18 Tips on how to write content for a website
If you operate a small business website you understand the importance of writing creative and attractive content for your site. If you are just starting out though, you may be asking yourself well how do you write content for a website? What separates the pages that rank from the pages that don’t? Successful content appeals to two audiences. Your target audience and the search engines that crawl it. Catering to both can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.
Here at MarketKeep, the digital marketing agency for small businesses, we have compiled a list of helpful tips on how to write content for a website. These tips will help to enhance the appearance of your site. Increase your readability score, and help with your overall search visibility online. If you follow these tips when writing your website’s content you should be able to reap the rewards of quality content writing, and better user engagement.
Our 18 Tips on how to write content for a website
Do not plagiarize!
When you are starting a new site from scratch it is helpful to look at other websites and see how they have developed their sites. It is not helpful to copy them though. Plagiarizing content from other websites will only end up hurting you. Search engines will penalize your site, or even remove it from their search engines. Instead, take a few minutes to figure out what you really like from the sites you have visited. Write down some notes and form your own opinions. Not only will help you avoid an SEO penalty, but you will create original content in the process.
Avoid run-on sentences
Short and sweet sentences are best online. It is easier to read for humans, and easier for search engines to understand. If you have a lot of content to share break it up into easily scannable chunks.
Use the K.I.S.S. Method
Don’t overcomplicate things by trying to use fancy words. Use the K.I.S.S. method, and just keep it simple stupid. The best advice we ever received was to write at an 8th-grade level. That way whoever visits your website will be able to fully understand it, and it will increase your user engagement.
Don’t write never-ending paragraphs
Try to keep your paragraphs short too. Remember most website visits now happen on a mobile phone. Keep your paragraph lengths short, and your sentences even shorter. Try to incorporate bullet points, lists, and images to help break up your text and make it more user-friendly.
Keep it fresh
Don’t write about the same topic in 100 different ways. Try to write content that users will appreciate and want to engage with.
Avoid selling yourself
One of the most important things you will learn about how to write content for a website is to avoid over-selling yourself or your site. High-quality content involved a delicate balance of promotional and non-promotional content. A website’s goal is to promote what you are offering, but not in a way that beats it over the head of your users. Provide your target audience with value. If you create informative content that they can appreciate, you will start to see reoccurring website traffic.
Write for your target audience
Write content that your target audience is searching for. Make sure to write content that meets the needs of your site visitors, and is information they are looking for. If you do this your website visitors will turn into long-time customers.
Don’t steal photos online
Finding images you found online and putting them on your website without permission is a terrible idea. If you take photos yourself, if you can’t there are plenty of free online resources such as pixabay, Shopify Burst, or stocksnap.io.
Don’t steal photos online
Finding images you found online and putting them on your website without permission is a terrible idea. If you take photos yourself, if you can’t there are plenty of free online resources such as pixabay, Shopify Burst, or stocksnap.io.
Have a goal for each page you create
When you develop content for your site, think about the goal your user should have. Are they supposed to purchase a product of yours? Should they sign up for a newsletter? Make sure to write your content in a way that points them in the right direction, whatever that end goal may be.
Avoid ban anchor text
Have you ever been to a website that has a bunch of “click here” links littered throughout the site? Avoid those at all costs! If you want your website visitors to click on a link do one of two things.
- Create a clickable button
- Create an anchor text that is descriptive, inviting, and useful
Use Call to Actions
Just like anchor texts, a CTA is an inviting button, link, or image that encourages a site visitor to participate further with your website. If you write great content, but don’t have any Call to Action what is the point? CTA’s are effective in converting visitors into consumers.
Organize Your Thoughts
Sounds silly write, but the worst thing you can do is just to start writing. Take some time to create an outline for your website page, post, or blog. Have a strong sense as to what you want to say, and organize it in a way that will meet your intended goal.
Write for humans not bots
Remember in the very beginning how we talked about in order to write content for a website you need to have a delicate balance between writing for humans and bots? Well, when in doubt write for humans! In the end, humans are the ones who end up converting into customers.
Get creative with your layout
Try to use items such as bullet points, numbered lists, engaging headers, and images to help break up text. It will make your website page look more interesting and readable.
Write content users need
Ask yourself this question, how can your services or products help a consumer out? Why should they turn to you? Provide your customers with the answers they are looking for. Remember you are the expert so your website visitors will expect to find some answers!
Organize your paragraphs
You should have only one idea or key element per paragraph. Each paragraph should start off with the subject, and only that subject.
Pages should be easy to scan
Most website visits only last a few seconds. Make sure to leave an impression fast! Create content that users can find instantly and not have to dig deep to search for.
Review Your Work
Remember to look over your work before publishing your content. Look for errors or missing information that needs to be added.
About MarketKeep
MarketKeep is a digital marketing agency for small businesses and start-ups based in Towson, Md. Our goal is to help small business owners plan, place, and optimize their digital marketing strategies. MarketKeep is proud to offer our clients the following services:
Website Design – As a website design company we build websites that represent you and your brand and instantly builds a connection with your customers online. To learn more about our website design capabilities please contact our website designers.
SEO Company – As a Maryland SEO Company, we partner with small businesses to help grow their organic presence online through on-page, off-page, and reputation management techniques. To learn more about our SEO services for small businesses please contact our SEO team.
Pay Per Click Experts – As your SEM Agency MarketKeep will plan, place, and optimize your SEM campaigns so that you are maximizing your SEM campaign. To learn more about our SEM Services please contact our SEM team.
Social Media Management – Tired of running your social media accounts on a daily basis? Not sure what to post? As your Social Media Marketing Assistants MarketKeep will plan, place, and optimize your social media strategies. To connect contact our Social Media Management Team today.
Local SEO – So many of us rely on our phones to find businesses and products that are close by. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to connect with customers in your backyard. As a Local SEO agency MarketKeep helps to position your business online to acquire Local SEO searches. Learn more by contacting our Local SEO Agency Team.