Dos and Donts of Website Content

Dos and Donts of Website Content When creating websites for a business or personal venture, one of the top (and worst) mistakes made is in the website content. With new website design programs popping up almost daily, and websites like Wix.com that can be used with little to no web design knowledge, building a web page has never been easier. But once youre past the design partâ€"what will your website say?As a web content writer with almost a decade of experience doing this, Ive had clients approach me with concerns that their website just isnt getting them noticed the way they need to be noticed. Web sites are supposed to draw traffic, right? If there is no traffic coming in on your site, or very little business brought in because of it, 9 times out of 10 it will have something to do with the content you have on it. With this in mind, lets first look at some of things you should avoid at all costs when creating website content that is intended to bring visitors (and hopefully, customers) to your site and business.D ont write too muchThis one is probably the most common offense in website content. Youve got a lot to say about your business or passions, right? I know the temptation is difficult to avoid, so always keep this little statistic in mind whenever youre writing website content: 55% of website visitors spend fewer than 15 seconds actively on a page; and for most visitors, you have 10 seconds to get their attention. Instead…Do write a paragraph or two with highly engaging contentThis means that when someone visits your website, theyre likely to spend only about 15 seconds on each page. So what about all that content you want to write? Scrap it and come up with a paragraph (or two) that best summarizes everything youd rather say in 10 paragraphs, because thats all the time you have to get most peoples attention. Bore them in the first paragraph and I guarantee you that they wont read further.Dont try to oversell yourself or your businessHave you ever come across a website full of clichà ©s like but wait, theres more? Did you want to hang out there? Probably notâ€"no one really likes to be harassed by overzealous salespeople. Instead…Do make your website a type of informal portfolioInstead of thinking of your website as a sales pitch, think of it as a portfolioâ€"a way to show your potential clients or customers what you know, what you do, and why youre the best at it. Your work will speak for itself without all the clichéd writing (that no one likes to read because theyve read it a million times before).Dont allow grammar or spelling errors on your siteThere is nothing that can ruin a businesss reputation like a lack of professionalism, and allowing grammar or spelling errors is simply unprofessional. Most customers will assume that if you cant spell a word correctly (or find an editor to fix the error for you), then you wont be able to conduct business correctly either. Instead…Do make sure your website is grammatically correct and error freeMost times, this is just a matter of hiring an editor to look over the content for you. Even the best writers make grammar and spelling mistakes, so having a second pair of eyes look over the content is a smart business practice, regardless of what type of business youre in.Dont crowd a lot of words into wide spacesThis is just as much an issue of design as it is of content, but putting large blocks of writing in one spotâ€"particularly if that spot takes up most of the pageâ€"will deter your visitor from reading it. Most people surf the web after a busy day at work, or as a way to relax and unwind. Theyre not going to want to read a lot of writing that may not be of interest to them, and strain their eyes while doing it. Instead…Do make your content scan-able and mix it with images that encourage the eye to keep readingWhen your content is easy to scan, your visitors eye will naturally scan it. Keeping the content in small, scan-able chunks encourages visitors to stay on your page longer and actu ally read what youve written there. Mixing that content with images is another way to keep the eye on the page, as well as ensuring that there is plenty of white space on the page so that it isnt crowded (and overwhelming to the eye).Dont write boring contentWhile this one should be obvious, youd be surprised at how many websites are filled with boring content that no one really wants to read. For example, an attorney might put his entire CV on his website, including every association and membership hes ever held. Guess what? Most people dont want to read this, especially in the form of a CV. Instead…Do write engaging contentAgain, think of your website as your portfolio, and include on it writing that is simply stated and at the same time engaging and exciting to read. Most visitors dont need (or want) to know your entire history or your CV. Hit the high points of each and theyll be much more likely to read it. If it sounds like a sales pitch or a lecture, youll chase your visito rs away before they even have the opportunity to become your customers.Following these few Dos and Donts of website content writing will ensure that your website looks professional, retains visitors for as long as possible, and helps your business grow.