We’ve both said it for years. Actually 10 years now.
A clean, clear website will help you get more customers than you can ever imagine. (In fact, the best test is to ask our clients directly the kind of results they get when they get a new website makeover done by us.)
And now, it’s validated.
Can your website pass the information needs test?
Can your customers find information on your website easily?
Of course this piece of research by Jakob Nielsen talks about journalists and websites but think of this: any one who visits your website is also looking for information. Otherwise they would NOT be typing your URL into the browser.
What Information Is Worthwhile?
1. Processes & Technology Whenever clients come to us to help them produce content, we are interested in details. We are interested in special processes. We are interested in unique methods, unique names or proprietary information. People are usually surprised. They think that websites should contain general information.
You see, general information is not useful. Even mission statements are mostly rubbish. Who reads stuff like that? If I’m a customer or a journalist, tell me something interesting, special, unique. Don’t repeat the same boring truckload of rubbish (which most companies still do on their website – it may be interesting to you or your boss but not to anyone else).
2. Names Give real names. People shy away from giving names online. Why? Are you a criminal? Are you involved in some shady stuff? If not, and if you run a business, of course I want to know who I am dealing with.
3. Contact Info Don’t hide your contact information (address, phone, email). Put it on every damn page if you can. And don’t hide contact info in some obscure page which no one can find. And when someone does email to you, respond as quick as you can.
4. Photos Show who you are. Clearly. In a nice photo. Not a blurred one. If you’re a public listed company, make sure your photos are good enough in case some journalist decides to download and use them in a media report.
5. Product Information Don’t waffle. Tell us what your product is precisely, what it does and why it should be bought. Tell us if it won any awards. What ingredients go into this product? Why is it special? Don’t give meaningless words – that’s blah blah blah – give real substantial info so customers can learn something new they didn’t know before. Think it’s too technical? Don’t worry, if it’s too technical, your customers will tell you. Or they will call you. And if they do, hey, there’s your chance to talk to them!
Your website is only useful if it offers useful information to people who need them.
If your content sounds like it was written in the 80s (that is, pompous, condescending and cold), get a good copywriter who can think like a business person and go for content rewrites.
Otherwise, you are wasting your time putting the tired old copy on your website.
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