October 30, 2017

5 Must-Haves When Writing Content for Websites

Sometimes you can have perfect pros, a must-read topic, and can share your posts on social, but you simply don’t get the traffic or engagement you’d hoped for. Why? Well, if you haven’t nailed the basics then the added extras can fall flat.

If you’re writing website content or will be updating a blog, here are five things every content piece must have.

Attention-Grabbing H1s

When it comes to writing content for websites the most important part to get right is the title. After all, it’s the first thing people see and it’s what gets people to click.

You want your title to be engaging and to draw attention, whilst being relevant to the content and being optimised for keyword terms. That may sound like a tall order, but it’s easier than you may think.

For example, ’10 Marketing Fails’ may be optimised for the term ‘marketing fails’ but is a bit boring and doesn’t make the most of the character count available to you. Instead, try something like ‘’You Won’t Believe These 10 Digital Marketing Fails Happened’. It uses colloquial, emotive language that draws the reader in with the assumption that the contents will be shocking.

Magnificent Meta Data

After a tantalising title, writing a meta description should be your next priority if you want to optimise your web content for search. As with the H1 it should be optimised for carefully selected keywords, clearly describe the contents of the page, and encourage users to click to read more.

All meta descriptions should be between 130 and 150 characters, including spaces, in order to fit perfectly on SERPs and avoid becoming truncated.

Straightforward Sub-Headings

When writing content for websites the structure can have a huge influence on engagement metrics. Copy that is clearly laid out in short, easy to digest paragraphs that is separated with images and descriptive sub-headings will see users spend longer on your site than if they were presented with a wall of text.

The secret to writing the perfect sub-heading? Keep it relevant and precise.

Beautifully Eye-Catching Images

When it comes to imagery, there are two major rules to abide by. Firstly, you want the images to be high-quality and relate to the writing. Secondly you need the rights to use them, whether this means public domain imagery, purchased stock pictures, or using your own snaps.

Clear Calls to Action

What do you want the reader to do once they get to the end of your content? Make a purchase, read a document, or maybe share something on their social channels? If you don’t know, how will the user? Carefully plan out content and use bold, visual calls to action to ensure the next step is prominent.

What’s our call to action aim? Well, we want to help you make the most of your marketing, so click on the visual below to sign up to one of our content and digital marketing events.