How To Write Engaging Website Content

It sounds quite obvious: nobody likes to be bored. Especially if you happen to be Charlie Brown.

But when it comes to the highly competitive world of website marketing to customers, there is the added challenge that you have little time to grab your clients’ attention before they go somewhere else.

But apart from the entertaining factor, why is it so important to write engaging website content?
Surfing the web is first of all about finding information, which can translate later into sales and enquiries. But first, you have to establish trust, and this is done by showing your web visitors your knowledge in the area they are researching. If your website content is trustworthy, relevant to them and valuable, it will give them a good experience and they are likely to come back, and eventually they may be converted into clients, members or whatever your objective may be.

In addition, the good old ‘word of mouth’ is certainly not to be underestimated, and a useful website will often be recommended to relatives and acquaintances. It can also contribute to your search engine optimisation strategy as happy visitors may recommend your site to other web users and post a link to your website on online forums, blogs, etc…, creating those priceless quality inbound links that help Google rankings.

Next time you ask yourself “hmmm, how to write engaging website content … where the hell do I start?” – here are some pointers which should be useful to get you kicking:

Think: what’s in it for me?
Nobody knows their businesses better than their owners, and yet, paradoxically, they often find it challenging to write engaging content on their website for their potential client base. This is often because they think about the features of their goods and services rather than specific benefits to customers. They often get too detailed as well.

Whenever writing content for a website, what you must do is answer your client’s questions:

Why should I buy your service/product?
Why should I buy it from you?

You are not selling kitchen units, you are selling aspirations, that of a stunning looking room which friends will admire, a comfortable space which will be the centre of your family life; you are not selling deodorant, you are selling something that will make you irresistible and improve your social life. Heaven forbid – it may help you get lucky!

Know your audience
When outlining the benefits of your goods and services to your visitors, it is also crucial that the tone and vocabulary of your website be appropriate for your business and your brand, and a good knowledge of who your clients are, or at least a clear vision of who you would like them to be in terms of age, gender and income brackets, are all essential.

Humour is a great way to make yourself memorable yet there is nothing more personal than a sense of humour and what amuses you could offend someone else so even if you want to project an informal image, do remember that you are writing for potential clients and err on the side of caution when it comes to a chatty style.

Be wary of poetic prose, even if you are selling aspirations.

Visitors are looking for information
Don’t forget that while your content can be elegant and well-worded, it should never detract from its main purpose: convincing potential clients to buy your goods or services.

So make sure that you always use plain English, reasonably short sentences and that your visitors’ journey to a purchase is clear to them.

Now, what are you waiting for? Get writing people …