Putting together a website can be challenging, especially when it comes to content. Web designers often find themselves waiting for clients to provide the necessary content, which can halt progress. This article explores why content creation is a challenge for clients and offers tips for web designers to help clients develop a content strategy.
One reason why clients struggle with content creation is that they are not typically content creators or prolific writers. They may have ideas or talking points in mind, but they struggle to articulate them. Additionally, clients are often busy with other tasks, so content strategy takes a back seat.
However, this presents an opportunity for web designers to help clients move the process forward. By focusing on key talking points, designers can identify the important aspects of the client’s business or organization and discuss them with the client. This helps narrow the focus and gives clients a better understanding of the task, boosting their confidence in producing quality content.
Visual guidance is another helpful tool for clients in developing a content strategy. Designers can provide templates or prototypes that outline the various sections of a page, giving clients a point of reference for creating concise and easily digestible content. AI tools can also be used to generate content with better context, which clients can then edit to suit their needs. This approach encourages consistency in writing style and formatting throughout the site.
Organizing content is often a challenge for clients, but web designers can provide education and guidance on content organization. By focusing on questions related to user navigation, relevance, page length, key information, SEO, and accessibility, designers can steer clients towards a user-first approach and ensure that the content is well-organized.
In some cases, clients may never become comfortable with writing and organizing content or may not have the time to do so. In these situations, web designers can offer to write the content for them, taking some pressure off the clients and potentially earning extra money. This service can be collaborative, with clients acting in an editorial role to review and improve the content.
Taking a proactive approach to content strategy is key to a successful project. Clients often look to web designers for guidance, so designers’ expertise can help clients move forward with confidence. By being proactive, designers can reduce the waiting time for content and focus on preparing the website for launch.
In conclusion, website content doesn’t have to be a difficult task. By understanding the challenges clients face and offering guidance and support, web designers can help clients develop a content strategy that leads to a successful website.
