“Web content is the textual, visual or aural content that is encountered as part of the user experience on websites. It may include, among other things: text, images, sounds, videos and animations.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_content
Often in the creation of a new website or updating a business webpage the focus is firmly on how a page looks rather than the message it conveys to potential clients.
Whether your target audience is Business to Business or Business to Consumer you have a very limited time to grab the attention of a visitor to your website. Some research has pointed to as little as 3 seconds before the potential customer moves on to something else. If someone visiting your website does not see what they have come looking for or can’t easily find the way to the information they seek then they go and find it elsewhere.
I recently visited a website constructed and built in the last month or so and it took me way too long to find an address or contact phone number. Somewhere around the 90 second mark I found a mobile phone number embedded in the text of the About page. It wasn’t the Contact page, which would have been the obvious place to put a phone number, address or even an email address, or even better in the header next to the menu and logo on every page.
From the newspaper industry a term emerged years ago called ‘Above the Fold’ now if you have ever had to pay for or sit through an advertising pitch from a newspaper sales person, you know that Above the Fold is more expensive to advertise on then below the fold. This is because readers focus on the top half of the paper, the large bold headings, dates, even images are usually reserved for the top half. Even the paper is sold folded with the top section placed in view.
In website design the same thing applies. Nobody is going to scroll down if they are in a hurry. If they can’t see your phone number, address or a quick way to get to the information they came for they aren’t going to stop and dig for it. In fact research from heat mapping (watching were a users eyes first look amongst other things) shows that top of page is the goto for information.
So when you sit down to update or design your business website the information you want to convey, any Call to Actions, Phone Numbers, events, or anything you want the customer to do when they find your page must be clear, concise and visible.
Content should be what draws visitors to your page and what drives them to share it on social media to friends and acquaintances.
Once you have the visitors coming to your site you need a clear action for them to perform – sign up to a newsletter, a phone number to call you, contact form to fill in – some way in which you can take that visitor, that person interested in your product, service and the content you’ve written and convert them into a customer. Good Web design does that. Not only will good web design take into account SEO and the structure of your site but it will also be written so the people who come to your site know and can clearly find how to get in contact with you or what next step they need to perform to get more information.
Images depending upon your industry are an excellent content source. In constructing a website for any business images can add a sense of connection, convey a clear point about the business quickly and clearly.
Clear, high resolution images that are related to your industry and preferably taken for your website are the best way to convey to potential customers what your business website is all about.
When you look at creating or revamping your business website sit down with your web designer and talk content. Content is what will make your website stand out online and help your customers and clients find you.
If you need help with your websites content we would be happy to help – contact us any time