It’s not uncommon for business owners to get caught up in the look and feel of a new website without taking content into consideration. However, the best websites are created when the content for your new website is created alongside the visual design. The benefits of this approach are numerous:
- Your content will automatically fit the design flow without the need for extensive edits
- Key selling features of your product or service can be highlighted with the new design
- Your website will communicate value on every page clearly and succinctly
- The mobile versions of your site will be designed around logical breaks in the text
- Revisions in copy can be incorporated into the design process, reducing development time and while making the design more effective
Where many people get bogged down in the writing and design process is figuring out how to make sure there is time enough to write copy without slowing down the development time line. Fortunately, writing content for your new website design doesn’t have to be complicated.
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to write amazing content for your new site as part of the web design process:
Step 1: Use Your Sitemap as a Framework
When you first start developing your new website, you’ll come up with a sitemap early in the process. Using this sitemap as a basic framework will help you to organize your thoughts and make sure each page is focused on the topic indicated by the page title. Ensuring consistent messaging from the start will improve user engagement as each page is aligned to meet initial expectations as well as enhance SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Step 2: Write Copy For Each Section of the Framework
Once you’ve transformed your sitemap into an outline for your copy, you can now move forward with your initial drafts. Place general, basic information on your top level pages, with deeper content on subpages having more detail. This will help users to find exactly what they need as they navigate your site.
For example, if you run a landscaping business, your sitemap will likely have a Services page, and underneath that page will be subpages describing the individual services you offer. Rather than overwhelming a website visitor with all the information about the services you provide on the Services page itself, you would provide a brief description of each service, with additional details on specific services found on their respective pages.
Step 3: Review Copy & Tie in Design Points
Once you have the rough draft of your copy, make a note of where visual elements will enhance understanding. This may be charts and graphs, videos, product images, or other multimedia. Indicate where in the copy these visual elements should go. Our design team will figure out proper sizing and placement for maximum impact. The end result will be a web page that flows well and is easy to comprehend.
Step 4: Final Review & Sign-off
The last step in your content creation is reviewing the finalized design with both visual and content elements added to the site. Double-check any grammar and spelling errors, as well as issues with readability and flow. This is your chance to fine tune any messaging that may need additional tweaks in order to best communicate your value to website visitors. As the vast majority of our sites are created on a Content Management System (CMS), this is something you can continue to tweak and refine as time goes on.
Step 5: Outreach & Promotion
Even with best content possible, your web pages can benefit from targeted content marketing to drive relevant traffic to your site. Here are some simple ways to get your content in front of interested viewers:
- Share your blog posts and informational web pages on relevant blogs that allow links
- Answer questions on sites like Quora and link to relevant, non-promotional content on your site
- Link to targeted pages of your site in your email signature (not just your homepage)
- Share your content on social media
- Write guest posts on related websites and link to relevant pages on your site
Combining the content creation and design process provides you with a more polished website that will get you more leads and sales at the initial launch, which saves you both time and money. Investing the resources to develop a content plan alongside the new website design is a smart choice for businesses in all industries.
Need help with your new website design? Talk to us!
Let us put together a content and design plan that will give your site a fresh new look while increasing your online marketing ROI. Contact us and one of our friendly web design experts will be happy to answer your questions and set up a consultation.
