New website? Don’t forget the content

Creating a new website or app is often a technology-led effort for large and small businesses. That means the purpose of the new platform can be neglected as decisions about tools, security and development partners dominate the conversation.

In large organisations, it may also mean that the technology function sponsors the digital project. Tech folks often believe content is the easy part of a project and that it doesn’t need the consideration, resources or time that the development stream requires. Business stakeholders, like marketing, sales and product teams, may not be engaged from the start.

And that’s a mistake.

Absolutely, the tech is important. In my former corporate life, I led digital engineering teams at large organisations and understand the need to make the right decisions – at the right time – for these projects. Technology is the foundation for many business-critical tools, including digital experiences.

But it’s not the only thing.

First principles

What’s the business purpose of a new website or app? It’s to enable customers to take action or do something. That action could be to buy a product, make a reservation or seek support. To take that action, the user needs to be informed about the decision the business needs them to make. And how are customers or potential customers informed?

With content: words, images, videos and audio. It could also include downloadable assets, like PDFs or Word documents.

If the content isn’t properly considered from the start of a project, then your new app or website may not achieve its intended results.  For large websites, I’d argue the content work should begin before the technology stream.

This is just as important for migration projects, when a website moves to a new technology platform, and for new sites or apps.

A content-first approach

The product or business owner of the new app or website should be clear on its goals, target audience and success measures.

This clarity will enable strategic decisions about the content required for the new website or app.  It will also inform the type of content needed, its format and even the design to ensure the information is easy to scan and the user can quickly take the required action.

Content is a creative process and it’s often complex, requiring input from multiple experts across an organisation. There’s a need to apply a consistent style and tone, as well as optimise for search, accessibility and analytics.

Finally, it’s important to remember that content work doesn’t end when the new website or app launches. Post-launch, the focus will move to ensuring all content remains current, that it supports any marketing or advertising activities, and that the ongoing conversation with your customers continues to be effective and engaging.

Overwhelmed by your content needs? Schedule a call with us to find out if we can help.