Okay, so you’re having a website built and your developer wants to know what you want it to say? This is way outside of your comfort zone. It’s been ages since you had to write something. You remember the fantasies you used to have of slashing the tires of your English professor.
How dare he call my report on Wuthering Heights “mundane”? The entire book is mundane. How can he expect a report to be more exciting than the book?
Just breath.
What kind of car does that web guy drive anyway? Where’s my knife?
BREATH! BREATH!
That’s better. This is not going to be like that. For one reason, you actually get to write about something you enjoy now and I’m here to offer some tips. Put the knife down and read.
- Look at what the manufacturer says about it–Manufacturers usually have great content on their product and their industry. This can be a great source for ideas. Some manufacturers are even okay if you use their content verbatim. Make sure you get permission first.
- How would you sell it or explain it in a conversation? Most likely you already have the content in your head. Just write it down or if that interrupts your flow speak it into your voicemail and then copy it down.
- Keep it simple. No one is going to read a thesis on your services. Usually a six or seven sentence paragraph is sufficient. Most people do not want to spend a lot of time reading.
- Get in their shoes–If you were the one shopping, what would you want to hear? What would get you to pick you? What do you love about your product or service?
- Trade magazines–These magazines know what interests their customers and can have valuable insight into what your customers may want to hear about. This is of course dependent on your industry.
There you go. Some practical advice on writing content. Follow them and your website will have a lot better ending than Wuthering Heights.