How To Write Content For Your Website That Will Set You Apart
Austin Damon, Head of Marketing
July 15th, 2016
Did you know that in America alone, there are over 28 million small business?
More and more of these businesses are acquiring websites each and everyday! This means, more competition in your local market and less room for error.
It is extremely crucial for you to have your website preforming as a well oiled machine. It will make your job easier.
A website should both generate leads and represent your brand in an accurate and powerful manner.
One simple way to achieve this is through the content on your web pages. Yep, just the words themselves.
Content is king, and if you don’t believe me just look on social media and on the Internet. All people want to do is consume information or entertainment and share it.
So, lets stop with the blabbing and get right to it. Here are some amazing tips that will help you create outstanding, unique and sharable content for your website or for any web property for that matter.
And trust me, this will put you way ahead of your competition.
1. Always start off with a headline
Change your websites headline accordingly to the niche you are in.
Example: “The Best [Service] in [City]” – You can obviously use many varieties here, it is just important you specify what you do and where you are located.
This allows the viewer to be assured they are dealing with the proper business and it helps your ranking within the search engines.
2. Give a statement that gives you credibility
Tell your potential customers who you are and why they should care.
Do this right under the headline so it is one of the first things your web visitor sees.
3. Make bulleted number lists to convey your message
People prefer to read a numbered list instead of paragraph after paragraph. People are curious by nature and want to see what comes next in a list.
Lists are easier on the eyes and allow people to better skim.
Jot down the top 10 things that set your business apart and are at the core of your brand.
Bold the first, most important point of that bullet/number. Eyes are drawn automatically to bold and people will always read it.
Make sure to keep the bolded text short otherwise it will devalue the content.
4. Use as many synonyms as you can in your content
This will allow Google to pick up variations of what you do and represent. It also makes you sound smarter.
At the same time write naturally. Don’t write your content so that it sounds goofy simply because you are trying to rank for keywords and stuff them in your website.
5. Longer more comprehensive content will be worth the added time and energy
You don’t want to have so much content on your website that it confuses and overwhelms people. But, enough content allows you to scoop up more long tail keywords and search phrases from an SEO standpoint.
6. Make your text easy on the eyes
- Short paragraphs.
- Short sentences.
- High resolution pictures.
- Don’t need to make site look all gaudy and sloppy, keep it simple.
- White background with black font.
- Maximum of two fonts, one for headlines and one for text.
7. Clear consistent call to action
Make sure you make it very clear as to what you want your website visitors to do. If you want them to call, then tell them to do so.
If you want them to view your recent project portfolio, then direct them to that specific page.
Every page should have a phone number. Nearly every page should have a quote or contact form as well. Make it easy for people to get in touch with you.
8. Your content has to be unique
If content is not unique and it is copied from another web page or blog, search engines will penalize you and you won’t generate traffic.
Make sure you don’t use the same content on all pages within your website. Switch it up on every page otherwise Google will think it’s weak content.
Sounds like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people do this. Even web designers!
You can steal sentences you like from other web properties, just paraphrase and rewrite.
9. Let your content flow
Just write and get your thoughts down and then keep going back and editing. Don’t get stuck.
Jot down what you know represents and conveys the core of your business, concept or idea and roll with it.
10. Find your voice
Be real and personal. No one likes reading text written by a robot.
Try to speak to your ideal customers and target market.
As you can see that is what I am doing here. Yes this content is applicable for anyone who wants to write just about anything. But I am tailoring it to people who own a business or are starting a business.
11. Leverage sense-based descriptors when writing
Use all 5 senses when writing:
- Feel
- Sound
- Taste
- Look
- Smell
Ask yourself as you describe something. How does it feel? Sound? Taste? Smell? Look?
12. Annihilate your verbs
This takes you from “me too” to “bomb diggity”
Do the first draft of your writing and then go back and identify verbs and “annihilate them”.
Example: Instead of “lose belly fat” you say “obliterate belly fat”
The more uncommon you can be the more you will draw attention and the more conversions you will generate. People are tired of being bored when reading about businesses.
13. Murder you Metaphors
Make bold, fun and unique comparisons and metaphors.
It causes people to share, like and consume your content. That is what all businesses want… Shared content because it’s FREE!
14. Avoid cliches
Do not say things everyone says. This makes you so average and no different from your competition.
Think purple cow. Be a purple care where everyone will stop and look at you. Nobody cares about bland.
15. Become an alliteration expert
Obviously you want to be professional but when you can be personal and playful with your content, mix some of this in. People will appreciate you for it and be more likely to interact with what you have to offer.
Example: Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, Mighty Mouse, Buffalo Bills.
16. Place a final call to action at the end of each web page
In case someone does read all your content and goes to the very bottom of your web page, have a contact form and phone number located there.
Have a call to action at the bottom as well. This way they don’t just bounce off your site. This acts as a safety net.
Sounds simple but you have to assume people have no idea what they are doing. You have to direct them.
Conclusion
More people read your content than you think when they are on your website. Yes we live in a busy world, but people like to consume information and share it.
By following this plan of how to write your content, you will stand out and you will have a much higher chance of generating new customers online!
These strategies and concepts were given to me from an Internet millionaire who copywrites for a living. So trust me when I say, this stuff works.
As usual, feel free to reach out to the Wake Digital team for guidance or help. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback or questions.