Website Content Basics: Planning is Important

When planning content for your website, consider these steps.

Start with the Goal

Although it happens all the time, businesses often forget why they have a website and what they’re trying to accomplish. While it’s understandable that daily pressures can obscure the true reason for a website and content creation, it’s wise to take a step back and focus on the goal. Although websites can be used to inform, educate, entertain and a variety of other purposes, the true goal of most websites is to increase sales.

Note: It’s important to recognize that there are many non-sales related benefits associated with an online presence, so increasing sales may not be the goal of every business.

Create a Simple Content Creation Strategy

A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. Without “getting overly Napoleon”, it’s a good idea for businesses to figure out how they will achieve their goal.  A clear understanding of users, what they need and how a business can satisfy that need will save the business a lot of time and heartache when creating content. For example, prospective users could have needs like:

• Clear Product Information
• Recommendations on How to Solve a Problem
• A “How To” Guide

Once the basic need has been established, businesses should identify the best method to deliver the content. Blog, Video, Audio and Instructional Webinar are just a few typical delivery methods. Once user needs and preferred delivery methods have been established, the business has the basics necessary to create a content development strategy.

Content Creation Does Not Have to Be Difficult

Dinkum Interactive regularly encounters a number of businesses that feel that website content creation is analogous to root canal; unfortunately this doesn’t have to be the case. With an understanding that each company has its own goals and personality, we find that they can more easily generate content if they:

Use Existing Sources of Content: Every company has a vast, untapped content resource that includes its employees, prospects and vendors. Whether it’s a Customer Service Representative that can provide the “Top 10 Customer Service Questions” or a Sales Manager that keeps her finger on the pulse of the industry, businesses frequently overlook the expertise and knowledge of existing employees. Lastly, most companies underestimate the level of interest in seemingly mundane components to their business, so they miss website content creation opportunities. Look at Blendtec’s YouTube Channel; which has achieved millions of views – It all began when a marketing manager found that company founder Tom Dickson tested the blenders by blending 2” x 4”s.

Get Creative: Some of the best and most impactful content creation is achieved through creative thinking. While it’s challenging to offer suggestions on how to be creative, a few examples may best explain how creativity can be used in finding subjects and approaches to content creation:

Contest: A product supplier can sponsor a contest for the best use of its products. Users can enter the contest and vote on the results.
Event Guide: A B2B company attending an industry event can create a comprehensive guide for an industry event targeting attendees.
Interviews: Not only are interviews of clients and prospects a great way to create content for a blog or podcast, they are an excellent method to strengthen an existing relationship or introduce sales staff to company decision makers.

Get Personal: Many companies fail to take advantage of personality, either that of the company or its employees. It’s important to understand that business and personality do not have to be mutually exclusive. As a result, content can be created in a manner that reflects personality. One example is social media maven Gary Vaynerchuk’s Wine Library TV. Granted, Gary’s style may not be consistent with that of most companies, but the concept is sound.

Website content creation does not have to be complicated, but a little planning can do a great deal to keep a business on track. The creation of basic goals and a strategy to meet those goals is important. Furthermore picking “low hanging fruit” to minimize the amount of work necessary is also very helpful. In the next post in the series, I’ll elaborate on some more specific planning techniques that will help in getting the most out of your content.

Do you need some help with content creation for your website or blog? Contact us and we’ll be happy to give you a hand.

Bill Rowland