Having web great content is just as important as a functional, beautiful website design. Convincing content takes considerable time and effort but you will be rewarded with more traffic from ranking better in search engines and a higher conversion rate. Content will always be king and no amount of SEO can compensate for poor content. You cannot expect to outsource your content writing to crowdsourcing websites like Fiverr for slave labor rates and expect it to perform. Below are some simple tips on how to write more persuasive website content.
Write for your Target Audience
Your target prospects are those who are most likely to buy from you. Some key factors to consider include their age, gender, income, geography and how will your products or services make their lives easier. Write thought-provoking content around the phrases and words that they might be Googling. Avoid jargon and only use language that they understand. Now is not the time to show off your industry vocabulary.
Clear & Compelling Headlines
A great headline creates interest and draws readers in. According to Copyblogger, 80% of users will read your headlines but only 20% will read the rest of the page! Titles have the power to determine the effectiveness of the rest of the content. Avoid click bait titles (they usually lack keywords) to get clickthroughs. In order to rank in search engines, incorporate one keyword that your target market is searching for. According to CoSchedule, the most effective headlines contain a balance of common, uncommon, emotional and power words. We highly recommend trying their free Headline Analyzer.
Easy to Read
If you use the Yoast SEO plugin, you might have seen the Flesch Reading Ease Score, which tells you whether or not your content is easy to read. The lower the score, the more difficult your content is to read. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, avoid jargon and focus on one topic per page. A score of 60-70 which can be understood by a 13-15-year-old student is recommended for website content. If your text is too difficult to read, your users will leave your website.
Use Bulleted Lists & Subheadings
Barely anyone reads websites nowadays so it is important to use bullet points to increase scannability. Use subheadings to summarize the key points of longer pages. Keep everything as simple as possible. Most importantly, be obvious and self-explanatory.
Most Important Information First
You should state the most important information first as users have a very short attention span these days. Make sure that they understand the big picture first before you go into the details. You users will leave if you make them search too hard for your information or if you bury the lead.
Incorporate Keywords Naturally
It is crucial to perform keyword research before writing. Google’s Keyword Planner will give you valuable insight as to the most searched terms and their competition and search volume. Each page should focus on one keyword and incorporate it naturally. Resist keyword stuffing as Google heavily penalizes for that. Write unique content sought after by your target market first and then incorporate keywords naturally as you see fit.
Be a Teacher
No one likes a pushy sales person so write content that teaches your users something. Answer questions that your prospects are asking and include links to relevant websites. Be helpful and blog about questions that your target audience is searching.
Users Can Arrive Anywhere
Occasionally, users arrive on an inside page of your website. To understand where users are entering, you can check Google Analytics > Site Content > Landing Page. Consequently, each page should clarify to your users where they are and what your website is about. In addition, every page should have a call-to-action telling people what you want them to do like contact you, read another blog post or buy a product.
In Conclusion
Engaging content is the foundation to a superior website. Writing convincing content is more difficult than you think. Don’t be wordy. Write simple content that it is clear, specific and bold. Do not try to be everything to everybody. Know who you are and what you do. If you fully understand your positioning then it is easier to create convincing content. If you need help with your content strategy, please contact us.