How do you strike the right balance between search optimized content and writing that makes readers...
As you put together the content for your website, from its homepage to its service pages, you likely know that content matters. Success isn't just about how you present information to visitors or the SEO work under the hood that brings visitors there in the first place. Primarily, it's about how you communicate and what you have to say. So is the content on your website really top-shelf stuff?
Maybe—or maybe not. Perhaps you settled for something that was "good enough," or you might know it's not representing your brand as strongly as it could. Consistency in voice and tone across your site is important, but so is the power of your content itself. Readers recognize what bores them—that's why the average time spent on a page across every industry is less than a minute.
Your on-page copy matters, but how can you make it have an impact? What can you do to ensure that the content you write for the major elements of your site both communicates clearly and makes a strong impression? Let's break down some quick tips for three core areas of your site: the homepage, the "about" page, and your service pages.
Making Your Homepage as Punchy as Possible
Your homepage has to do a lot of things all at once. It serves both as an introduction to your business and a hub to enable users to figure out where to find what else they want to know. To some degree, this is also about good design—you want to point a user's eyes in the right direction. At the same time, the homepage should be punchy enough to grab attention. Remember, 80% or more of online readers skim content. So how do you make your homepage effective?
- Show visitors you have the information they want. Put what your business is all about front and center. You'll have time to dig into details on other pages. Your #1 mission on the homepage is to avoid boring the user. Introduce your business and make it easy to start learning and taking action.
- Be concise, but be friendly and warm rather than terse. Speak directly to users and use "you" in the content frequently. Make the copy feel personal.
- Big, bold headlines are your friend. Divide different sections of information apart with banners that draw the eye and inform the reader about what's next.
Writing Bios and "About Us" Pages People Actually Want To Read
Some users want to know all about you and your team. Research shows that about three-quarters of web users judge business credibility based on website quality and content. Putting a human face to the brand is a step you shouldn't skip. How do you transform team bios from an exercise in monotony to an engaging reader experience?
- Tie bios in to the brand story or mission wherever possible. Emphasize personal connections and growth, but don't write a novel—this isn't an actual biography. It should be more like the jacket summary on the inside of the biography.
- Add a dash of personality. A quick mention of a fun personal fact, a unique quirk, or an unusual hobby adds a more human element to the bio. Avoid highly corporate CV-like bios except when appropriate.
- Okay, it's not strictly about copy—but make sure that you have high-quality, professional photos to accompany your team bios. Let users put a face to the words.
Inform and Educate With Better Service Pages
Finally, let's look at how you communicate about the things you actually do for your customers. From the independent electrician to the B2B logistics firm and every other possibility in between, you need to educate and inform about what you can do—and why someone should pick you to do it. Here are our tips for jazzing up the way you describe what the business offers.
- Put the benefits front and center. Bold headlines are your friend here too. You don't need to put on a clinic about the finer details of what the service involves—explain why a reader needs it and expose them to the advantages of choosing you to solve their problem.
- Avoid too much jargon, steer away from cliches, and tone down the puffery of your capabilities. Write honestly about the difference you provide. Use contrasts to drive the point home.
- Make your call to action clear, memorable, and motivating—but stick to just the one. Peppering your page with additional CTAs reduces its effectiveness overall.
See Why It's Worth Investing in Better Writing
Your website is one opportunity to stand out from the competition, especially when you invest in robust SEO and content marketing. When you put so much effort into bringing people to your site, shouldn't the content pop out at them once they arrive? When you invest the time and effort into rethinking your approach to service pages and the areas users will visit the most, you can reap the benefits of a more engaging strategy. Watch your analytics after the change and see for yourself—impactful content can make a difference.
