Website content writing — sometimes referred to as digital content and UX content — has always appealed to me because it’s both creative and analytical — much like I am. As a UX Content Strategist, I get to create all kinds of digital content for my clients. While the creative side is lots of fun, there’s also a data-driven side that always must be considered.
Let the Inner Writer Shine Through
The artistic side of content writing allows your creativity to shine through. It's about crafting compelling and engaging content that resonates with guests’ emotions, thoughts and desires. Writing should capture the attention and imagination of your guests. For example, a brand’s voice, tone and style can set it apart from the competition.
Data-Driven Strategies for UX Content Writing
The data-driven side of content writing involves strategies to optimize the content so that it supports the KPIs of the website. Knowing how search engines deliver results based on a target audience's behavior, preferences and habits is key. In fact, no website content writing project should begin without first understanding the target audience and the goals of the business. For example, what do your guests like to buy, read, watch, talk about, avoid, use, see and do? Where they like to go?
Website content writing should consider:
- Search engine optimization (SEO) and keyword strategy
- Text search versus voice search
- Accessibility
- UX content strategy
- Analytics to enable continuous improvement
- Other KPIs as identified by the business
Website content writing should be well-crafted so that the content is not only easy to read but also assists in improved visibility, reach and engagement. It's about making data-driven decisions to optimize your content for better search rankings and user engagement.
Balancing Creativity and Strategy
Mastering the art and science of website content writing requires finding the sweet spot between creativity and strategy. It's about balancing the artistic expression that allows your inner writer to shine through with the strategic approaches that drive results. It's not just about writing for the sake of it, but rather creating content that is optimized for the target audience, aligned with your brand strategy and focused on achieving your marketing goals.
Striking the right balance involves understanding your audience, their needs, preferences, and behaviors, and tailoring your content accordingly. It's also about testing, learning and adjusting (continuous improvement) while creating content that is user-friendly, easy to understand and accessible to a wide range of users.
Finding the right balance between creativity and strategy is key to mastering the art and science of website content writing and creating content that resonates with your audience, achieves marketing goals and delivers an engaging user experience. So, embrace both the artistic and scientific aspects of content writing, and unlock the true potential of your website content.