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Moving communication campaigns into action |
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Transform your web site in two weeks Here is a back issue of Marketing Booster, the email newsletter that Richard Groom writes and sends free every fortnight to subscribers. You can subscribe here or read over 60 back issues using the back issues index page. Lots of studies have shown that web sites work best when they are frequently updated. Not only does adding new content improve the experience for people who are returning to your site, it also gives you a chance to run some off-line marketing, such as writing to prospective clients about the new information on the site. But many organisations find it hard to add new content. It probably seems like a lot of work. So if you are in some way responsible for your web site, how can you efficiently create some new content? Here is an example of an approach that I believe could, in just two weeks from now, bring up to 15 new pages to your web site. There are three methods you can use: 1. Choose five experts in your organisation and ask them each to write an article of 500 - 1,000 words on their specialist subject. The articles should give visitors practical, useful information that they will find interesting. Of course, they will also help to establish your organisation as experts in your field. Subjects could include upcoming legislation, how to get the best from your products and so on. Give your experts choices so they can buy-in to the process. They can write the article themselves (explain that they don't have to worry about grammar and spelling as you'll edit for them). Or you can interview them - use a tape recorder or take notes - then write the article and send it to them for comments. (Tip: offer to conduct the interview over lunch that your department will pay for. You might just get more people to agree to help that way.) 2. Choose five people who work with your clients and ask them each to write a case study about a recent project. You want the case studies to explain how people have benefited from using your organisation. You can either name the clients in the case studies, or if you can't get their permission just explain that you can't name them. Again, give your contributors choices about how the article is created. Another choice would be to prepare a case study form for contributors, with fields such as client name, their problem, what was sold, how the process happened, what success the client is now enjoying etc. If contributors fill in the form properly you should be able to write the article for them. 3. Choose five places on the current site where you have presented brief information and expand on it. For example, if you have a page that lists five services you offer, and has a paragraph on each, write a full length description for each service. Use the existing page as a menu with links to the new and more detailed information. I'm willing to bet that there isn't an organisation in the world who can't write at least 500 words about each of their services. Keep it simple and focus on what the service does for customers. Don't worry about adding too many pages of detail. Remember that visitors will only visit the pages they are interested in. Remember also that, in most cases, people on your site are looking for information. If they can't see the information they want then they'll go elsewhere. In summary, without too much effort, and certainly without too much innovation, there is a way to come up with 15 new pages for your site. Copyright 2004 Richard Groom |