Dos and don'ts for
publishing content on your e-commerce site
By Joanna
L. Krotz
If you've invested a lot in
online selling and marketing, you'll be wasting those dollars unless you
also spend some time and money on developing engaging content for your
e-commerce site.
Clear, compelling content not
only attracts customers who are searching on MSN or Google, or following
banners and other links to find what you offer. Good articles, how-tos,
product demos, customer success stories, and other resources also persuade
customers to stay on your site and to return. When marketing efforts move
customers to visit, but the pages are sparse or the content is poorly
presented or doesn't live up to the marketing promises, customers will click
away in a heartbeat.
As online shopping grows and
businesses and households adopt high-speed connections, the quality of
online content is becoming increasingly critical.
For instance, a 2004 study of
the Web habits of 18- to 34-year-olds, conducted by comScore for the Online
Publishers Association, found that those with broadband access not only
spent 52% more time online than their dial-up counterparts, but they used
the extra time to visit entertainment and content sites rather than for
Internet utilities such as e-mail or instant messaging. The broadband group
logged a whopping 72% more time on general news sites. "With an 'always on'
connection, the Internet rapidly becomes a dominant source of news,
lifestyle information and entertainment," said Michael Zimbalist, president
of the Online Publishers Association, when the study was released.
Creating and publishing
strong Web site content is a topic for which books are written. In this
article, we seek to pass along some basic guidelines to move you in the
right direction. Below are 10 dos and don'ts of using e-commerce site
content to make the most of your marketing budget. But first, let's discuss
two basic how-tos.
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1. |
Target your preferred
customer. "The
most valuable content for your visitors solves a problem or answers a
question for them," says Wally Bock, a content strategist based in
Wilmington, N.C. Even so, good content comes in many packages.
An insurance broker, for
example, might create an online "Resources" channel to host articles
about various types of insurance and policies. She might license a few
interactive calculators that let potential customers input personal
information to figure how much coverage they need — which, by the way,
keeps them drilling down into the site, thus driving interest and sales.
Plus, a broker needs prominent multi-channel contact information on
every page because customers want to meet before they buy.
By contrast, a
fragrance e-tailer requires much snappier, lighter content that promises
very different benefits. He might create or license a news-ticker
application to scroll fashion and design trend headlines across the
screen. That would not only engage visitor interest but also emphasize
that he's up-to-date. He could post timely reviews of new designer
fragrance lines. To satisfy customer demands for signature scents, he
needs to showcase a broad and stylish inventory, perhaps with the help
of an automated online store tool such as
Microsoft Commerce Manager. |
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2. |
Know that there are
many logistics to tackle; here is just a sampling.
Before creating any content,
make sure you have thought-out answers to these questions:
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• |
Who
is your online customer and what needs are you satisfying? "Try to
think like a visitor to the site, not like the owner or creative
talent," advises Miki Dzugan at Rapport Online, an Internet marketer
based in St. Paul, Minn. |
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• |
Do
you have a content plan and strategy? Do you have (or know how to
get) content that you know is useful for your defined customer? |
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• |
How
will you produce and publish that content? Will you hire a Web
writer or perhaps license syndicated content? |
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• |
What is the goal of each page on the site? |
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• |
Do
you have a publishing schedule? In other words, you can't, in most
cases, put up several pages of content and then just forget about
them for several years. Your most prominent pages, at the very
least, should be periodically refreshed. How often will you update
your content and which pages will you update? |
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• |
What resources do you need to manage and maintain the content? |
If you plan an
ongoing program, it might be worthwhile to automate content management
with a system such as
Microsoft Content Management Server,
which allows you to work in Microsoft Office using templates or
documents created by Publisher, Word or PowerPoint. |
10 dos and don'ts of
content programming
Content needs are always
evolving, and they vary depending on your market and customer base and how
fast your company grows. But these overall rules apply:
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1. |
Don't fall for fancy.
Whether it's product descriptions, white papers, search function copy or
customer testimonials, stick to basics. Don't use a lot of jargon or
technical language that users may not understand. "There is still no
substitute for Keep It Simple, Stupid," says Alan Canton of the
Adams-Blake company, a contract publisher in Fair Oaks, Calif. |
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2. |
Do stay tech-savvy.
Make sure you test new content on every platform, operating system,
browser and channel that your user might try. You'll be glad you did,
because users won't always tell you. "Users rarely report Web site
errors and even when they do, their reports are typically vague," says
David Jilk, chief executive of Xaffire, a Web management company in
Superior, Co. |
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3. |
Don't write the
content yourself. Many small-business owners try to contain costs by
writing their own Web copy. Just as you wouldn't cut corners on products
or customer service, don't cheap out on content. Invest in professional
copywriting (unless, of course, that's what you do). Plus, make sure
every word is proofread - several times. If you think customers will
forgive typos and misspelled words because of the great products you
sell, think again. |
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4. |
Do consider graphics
as content. Text-heavy pages can be tedious and boring, no matter
how compelling the text. Put the best face you can on your site with
professional artwork that enhances your pages, breaks up text, and
illustrates and complements the written content you are publishing. |
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5. |
Do carefully consider
Flash. Web experts have lots of opinions about Flash animations and
graphics. Some love Flash; others love to hate it. In fact, Flash is a
tool, just like any other Web-building application. While Flash graphics
tend to be screened out by search engines (and therefore may make it
harder for customers to find you), such design may also be just the
thing to make customers delighted or impressed. Surf around, check out
competitor sites. Then decide whether Flash content is right for your
business. |
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6. |
Do plan to
refresh, refresh, refresh. "With digital cameras and Web-building
software, there's no reason why your site should look like the same old
clothes hanging on the line month after month," says Daniel Pearson, a
marketing copywriter based near Research Triangle Park, N.C. "Every two
to three weeks is ideal." Programs such as
Microsoft FrontPage
make updating content easy. |
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7. |
Do be upfront about
fees or policies. Consumers don't want surprises. "Let them see your
toll-free phone number, your shipping fees and your return policy," says
Andy Beal, vice president of marketing at WebSourced, a Web services
company in Morrisville, N.C. |
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8. |
Don't clutter your
home page. Many business owners tend to pack all their product
information and services onto the home page, which makes the user dizzy
or confused. Use the home page to define your company's products and
point of difference. Then make sure your navigation design easily
directs visitors to the detail pages. |
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9. |
Do give visitors a
reason to return. You can post monthly news or reports, send e-mail
marketing for special offers, create calendars and reviews of industry
events — whatever works for your business. Use your content to drive
repeat traffic. |
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10. |
Last, but not least:
Don't publish content that will disappoint your customer. Many Web
sites offer channels that promise responses, such as e-mail replies to
customer comments or queries, or boards with ongoing discussions, polls
or surveys that are supposed to post results. If you can't effectively
manage the responses, don't set up such channels. |
E-commerce site content is
designed to make life easier, better, faster and more satisfying for your
best customer. Keep that in mind and you won't go wrong.
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