Creating fantastic content and engaging website design can seem overwhelming, to say the least. Luckily, there are so many resources and website builders available in this day and age, so you can create a professional design without any coding or programming knowledge. Once you have the design, get hyper-focused on creating great content. Here are just a few top tips from professional copywriters to help you do just that.
First things first, make sure you choose the right site-building platform with free web hosting. Platforms like Ucraft, for example, offer drag and drop design so your site is as unique as your brand and uses Google Cloud for free web hosting. Now, onto the content.
Customer first (and always)
One of the biggest mistakes people make when creating content is to consider themselves first. What do I want the visitor to think, feel, or do in response to what I am writing? This is why so much content out there asks for too much information from their clients, focuses on “our vision”, and uses gimmicks to push sales instead of creating relationships.
The best sites offer content that is all about the customer. When your visitor first encounters your site, they should immediately be offered something. Much like a guest in your home. Offer a drink and a nice place to sit or in the case of content, some free and helpful tips as well as an enjoyable user experience.
Your site should feel natural and user-friendly. If your site is easy to navigate and your content clear you can bet your audience will convert and stay loyal to you.
Handle your homepage
There is nothing worse than landing on a homepage that is confusing and has no direction. After you spend 10 minutes trying to understand what the company does, offers, or is about, you have already bounced off to a site that doesn’t make your brain hurt.
A clear menu and easy navigation will invite your reader in and help them sit back and relax. Using images to balance your text is a great idea – just remember to keep it unique. Avoid generic stock photos and try to offer your own real shots of relevant people. This is true for videos as well.
When you offer different ways for your visitors to engage, you double your chances that they will relate to your brand’s message and continue their buying journey with you.
No filler, just the good stuff
When it comes to content, your readers are smart, they can tell pointless filler from a mile away, so instead of using them – do your research. Know your target audience and check out the competition. Follow your analytics and see where engagement increased and where you lost readers’ interest.
According to Core DNA, 2020 is THE year of content. Here are a few of their suggestions:
Create result-driven specific content that your visitors can access right away. Don’t have your reader sit through 3 paragraphs before they get to the metric they want. Instead, give them a choice upfront to skip to the metrics or bypass to see a video you put together. You will earn the respect and loyalty of your readers with this level of transparency.
Speaking of video content: besides blogs, video content is the go-to for this upcoming year. It engages people for longer and delivers so much more information quickly.
Pro Tip: Search intent is number 1 – knowing this will help you deliver exactly what your visitors want every time.
Take away
When it comes to making a great website, do not cut corners. Instead, use time-saving tools like a website builder and free web hosting to get you started right away. For your design and content, follow the experts and let the focus be primarily on your customer. Consistently review and improve your overall user experience, design elements and create valuable, search-driven content that your readers will appreciate. Stay ahead of the competition and make video content that represents your brand and that provides great free info for your clients.
