People come to your web site because they are looking for something - a phone number, services, news, etc. They want information. Give it to them. Here are ways to create content that will help you meet the needs of your donors and your prospects.
Define your audience. Most organizations have several audiences - media, program participants, volunteers, activists, donors, community leaders, etc. Can each of your audiences find what they need on your site? It's useful to make a list of your audiences and what they seek on your site; refer to the list as you develop the site and update it. Remember to think from the outside-in, not from the inside-out.
Publishing offline content online. Each time you discuss producing a document for your organization - a report, a flyer, a newsletter, or an invitation - consider how it will translate on your web site. In some cases, you may post it word-for-word. In others, you'll edit it heavily.
Developing new content for the Web. Posting your offline content online isn't enough. For one thing, your print newsletter probably only comes out once a month, or once a quarter - your web site will need to feature more current news. Crisis information, photos, job announcements - you probably don't print and widely distribute items like these very often, but you can - and should - on the Web.
Posting free content. You don't have to create all the content on your web site yourself - you can get some (free) from others. If you collaborate with other organizations, ask to repost their articles, and include a link to their web site. You can also take advantage of content found elsewhere on the Web.
Keeping content fresh. Take a look at your web site right now. Is the lead story about an event that happened three months ago? It's hard to keep your whole site fresh, so experiment with changing images and stories. The pages you should change include the pages with dates and events on them; you absolutely must remove those old events and dates. There's nothing worse than visiting a site with an old event featured prominently. Keep in mind though, that you will probably get sick of your content before your visitors. If something is working well and isn't outdated, keep it. Just make sure to throw the old stuff out.
Writing and editing for the Web. It's true, writing for the Web is different. It's usually shorter. More casual. Funnier. Punchier. However, that doesn't mean it has poor grammar or punctuation, or is silly or rude. Take the same care with your online writing that you do with your offline writing. Keep in mind that people don't generally "read" on a web site, they skim. Make sure that your key points are in short, easy-to-read, paragraphs and bullets. Then, make sure your longer documents are easily printable.
Other content tips and tricks
- Don't put whole articles on the home page - post the first paragraph or two, then link to full article on another page to draw people further into your site.
- Visuals, photos, maps, graphics, and cartoons help present information in a user-friendly format, as well as creating an emotional connection.
- A search function allows site visitors to find content quickly.
- Adobe Acrobat PDF files allow you to publish long-form content in its accurate, original form, but not everyone can read them. If you plan on using them also offer an alternative.
- Links to other web sites show your knowledge of the field and allow you to be a portal to information your visitors want.
- Audio and video clips allow you to publish multimedia content that keeps your audience entertained and informed.
- Calendars present event content in an easily understandable format.
- Consider translating some of your content into Spanish. Most organizations should at least include a Spanish-language summary of their work, linked from the home page.
Source: Groundspring ITS Topic 4