How to Gather and Organize Content for a New Website

When it comes to web design, the most powerful tool on your website is content. It doesn’t matter how well your website is designed or even if it contains advanced features. Without the proper content to deliver your message and reinforce your brand, your site will not be as effective as it could be.

Therefore, it is important that you provide the web team with all the content it needs to develop your site and present a polished, professional image of your business.

What Do We Mean by ‘Content’?

Content is the information and experiences that are provided to the end-user, which, in this case, is your target audience. In the world of digital marketing, content can involve various mediums, such as:

Written Content

The foundational element of your message is written content or page text. This type of content has several components, such as:

• Body (headings and paragraphs)
• Meta tags and descriptions
• Lists, tables or tiles
• Calls to action
• Product descriptions
• Keywords
• Internal/external links

The primary focus of content is to deliver a message highlighting your products/services and reinforcing your brand. In addition, the right content creates more online visibility for your business through the proper use of relevant keywords and key phrases.

Media

Media typically involves the use of videos, photos, images and graphics. These elements supplement the written content to help viewers visualize your brand, culture, products or overall message. They bring your company to life through the use of dynamic imaging and a vibrant layout.

Due to the popularity of platforms such as YouTube and social media, the use of video and high-end graphics will separate you from the competition and will grab the attention of consumers looking for your products or services. So, as you plot your next marketing strategy, you may want to submit photos and videos to your agency for inclusion in your platforms.

Downloads

It’s a good idea to offer content that helps people transition through the various decision-making processes. By knowing what visitors to your site download, you can better understand where they are in the process and if there are specific products or features that might interest them.

Good examples of effective downloads are e-books and brochures, which normally come in the form of PDF files. PDFs give viewers quick access to your products or services and elaborate on information they need to make a purchasing decision.

Your Role (As the Client) in Gathering Content

One of the most common challenges digital marketing agencies face is delivering a message and professional image that accurately reflects the client’s brand. This is partly because clients often do not provide enough information about their company, culture or products. As a result, developing an effective marketing strategy takes longer than it should, as success is only achieved through trial and error.

How can you avoid this? Generally speaking, by understanding that you play a key role in the success of your website. More specifically, by taking the time to provide as much information about your organization as possible. The more involved you are by gathering and submitting content to the agency, the more likely you are to get the results you want: a brand and a message that is on point.

What information is the agency looking for?

• The mission and vision of your company
• Details about your products and services
• Ideas on how to refine your brand
• Your target market and competition
• Any creative ideas that you have for your website

While it is true that you outsource your digital marketing to a third party for a reason, your marketing campaigns are more likely to succeed if you embrace using a collaborative approach with the agency. Take time to equip the agency with adequate information so that everybody wins.

Best Practices for Compiling and Managing Content

Clear Communication

Content is the backbone of your brand and message. So, it’s essential to have a clear vision of what you want to say and how you want your message to reflect your brand. It’s also important to communicate your vision clearly so that the web team understands how you want to position your company in the market.

When discussing content, be transparent about your marketing goals and how you want to connect with your audience. Consider what content you currently have and what is needed to improve its structure, style and branding. Also, analyze what gaps you need to fill. For instance, do you need to add more pages to your website? Have you thought about a new social media page? Maybe an email campaign is a next move.

Content Inventory

Companies often run into two main issues when adding content to a website or other marketing channels. First, they repeat the same topics. Second, they choose topics that are no longer relevant to their audience (lack of evergreen quality). The main reason for this is that no one keeps an inventory of what content has been created.

Creating and updating a content inventory is easy. You can start a spreadsheet, a list or a visual sitemap, whichever process is easiest for your team. Or you can outsource this task to your digital marketing agency. Regardless of the system, the data should be accessible to any stakeholder who needs that information.

Fresh Content in the Pipeline

Your marketing strategy does not end when you create a website or start a social media page. That’s just the beginning. To keep your website ranking well in Google searches, you need to add fresh content regularly. Most experts recommend adding a page a week. What can you add to your website?

• Blogs
• Articles
• White paper downloads
• Product or service pages
• Location pages (city, state, region)
• Main menu pages (About Us, FAQ, etc.)

Adding fresh content to the pipeline also helps your brand maintain its relevance and hold your audience’s attention. Without fresh content, your website’s ranking will quickly drop, and you will lose your authority in the market. The same goes for social media posts and other marketing channels you are currently using.

Contact Lucid Today for Print Marketing Services

At Lucid, we provide a wide range of marketing tools to help you expand your market reach while targeting the customers you want. We deliver measured results that reflect your brand and help you reach your goals. To find out more about our content management services, call 850.760.0478 or fill out the quick contact form below, and we will be in touch.