10 Best Web Content Practices

When nonprofit organizations build websites they spend loads of time and money on the design, the functionality and bells and whistles that are cool and fun to work on. But, in reality, as important as those things are, they aren’t what tend to make great non-profit websites. It’s about the content and how it’s written and sadly it’s usually the piece of a website that gets the least amount of attention. Remember, content is still king.

Here’s a list of 10 best practices you can follow when working on your site content. Without further ado...

1) Get To The Point: When a user visits your website you have about 5 seconds to grab their attention before they click off. A good site gives users the information that they need quickly and efficiently. This does not mean adhering to a defined word or character length for every piece of content, but rather ensuring that you say what you need in the shortest, clearest way possible. A good rule of thumb is to write out your content as a first draft without thinking about length, then come back to it a day later and cut it down by half. Repeat process. You’ll find it’s not hard after spending a little time away from it to cut down unnecessary text and still convey the relevant information.

2) Make Webpage Scannable: In addition to keeping things short, make them easily scannable. Using headings and lists so that the main points of information you are trying to convey can be read by quickly scanning the page.

3) Use Landing Pages Strategically: Landing pages should give an overview of each web section. Integrate any relevant and current “take action” items such as “sign the petition to stop Big Oil from drilling in the Arctic Refuge.” Provide links to resources, fact sheets and important articles so users can easily click to read more.

4) Search Engine Optimization: Integrate keyword-rich content into your website that your target audiences want to read. Click here to read more.