How to Write Creative Content for Your Website
Lead with the brand and everything else will follow_
Your mind is cloudy, fingers ache from pressing the backspace button and vision has blurred from staring at a blinking cursor for hours. If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, odds are you are trying to write body copy about your own brand.
Writer’s block is surprisingly common for small business owners who are tasked with the challenge of putting their brand on paper. Oftentimes we see brands focusing too heavily on the technicalities of their industry, rather than creating organized and digestible content for their website. We also see the other side of the spectrum, where content is too vague and the focus on the copy is frequently changing making it hard to follow.
Where do I start?
We meet with many companies that focus on what they do or the product that they produce, rather than how they make a difference. By discovering your brand and leading with a brand message in all communication, you immediately tell customers your reason for being.
The first thing that people need to recognize is that consumers care less about the “what” your brand supplies and more about the “why”. Of course, this was a concept simply presented by Simon Sinek in his, now famous, TED Talk How Great Leaders Inspire Great Action. Sinek explains that the “why” of your brand is what separates you from your competition and is the push that propels your company forward.
Once you are able to narrow into a company’s why then you are able to project that passion into the voice of the company. This is why before developing a website for a client, we start by providing them with a brand audit. This audit allows us to find that core and dissect a brand’s strengths and weaknesses. From there we are able to create a distinct tone that not only solidifies the foundation of a company, but also directly appeals to their target audience.
Focus on your “why”.
It is passion and purpose that a consumer is attracted to, not a product.
Don’t believe us? Here are two sample paragraphs, one that focuses on the “what” of a company and another that projects the “why”.
Leading with “what”
Established in 1983, Blah Blah Business and Company provides great service to a variety of consumers. Though we are based out of Somewhere, Wisconsin our company is able to provide products and services nationwide. Our facility of 30,000 square feet is continually expanding to create opportunities to better serve our customers.
Leading with “why”
Blah Blah Business and Company utilizes new technologies to improve the lives of our customers every day. Our dedication to customized solutions not only saves customers both time and money, but provides greater opportunities in qualifying new business leads. As an industry-leading company, we strive to take the stress and frustration out of the sales process and deliver data-driven results.
Notice how the second paragraph makes the company sound competitive and forward-thinking? Showcasing the things that motivate your company can give you the key to solidifying your voice and attracting customers. If you are still unsure of where to start, download our free brand audit document to discover your company’s “why”. Our best advice is to be honest with yourself, get members of your team involved, and allow this to open new doors for conversation. Insight is at your fingertips, let us give you a boost so you can reach it.