Engaging Website Visitors With Content For Every Journey Stage
Content is one of the most important aspects of any website. It is what search engines and people are looking for. It’s what drives visitors to your site and turns prospects into leads.
For years, advertising has tricked us into thinking that catchy and creative headlines and phrases work well at capturing our attention. They might have for a while, but not so much anymore.
As consumers, we are tired of advertising trickery, marketing clichés, and surreptitious methods of persuasion. We don’t want to be lied to, gimmicked, or fooled. We just want the truth.
Take a look at these next must-haves for creating killer website content.
Targeted Messaging
There are four basic questions you need to ask yourself regarding the content of your website.
- Will people know what I do within seconds?
- Will they understand what page they’re on and what it’s about?
- Will they know what to do next?
- Why should they buy/subscribe/download from this site instead of from someone else?
Ideally, you want your visitors to know the answers to these questions. It should be readily apparent what your site is about, what they can do there, and why they should take action.
On your homepage and most important pages, consider these helpful tips in delivering the right message:
Use clear and powerful value propositions in your headlines.
Steer clear from generic cliches, gobbledygook terms, and corporate speak.
Make sure to include clear call-to-actions and next steps.
Include links in your body copy, next step links at the end of the copy, and calls-to-action wherever appropriate.
Include a little direction, and you’ll be glad you did.
Speak directly to your audience and in terms they understand.
Use words like “you” and “we.” Be transparent. Make yourself sound human. Speak their language.
Write your content as if you are helping them solve their problems.
Avoid “we are the best” speak and instead use “this is how we help you….”
Use Multiple Forms of Content
Content is more than just the written word. Media and utilities are excellent forms of content that can turn a text-heavy site into something that pleases the viewing preferences of multiple audiences. Content takes place in the form of:
- Imagery (including infographics)
- Video
Audio - Online utility tools (e.g. Pricing Calculator)
- Games
Try using different forms of content. It will help create a content-rich experience.
Customer Proof
No matter what you’re selling, potential buyers like to see confirmation that you’ve made other customers happy.
Testimonials, customer reviews, and case studies are powerful sources of content for moving prospects even closer to the final buying stages.
Provide authentic customer stories, and don’t hide these behind a form!
Include real, short, and powerful testimonials on your site.
Tips to maximize testimonials:
Try to include real names and titles and use pictures of the person along with their testimonial if possible (if they already have a picture on LinkedIn, ask to use that!). This adds authenticity.
Not including a name makes a testimonial seem phony, even if it’s real.
Instead of randomly placing testimonials on any page, consider placing testimonials on certain topics on the pages relevant to them.
For example, if you have a quote about your awesome customer service, place that on a service or support page. If you have one for your convenient return policy, place that somewhere in a shopping cart or pricing page.
Get as much proof as possible.
Make it part of your strategy to collect case studies and testimonials when possible.
Leverage other online sites that provide reviews, such as Google My Business or Yelp (for local businesses) or industry-specific directories like Capterra (for software providers).
For more hands-on help from the Pronto team, book a free meeting with a Pronto advisor.
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