People don’t read online content. Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but think back to the last time you were on a website. What percentage of the content did you actually read?

Exactly.

It’s easy to think that you have five to ten minutes before readers lose interest. Even my father, despite the pride & joy he gets from his son’s writing, will not take the time to fully read my articles and blog posts.

Truth is, visitors to your website won’t spend a couple minutes trying to figure out how it works, or why they should sign up and sign on. In fact, if you can’t get a member of your target audience (the person you should be selling your idea to in the first place) to pump a triumphant fist in the air because they found the perfect solution/product/service/website, you just might be in serious trouble.

Clearly and compellingly incorporate the answers to the following questions as you write, and your content will go a long way in achieving its original goal: a clear explanation of an abstract concept.

What am I offering?
You understand your product better than anyone else, so you’re more than qualified to answer this. After all, this is your idea, your vision; this is your dream.

The thing is, we don’t understand it in the same way you do, so it’s up to you to put it in simple, appealing terms for the rest of us. Or we’ll go somewhere else.

Who am I offering this to?
For a second, forget about the millions of people who could potentially benefit from your product, and propel you to instant millionaire status and online fame.

Instead, take time to carefully define your target audience. Who is most likely to jump at the chance to get their hands on your product or service? How old are they? What are there tendencies, characteristics, etc…?  Would they spread your idea?

What sets them apart from the people outside your target audience?

Once you figure that out, put yourself in the shoes of your target audience, and tell them why what you’re offering is perfect for them.

What problem(s) will my idea or offering solve?
A wise man once said, “Find out if there are mice before you build a mousetrap.”

If your offer doesn’t benefit your target audience, they’re going to go somewhere else.

Even if your offer does benefit your target audience, but you don’t communicate that to them, they’re still going to go somewhere else.

Now, what’s so unique about your solution to their problem?

Why don’t you tell them* about it?

Some great examples of online content:

37signals
Apart from the short, concise writing, note how they throw the traditional idea of a website’s layout out of the window. Instead, the emphasis is on the content, which is layered so that the most important material is more prominent.

Feedburner’s Feed 101
This page does an amazing job of not only educating a newbie on the beauty of RSS feeds, but also explains how Feedburner works and why it’s so great.

Mini Cooper
The entire Mini USA website is full of short, often humorous, messages. Also, note how the sparse use of text causes you to pay more attention whenever you see a block of text (a great way to insert calls of action).

Read more….

• It’s the content, not the icons
  “So think twice before badgering readers with “vote for me” pleas… Instead, focus on delivering great content. If you do, people will figure out how to spread the word just fine.”
• Web Content, Writing for Web Sites
  A valuable resource on “content writing, development, and preparation for Web sites”, plus another article resource billed as a  “one stop shop for free articles & web content”
• From Jakob Nielsen.
• Tagline Blues: What’s the Site About?
  “…look at how you present the company in the main copy on the home page. Rewrite the text to say exactly the opposite. Would any company ever say that? If not, you’re not saying much with your copy, either.”
• Long vs. Short Articles as Content Strategy
  “There’s no reason to limit yourself to only one content type. It’s possible to have short overviews for the majority of users and to supplement them with in-depth coverage…”

*them = your target audience

-FTK

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008 at 9:48 am and is filed under Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.