Content is King: Make Sure Yours is Worthy of the Crown

BY adam brain
2010/02/26

In today’s world of digital marketing, content really is king. I’m sure most of you have heard this many times over, but most misinterpret what this really means.  It’s not filling web pages with endless scrolls of 10 point type; no one will read that much online. It’s about understanding your medium and how your audience consumes content within that medium.

Online visitors skim and scour copy, they forage blocks of text for information relevant to them. So when we create content for use online we must always remember that it’s not what we think should be online, it’s what the user wants online. After all, we don’t create websites for ourselves, we create them for users and their experience is paramount.

Always Be Engaging

The Internet today is a two way street. Consumers expect and appreciate the ability to connect with brands and companies online. Unlike traditional broadcast and print media, consumers want to engage in a conversation with you, so make sure your content is accessible and promotes user engagement. Implementing sharing, bookmarking and commenting are simple ways to create engagement with your content.

Also, you should try and develop content that encourages engagement from users. Ask questions, solicit feedback and opinions, this will empower users and increase the popularity of your content. Make your brand accessible and remember that user feedback is important. Use it to improve your brand and digital marketing efforts.

Things to remember when developing web content.

  • Keep SEO in mind when writing for the web. Search engines love to scour copy, so incorporating keywords into your copy will help users find you. Remember not everyone enters your site through the front door.
  • Visitors scan web pages for information, so organize your content in a way that helps them find the most relevant information on your page. Effective use of H1 tags, lists and callouts will draw their attention to your key messages. Reading on a monitor is more difficult than reading on paper, so your writing should be clear and lean.
  • The back button is only mouse click away, so be engaging. Visitors respond to content they can relate to. Ensure your copy gives them a reason to read on and never lose sight of who your audience is.
  • Make user direction clear, don’t leave them guessing. Use the copy and design to make it clear what users should do next.
  • Write with the intent of generating buzz, feedback and comments.

 

I’m always looking for great ideas and feedback so let me know your web content development rules of thumb. If you disagree, leave me a comment and let’s chat.