If you’ve been assigned the ongoing task of adding new content to your company website, particularly if you are using a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, here are a few tips that will help you keep the site looking professional.
1. Don’t treat your website like a display ad
Unlike a print ad, a website does not need to grab people’s attention. Users visit a website on purpose. They aren’t trying to read the comics, watch tv, or listen to music, so you don’t need flashing images or noise to draw their attention away from something else. Your website should make the visitor feel comfortable enough to stay a while.
When a user accesses your website, they want to find the information they are looking for quickly. If they begin to feel frustrated, if the site is too complicated or navigation is unclear, they’ll move on. Readability and usability are vitally important.
2. Follow the design
A designer considers each site element for readability and success at conveying a defined message. Size, font, style, weight, color, and alignment are defined for heading, subhead, body copy, captions, links and more.
When it ‘s time for you to add new content, look at the styles that have been assigned to the different elements. Stick to those rules. Your goal is not to make the new copy jump out at the reader. In fact adding new content that doesn’t follow the overall structure looks less professional and can reflect poorly on your company.
3. Avoid all caps when adding new content
Type, above all else, must be readable. Ascenders and descenders of upper and lower case letters help our eyes to identify words. Using all capital letters makes that distinction difficult and visitors to your site are less likely to read all the information you so purposefully prepared.
4. Respond to comments
Comments are a great way to help gauge the effectiveness of your online efforts. Demonstrate your appreciation to those visitors who left comments by responding to each one individually, answering their questions and thanking them for their business. Prompt attention to all comments is a real-life illustration of your commitment to customer service.
Hire us to be responsible for adding new content to your website
You may decide that adding new content to your website is not something you enjoy doing. Perhaps your time would be better spent doing something else. We handle ongoing site maintenance for many clients. Learn more about our Content Management Services or call (518) 392-0846.