How to Write Content for a Website

If you’re setting out to write website content, but you’re not sure where to begin, start with these tips:

1. Be original.

When we say “original,” here, we mean it in both senses of the word.

On one hand, the content you publish on your website should be original in that it doesn’t appear anywhere else on the web.

While this may sound like a simple concept, 29% of sites currently feature duplicate meta content, so it’s wise to pay special attention to the fact that everything on your site is original, and that you’re not lifting pieces from yourself or from anyone else.

Secondly, the content on your site should be original in that contains your unique brand voice, outlook, and mission. Again, people come to your site looking for relevance and information and the best way to provide them with this is to be as relevant as possible.

2. Create strong headlines.

If you didn’t know it by now, strong headlines are the center of all things content, even (and especially) on your website. While the purpose of headlines is indeed to drive interest, headlines are also a good place to think about how best to provide relevance and information.

Ideally, people should be able to visit your site, look at your headline, and understand what the purpose of a page is and what types of information they can expect to find there.

With this in mind, creating your best headlines will go a long way toward making your content more informative, and can help boost the engagement and conversion rates of your pages.

Using powerful adjectives – “Ridiculously Effective” – is a great way to garner interest in your headlines.

Looking at your competitors and using BuzzSumo to search most shared content topics in your industry is a great way to be inspired and start a list of fantastic topics.

Headlines for website content should be:

• Clear
• Relevant
• Desire-focused

3. Provide relevant links, prices, and information.

The more information on a website, the better. If you’re writing a pricing page, for example, input links to related services and provide your users with all of the information they may need to make smart decisions.

While some people believe that including things like pricing on websites isn’t a good idea, customers are often grateful to have as much information as possible, and this small step can go a long way toward boosting the functionality and relevance of your site.

4. Seek to provide answers in your website content.

When you write social media or blog content, a part of the process is knowing your audience well enough to address their fears, concerns and priorities. With website content, knowing your target audience is equally important, only you have to know them well enough to anticipate their questions and answer them before the customers have a chance to ask themselves.

When you do this, it helps show your readers that you understand their issues and that you’re willing to take a step into their shoes. It’s also a great way to make your pages more engaging, actionable, and targeted.

5. Be accurate.

Everything featured on your website should be accurate and current. Pricing information, for example, should always be up-to-date. You shouldn’t feature outdated services or bygone facts on your website, and it’s absolutely essential to ensure that the information you do provide is as accurate and interesting as possible.

In addition to helping your readers connect on a deeper level with your material, this will also provide a better user experience and a more exciting website for them.

6. Add images and video to your website pages.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and visual enhancement can work wonders for your website. With this in mind, consider recording a short product video and placing it on your product page or enhancing your “bio” or “about us” sections with images of your team, your workspace, your products, and your past successes.

These things provide a personal touch to a website, and can go a long way toward making the process more exciting and relatable for your users.

7. Add Non-Copy Page Elements

Website content writing guidelines include more than just copy. To create strong, high-converting landing pages and other website content, pay attention to the non-copy elements on the page as well. Insert visuals that show concepts (instead of relying on the words to describe them).

You can break up the page and draw the reader’s eye to important information by using:

• Images
• Buttons
• Text call-outs
• Icons
• White space
• Gifs
• Charts and graphs
• Videos
• Line breaks
• Variations in background colors and images

Putting effort into how you design and write your website content will go a long way toward increasing the chances that your visitors will feel they’ve found all of the information they need.

8. Make Edits

Once you’ve written a page’s content, set it aside, even for just a few hours. When you come back to it with fresh eyes, you’ll see ways to improve it.

At this point, you’ll probably find opportunities to:

• Correct typos
• Improve weak word choices
• Rewrite sections that are unclear
• Strengthen the headline
• Link to other content on your site