Content becomes easier to improve when you stop asking whether it sounds impressive and start asking whether it helps. These seven habits can make a draft clearer and more specific.
1. Begin with a real question.
Choose a subject customers actually ask about. Know which decision or task the page is meant to support.
2. Give the answer early.
Don't spend several paragraphs announcing that the topic is important. Start explaining it, then add the context a reader needs.
3. Use details from your work.
Describe a relevant process, condition, or example. Remove private information and check permission before sharing customer material.
4. Make the structure easy to scan.
Use headings that describe the sections. Keep related ideas together and paragraphs focused on one main point.
5. Choose useful images.
Show a product, project, or step that supports the explanation. Add a caption when the important detail would otherwise be unclear.
6. Check the promises hiding in the wording.
Words such as “always,” “guaranteed,” and “proven” can imply evidence the business does not have. Keep claims proportionate to what you can support.
7. Offer the right next step.
Link to a relevant service, a deeper explanation, or a way to ask about an individual situation. The next action should follow from what the reader just learned.
Finally, read the draft aloud. If it sounds unlike a useful conversation with a customer, simplify it. Good website content gives people something clear to understand and a sensible place to go from there.
I run Good Creations in Grants Pass. I work directly with business owners on website design, content, and search. My work includes service writing, inventory websites, and custom publishing tools.
Meet Bob ↗
