Of all the elements that go into a successful website, content may be the most valuable as well as the most overlooked.  Satisfying your website visitor is the purpose of any site and you can better meet their needs with your website’s content following these 3 basic tips.

1. Give Them What They Want – Answers

Many organizations go in circles on just what content should be on their website.  Most suffer from being too full of marketing slogans and too light on real answers.

A great exercise I start clients off with is compiling a list of the top 10 questions your business is asked.  Poll your sales people, your receptionist and even your clients to create this list of valuable content you can create to provide answers.

If your website content doesn’t address the 10 most frequent questions you receive by phone, email or in person, you’re not meeting the basics.  If your competition has content full of answers and clarity, you’re losing business to them.

2. Clear Content Structure Beats Boring Blocks

There is a great advantage to understanding the web is a “scanable” read.   Usability studies have shown over a 45% increase in user satisfaction with content when it’s structured correctly.  Follow these easy steps:

• Use headers and sub-headers effectively
• Use simple, clear and concise headings (avoid marketing, give answers)
• Write 2 to 3 sentence paragraphs max, use bullet points and avoid the endless block of content

Here is a simple example of the same website content done correctly (left) and incorrectly (right).

3. Calls To Action Give Both The User And You The Desired Outcome

Once your content has sparked a user’s interest, answered their question or earned their trust make sure you help them take the next step.  Place call to action links and buttons clearly in multiple areas of your web design and content to connect an interested visitor to the contact form, lead form, newsletter sign-up or purchase they desire.

Every website should have multiple goals they want every visitor to reach, but many fail to make a clear path to reach them.  Present calls to action and connect users with your desired outcome, the opportunity to do business with them.