one of them.
    Keep your content short and to the point.
    No more than 500 words on a page, you’re not writing an essay.

At Jasper Consultants, our team of specialist content writers will be able to help you navigate your way around the world of web design and steer you towards getting it right the first time.

After all, our business is marketing your business.