The website content you should be giving to your developer

Computer keyboard and pen Website Copy For Your Developer

It can be unchartered territory for some business owners when they begin the process of building a website. There are a few common stumbling blocks that may slow people down when they are planning to build a website. The main one is content. What do I need? How many photos? What do I write? Where do I start? It can seem very overwhelming.

 

Well, don’t worry a bit. Here I will present you with a list of to dos so you can start your website journey off on the right foot, and have it be a quick and seamless undertaking for you and your Developer.

 

Research

This research will give your Developer a good idea of the needs of your business and also the functionality needed on your website:

 

Who is your ideal client/customer?

How will they be using your website?

What are the main problems you face in your business?

What are the goals that you want your website to achieve?

Who are your competitors?

What do they do well/not well?

What pages do you think you need on your website?

Take a look at some of your favourite websites. What do you like about them?

 

Branding

This includes logos and branding kit. Logos should be provided in all file types and colour combinations available (i.e. black, white, coloured, type only etc.). If you don’t have a branding kit, think about the signature brand font you would like to use, along with your colour scheme.

 

Imagery

When a customer goes to your site, they will decide in about 0.6 seconds (very accurate data there) on whether they want to stay or not. There are many reasons a customer would choose to leave – poor functionality, slow, and confusing user experience are just a few. Ugly photos also make this list! Professional imagery can turn a blargh website into a WOW website!

 

Ideally, you will need  a hero image and 3-5 other images for each page which portray your offerings. They should be a mixture of portrait and landscape.

 

If you have an e-commerce store, obviously photos will be your main selling point for your products, SO THEY NEED TO BE GOOD! Generally a mixture of staged and real life images of your product is best. If you are a service based business, it is very important that there are photos of you and your team showcasing the wonderful work you do. This builds trust with your clients.

 

Stock photography can also be a good option as a “filler” if you don’t have enough appropriate images, but they shouldn’t be used entirely across the website. 

 

Copy

Copy refers to the wording and text on your website. Having snappy copy gives your business a strong brand voice, encourages conversions, and keeps users engaged.

 

If you fancy yourself as a bit of a wordsmith, you may do well writing your own website copy. Think about the pages you will have on your website, and the copy required for each. This should include appropriate headings, quotations, blurbs, and keywords. Also think about whether you would like to display your packages and pricing on your website. 

People love to hear a good story, so think of this when writing your copy, and ways in which you can relate to your ideal customers. 

 

For ecommerce stores, product titles, descriptions, pricing, and product categories should also be provided.

 

If the thought of writing your own copy gives you heart palpitations, it might be best to hire a professional copywriter to do it for you. They are the experts here, and most have website packages which include keyword research. This is well worth the investment if your copy is well optimised for SEO purposes. It can get you ranking higher in search engine results, which could lead to more customers and more sales.

 

Copy extras

Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy – These must be included on every website that collects data (such as a contact form). There are many template options available online, or you can get a lawyer to draw these up for you. For my clients I recommend legal123.com.autermageddon.com, or termly.io

If you have an ecommerce website, a returns policy is also a must along with delivery and shipping policies and procedures.

 

Testimonials – Reviews and client testimonials give prospective customers that valuable social proof that builds trust. Ask your happy clients to provide you with a short snippet of their positive experience. A minimum of 3 is ideal.

 

Lead magnet – These days it’s just not enough to ask people to sign up to your mailing list. They need to be offered something useful for free in return for their email address. Consider creating an informative download, checklist, or discount code for potential customers so they feel they are getting value from your product or service.

 

In order to get the most out of your investment, preparation is definitely the key to success! The content gathering process will be exciting and very rewarding if the due diligence has been done. Your website will be a highly professional representation of your business, and will be a hard working asset for many years to come.

 

I hope this post gave you a clearer idea of what you need to get started. If you would like more information or want to jump on a call to discuss more about your website needs, please reach out.

 

PS This post contains some affiliate links in which I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I appreciate your support!

 

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