Would you read it if you didn’t write it?
Nearly all corporate sites commit the sin of dullness in their writing. It’s as if the clients and their consultants believe that if the design is good, all is good. Not so.
Writing is not the place to skimp on your budget. Seduce me, entice me, entertain me with words. Don’t be cryptic, don’t be stupid, and please don’t be dull.
-Jeffrey Zeldman, 37signals manifesto #11
Content comes in a host of formats:
Blogs, advertisement presell pages on social media, youtube videos, even e-mail newsletters. Content is the media that engages your viewers, informs them, entertains them, or includes a call to action depending on your objective. But most importantly, content is the medium that introduces your readers/viewers to your company and builds a relationship with them. It’s why your website can’t simply rest on its laurels once you have a web page. You need to close the deal with content.
Information is more critical than ever because marketing today has evolved from the impulsive “buy now” mentality that existed in earlier eras into a form that requires building a relationship with your public. Back then, ad campaigns were more homogenous, and healthier economic conditions gave people more disposable income to impulse buy. This isn’t the case today. Consumers are more conscious than ever about parting with their hard earned cash. They need more time to understand the product and the company, much in the same way regular positive interactions between two people builds trust and understanding.
The internal makeup of a website.
If HTML and layout provide the flesh and bone of a website, writing and content are the heart and soul. It’s what allows that genuine feel and authenticity that reminds us a person is on the other side of that screen, not some random computer program or bot.
And that’s really all it comes down to. As consumers, we have a myriad of alternatives and options at our disposal. An abundance of choices means a genuine, entertaining message will help set you apart from the rest. So please, don’t forget the content.