In the mad rush to get a website launched, the quality of the content often suffers. For years we've known what the Palo Alto Research Center's Human-Computer Interaction Research proved - website visitors behave like foraging animals when collecting information online. In the wild, a bad decision can lead to starvation. Websites are no different. Sites with weak content won't attract traffic that can be converted into customers.
Website visitors behave like foraging animals. Get to the point quickly!Palo Alto Research Center
Effective website content is an extension of the conversations business owners have with their customers. A good start for content can be the five questions customers ask you every day. What questions do you wish they would ask?
Big mistakes happen when website content is written to look smart but doesn't deliver any value. Trying to look like you have the answers (without sharing meaningful content) becomes annoying, quickly. At SOLID if a Team Member starts speaking in industry jargon instead of answering questions (or saying "I don't know") we call this waste of words "making noises with your face".
Below, Pat Kelly's "Thought Leader" character makes noise with his face in his hilarious TED Talk spoof:
You know I'm a "Thought Leader" because I'm wearing a blazer and I have glasses...Pat Kelly
New websites don't dominate over night. However, with the right content strategy and following a few simple rules, your site can be tuned to attract the right traffic - visitors who want to become customers.
Visitors to your website don't have time to figure out what you do. So just tell them. Keep your website copy as simple as possible.
Your site should share your competitive advantages right off the top. Say who you are, what you do and how you do it better than your competitors. Assume the only person reading every page of your website is...you. Out there in the real world, your visitors are scanning pages looking for answers. Keep the scanners in mind when laying out your content and calls to action. Finally, don't think you can trick the search engines by cramming keywords into your content. Google's algorithms won't fall for that. The best SEO strategy is to answer the most common questions asked by your customers.
Keeping these simple content rules in mind will improve page rankings and attract customers.
Web visitors don't have time to figure out what you mean. Keep copy as simple as possible.
Unlike an essay, your most important points should come first in your website. Flowery prose repels visitors.
Most visitors glance at a page, scan text, and click on the link that resembles what they’re looking for.
The best performing pages answer the most common questions customers ask. Keep it simple.
You've got the right answers and great ideas. SOLID's Creative Evolution Services will help you convert them into the content and images that attract customers.
Now that you know what an SSL certificate is and how to spot one, you can make sure your web browsing and website are protected from the most common threats.
Have questions or are interested in securing your website? Contact SOLID for a free evaluation of your site and your online business strategy.