It is the first thing you see when you go to any website and it is the #1 element in any SEO effort. It is website content. All online marketing efforts begin and end with the content that is being promoted. Your website content is the foundation of everything you are hoping to achieve through online marketing. So lets ask some questions that may illuminate shortcomings in your website content.
Why is this important to me? Look at your home page and ask that question. You had better have a good answer. For every visitor to your website this is the first thing that enters their mind. How do you personally answer that question? How does your website answer that question? Sadly for most company websites the answer is not easy to find. Companies will pile on product lines and bestow the virtues of their quality service and still never answer that question.
Complete this sentence: We help our customers to...
Customer-Centric Content
Are you a customer centric company? Most business marketers would reflexively answer yes but your website may not be carrying that message in an effective manner. Take a look at your high traffic web pages (home page, product pages). How many times do you use the words I, We and Our? - (I have the experience, We are the largest, Our features and benefits). Now how many times do you use the words You and Your? - (You will achieve, All you need, Your solutions partner). This simple exercise can shine a light on what is missing from most business websites. Writing from a technical knowledge of the products perspective rather than an understanding of the customer needs perspective.
Do your customers go looking for features and benefits? Probably not, most customer relationships begin with a challenge and a search for a solution. Your copy should target the challenges faced by your customers. This is the core of customer-centric copy writing. When you focus on the customer challenges two things occur that both work in your favor. First you will be speaking the language of your customers. Saying what they want to hear at the time of their greatest need. Second and most importantly you will have properly defined your target demographic.
With both challenge based customer-centric copy and an understanding of your target (challenge) audience you now have a core foundation that will resonate with your target customers and the focus to target your marketing effort where it will be most effective.
SEO Keyword Selection
Your website copy is also a prime target for search engine optimization (SEO). Try to create copy with keyword phrases that are relevant to your target audience. Keyword phrase selection should follow the same customer-centric approach. Focus on the customer challenges not your features and benefits.
Key Takeaways
- Your website copy is priority #1 in online marketing
- Focus on customer challenges not features and benefits
- Use page relevant challenge focused keyword phrases in your copy
