So, you’ve set up a business, registered a domain name, got all the fine details of your products and services nailed down, and then your web designer asks you to send over your content and your mind suddenly turns in to one big blank canvas. Sound familiar?

This isn’t always just the case for new businesses, a lot of business owners find themselves in this situation when they want to update their website and web content too. So, you can rest assured you are not alone.

Luckily for you, we’re here to lend a helping hand and tell you that content writing doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. Easy for us to say, right? We do it most days of the week, so yes, it is quite easy for us to say, but with our help, it can be manageable for you too.

When you pay a web designer to create a website for you, you still need to provide them with base content, because after all, in most cases, both you and your business are a complete stranger to them. Of course, they will work hard to implement your SEO and keywords as that is part of their job, however, they still need to understand what it is your business does or offers.

The content on your website really is hugely important for your business. Not only is it your chance to sell your products or services to the public, but it is also quite often the first impression people get of your business too. This is why your website should be informative, engaging and attractive to the eye.

For a basic website, your web designer will likely ask you for information for your Home Page, About Page, Services/Products Page, FAQ Page, and Contact Page. These are the basic pages that most sites will usually have, so you need to ensure you provide the relevant content for these pages to be created.

Home Page – this page usually really is the first impression people get of your business. It is the page that they will be taken to 99% of the time, so make sure it is inviting. Dull websites that aren’t attractive to the eye often experience much higher bounce (people leaving immediately) rates than those that are. Make sure you’ve got some colour, that your font is easy to read and clear, and that your sentences are short and snappy. You will find people don’t tend to want to read masses and masses of information when they go on a website, so your home page is best kept short, to the point, engaging and inviting. If you are providing your own images for this page, then ensure they are professional photographs that are vibrant and that will catch the eye of the viewer.

About Page – this is where you get to tell the story of your business, such as some background information, how your business started, how long it has been trading, what makes you stand out above the rest and why customers should buy your products or services over anyone else’s. Though your about us page doesn’t need to be quite as long as War and Peace, you should attempt more than just a few lines, as you want to allow your customers as good of an insight as you can provide. This page is often used to help the client build trust in your company, so it is often a good idea to get some customer reviews put on this page too, to further encourage them to use your business.

Services/Products Page – these pages are where you sell your products or services to your clients, so you need to ensure they are written to perfection. Include as many details as possible and be up front about prices and fees; clients will thank you for it. If your business sells products then make sure your photographs have been done by a professional, this really does add to their selling potential. If you offer services, then make sure to go out of your way to explain why yours are better than anyone else’s, especially if your business is part of a competitive market.

FAQ Page – the best way to complete the content for this page is to put yourself in your clients’ shoes. Keep in mind that you are likely an expert in your chosen area of business, however, your clients are not. Therefore, they do not have the inside knowledge and understanding that you do around your speciality. So, imagine yourself to be a client, someone who doesn’t know the ins and outs of your business and write a list of questions that you think are most likely to be asked. Then, once you have this list, simply use your knowledge to answer them. Having a FAQ page provides potential clients with quick and easy answers to commonly asked questions.

Contact Page – though this page is pretty self-explanatory, people do still often tend to make mistakes with its content. Of course, you want your business’s address, phone number and email address (maybe fax too if you still use one), but you also want to add a bit more to this page. Have you specific departments that have different contact numbers or addresses? Are there particular people that clients should be contacting for specific matters? If so, ensure you put all this info down. This will prevent phone calls being made to people who are not able to answer queries asked, saving your business time but also keeping your clients happy, as they can get their questions answered by the first person they speak to. It is also quite common practice to put a map or satellite picture of your business’s address/location on this page too, as well as a link to your complaints process if you have one.

A business will often have some policies on its website too, along with its T&C, so keep things such as this in mind when drafting up your content.

Providing as much content as you can to your web designer really will make your website much better. Also, remember, it is important to keep your website up to date too when your products, services or details change. Websites are often a constant work in progress, so ensure you keep yours fresh, accurate and up to date, and your profits will more often than not reflect this.