Your website's design might grab attention, but it's your content that convinces visitors to become customers. A solid content strategy ensures every page serves a purpose and guides visitors toward action. Here's how to approach content strategically.
Content Strategy vs. Content Marketing
Content strategy is the planning and governance of content—what you create, why, and how it's organized. Content marketing is the ongoing creation and promotion of content to attract and engage audiences.
You need strategy before marketing. Without a plan, you end up with scattered content that doesn't work together or serve your goals.
Know Your Audience
Effective content starts with understanding who you're writing for:
- Who are your ideal customers?
- What problems do they need to solve?
- What questions do they have?
- What objections might prevent them from buying?
- What language do they use?
Create content that addresses their needs and speaks their language. Generic content that tries to appeal to everyone often appeals to no one.
Map Content to the Customer Journey
Different content serves different stages:
Awareness: Blog posts, guides, and educational content that help people understand their problem.
Consideration: Comparison pages, case studies, and detailed service descriptions that help evaluate solutions.
Decision: Testimonials, pricing information, and clear calls-to-action that encourage conversion.
Retention: Help documentation, tips, and updates that keep customers engaged.
Ensure you have content for each stage.
Writing for the Web
Web readers scan rather than read. Optimize for scanning:
- Use clear, descriptive headings
- Keep paragraphs short (2-3 sentences)
- Use bullet points for lists
- Put important information first
- Use bold text for key points
- Include relevant images and visuals
Write in plain language. Avoid jargon unless your audience expects it.
Every Page Needs a Purpose
Before creating any page, ask:
- What should visitors learn from this page?
- What action should they take next?
- How does this page fit into the overall site structure?
- What keywords should this page target?
Pages without clear purposes create confusion and dilute your site's effectiveness.
Content Maintenance
Content isn't one-and-done. Plan for ongoing maintenance:
- Regularly review and update existing content
- Remove or redirect outdated pages
- Refresh statistics and examples
- Add new content to address emerging questions
- Monitor which content performs and which doesn't
Stale content hurts SEO and user experience. Budget time for content maintenance.
Great content doesn't happen by accident. It requires understanding your audience, planning strategically, writing effectively for the web, and maintaining quality over time. Invest in content strategy and you'll have a website that not only looks good but actually works to grow your business.