Great Web Content Is What Makes a Website Work

Content is the currency of the Internet. No matter how clever, graphically beautiful, or technically impressive your website is, it exists to convey information. Despite this, website content is often an afterthought.

A website should look great and it does need to work smoothly, but the Internet is not a beauty pageant. Your website is a marketing workhorse, not a brand decoration.

Graphic design, technology, SEO, and AI-powered search optimization all exist to showcase your content.

Your website is your content

Content is the driver, not the disinterested back seat passenger. Its job is to attract your ideal prospects and bring them to the information they are looking for. Then it should serve up other enticing morsels to develop deep, lasting connections with the right visitors.

From videos and blogs to case studies, reports, apps, webinars, slide decks, infographics and so on, your content comprises the documents you create to communicate with your customer.

Ultimately, your content funnels the site visitor from what they want to do into the actions you want them to take. For example, do you want them to buy now or to sign up for your lead nurturing campaign?

Great content is great SEO

High-quality content is not just for people. It has to cater to Google and its frequently changing algorithms. Your content is what really determines your success or failure in organic search. Meta tags, semantic markup, and other tactics are used to draw attention to your content.

Why is content an afterthought?

Website content is difficult, messy and complex to create. It is, without a doubt, the most challenging part of any website project.

Generally, as a web project’s launch deadline approaches (and often passes) marketing managers and site owners scramble to cobble together words and shoehorn them into a website layout designed for good looks.

Website content is often an afterthought because it’s genuinely hard to create

• There are often many stakeholders.
• It is prone to “writing by committee” syndrome (never a good creative direction).
• Content review is time-consuming and often dull.
• Most people don’t enjoy writing.
• It is difficult to write for your customers or site visitors rather than for yourself. It is not about you!
• You need lots of content.
• Writing for the web is challenging. The web has its own rules and engagement practices.
• There is a lot at stake.
• It is never once-and-done, but an ongoing challenge.

How do you create great website content?

Creating great content requires up-front planning — before any design work begins — and stellar copywriting.

Great content does more than fill a website. It attracts the right people, builds trust, and makes your digital presence work harder for your business.