Is your website content good enough to convert your visitors?
If you lack in the conversions department, there are usually two things going wrong. Either your website design needs adjustment or your content is suffering, or both.
I am privy to examining many websites due to the nature of my work, and rarely do I find content that is solid enough to convert well. There are some, but they are few and far between.
So to help our readers, I listed the top five questions you should answer before hitting the “publish” button. If you already have website content, consider these questions as well and make adjustments as you see fit.
1. Is the content grammatically correct?
At a MINIMUM, your content should be free of grammar and spelling errors. And if you don’t think you have any, take a look again. I find errors constantly when reviewing new clients’ sites and I would say it is one of the most common problems.
Why is grammar so important? Aside from obvious reasons, you must consider the thoughts of your website visitors. They are looking for a website where they can trust the webmaster or they will not remain. Incorrect grammar and spelling is one of the quickest ways to deter visitors because they may perceive you as unprofessional or unfit to take care of their needs.
Professionalism breeds trust and this is what leads to conversions. If you are trying to position yourself as an expert or enthusiast in your industry, these errors will keep you from reaching leadership status. Stay tuned for future posts where I will list some of the top grammar mistakes I see on a daily basis.
Note: If English is not your first language and you are trying to write your website content, you may do more damage than you think. Incorrect English reads much like “spun” content which is low-quality according to Google. Hire a writer or an editor if your website is geared toward an English-speaking audience.
2. Is the content as good as it could be?
If you are not a writer and you do not understand copywriting principles, you can’t expect your content to convert as well as it could. Creating effective website content is somewhat of an art that requires target audience research, competitive research, marketing knowledge and also knowing how to connect with your visitors in seconds. If you do not want to hire a copywriter, consider taking some writing courses. But, understand there is much that goes into creating website content.
3. Is the content useful to the reader?
Avoid writing words simply to fill up space. This is a copywriting crime. Every word should be strategic and fill its purpose and one of these objectives is usefulness.
How targeted is your content?
Have you done any target market research?
If you don’t know to whom you are marketing, your website content will fail miserably because it won’t be useful to the reader.
What are your audience’s problems? If you don’t know this information, your copy will read flat and not connect with your visitors. The moment someone lands on your site, they should be met with a statement or phrase that resonates with them at a deep level. This is not possible without knowing their problems. Once you captivate their attention, they will continue reading where they will discover that you have the solution they have been waiting for. This is the essence of great website content.
4. Is the content emphasizing the TRUE benefits or just the features?
If you haven’t read my previous blog post, The Secret to Doubling Your Website Conversions Overnight, you may not understand what I am saying here but I will try to explain it as briefly as possible.
When writing website content, there are benefits, and then there are BENEFITS.
What do I mean by this?
What is the benefit to purchasing a specific brand of blanket? The vendor may talk about its length, softness, and that it’s large enough to fit two people. But, you must look past these obvious benefits. If it is large and soft, what would that mean to customers? How about benefits like…
Before
The blanket is large at a size of 8×8
The blanket is soft, thick and made of Egyptian cotton
After
Large – Curl up in front of the TV with your entire family or your significant other.
Soft – Get a great night’s sleep while staying comfortable and warm all night long.
Speak about the TRUE benefits and reel your visitors in every time.
5. Is the content readable?
If you are a regular Site-Reference reader, you will often hear me talk about the importance of readability. In a nutshell, readability makes your content easy to read which keeps people on your site longer. Website content should not read like a novel. It must be properly spaced with bullet points, bolded and italicized words, with headlines and sub-headlines for emphasis.
When you resolve these issues, you will have constructed a solid foundation for your website content.
What does your content look like? Have you answered these questions with your website content?