Since the recognition of the importance of a visual identity is increasing, many companies seeking a new website design to increase business leads often get so caught up in the designs that they tend to forget the importance of the content of their website. Both the design and the content of your website are extremely important and work together to generate and nurture client leads.
The website design will make the company stand out and differentiate from similar companies. It will also create an overall feeling that the client or potential lead can relate to and connect with. Often, companies want to portray a warm, welcome feeling but imply a professional, established feel as well.
The content is the reason the client or lead visits the website initially, for information on what your company does and how it is unique. The content, if written well and aligned properly with your company’s capabilities, will not only generate new leads, but will keep clients long term by establishes a trusting relationship.
So how can you ensure that you generate content best suited for your company, as well as a visually effective website design? The answer lies in a content generation strategy. Content generation strategy is the planning and coordination that goes into coming up with effective copy for your website that fits well within the design process and ultimately, the final website design. This process varies from one design firm to the next.
In terms of content generation converging with the website design process, there are many “chicken and egg” debates about whether the design should be created before the content, the content before the design, or creating them simultaneously. Some design firms preach that you cannot begin a website design without the final, approved content. While having the final content does help the designer, it also prolongs the process. The design firm must wait for the company to generate content before a website design is started.
Contrary to what many design firms preach, it is efficient to generate content during the creation of the website design. This allows a company time to draft and correct content while the designer designs the website. This is also beneficial because the designer can show examples of possible designs, and the client is then able to select which will fit best with the identity they prefer, as well as with their content. It is common for a company to want a lot of copy to make sure all their bases are covered in terms of literal business message. Once sent to the designer to be put into the website design, often the designer will ask the client to edit the copy so it is more concise and to the point, which limits the amount of copy. This will make the message stronger, as well as improve the design, as too much copy can cause visual clutter. The inclusion of key words for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is also important and takes some time to get it just right. By designing and revising the website while the client generates and revises the content, the clients and the design firm stay in touch and are able to essentially work together to make sure the website design is exactly what the client wanted visually, and will work long term because the content is functional (in terms of SEO and other marketing tactics), true to the company’s culture and capabilities, and qualitative.
Here at Bop, our process for developing a content strategy varies based on our clients. Whether you have copy approved and ready to publish or you need a copywriter to generate all of your content, Bop Design tailors its process and services to meet your needs.
Resources:
Smashing Magazine
Boag World
Shay Howe
