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Published by: Judy Cobb 08-06-2013  |  POSTED IN: Traffic Tuesdays

Words Blog 33: Writing Specialized Content for Your Website

 
Any business has a body of specialized or technical knowledge. A part of that industry-and product-specific information can be valuable to your customers or clients when they make a buying decision.
 
These days, many people buying a major product or service search widely on the Internet for information that will help them make a good decision. A website that offers this information appears in website searches, attracts potential customers and increases the chance that the person will buy from you.
 
If the information on your website is easy to understand and useful, a person is likely to put you on the "short list" of businesses they are considering buying from. Putting useful background information about your industry or products--beyond simple advertising and product descriptions--can give you an advantage over your competitors if you do it right.
 
For example, if you have a business selling household appliances, your customers would benefit from reading about the new features of the appliances and the pros and cons of those features compared to similar features in other models.
 
People looking for a lawyer often want to know what to expect when they pursue a personal injury or other type of lawsuit. They also might want to know what to expect at a first meeting and what type of information the lawyer might expect them to provide at that meeting.
 
Clients who need website development and search engine optimization (SEO) services would benefit from simple explanations of SEO and Google Analytics. This information allows them to understand what they are buying and to have realistic expectations of the service.
 
A CPA firm, like many businesses, encounters similar questions when meeting with new clients for the first time. Answering those questions on a website could establish a firm's credibility with potential clients and make a client's first visit more efficient.
 
Well-organized and well-written information not only improves a client's knowledge and assists them in making a good buying decision. It also creates a good impression of your business. Information that is hard to understand or written at a high level can have the opposite effect.
 
Most people who have specialized knowledge assume far too much about what a non-technical person knows or understands. As a result--when they write about their area of expertise--they tend to start at what is the beginning for them. They often use technical language and buzz words without explaining them. In short, they are writing at their technical level, not from the customer's point of view.
 
As a result, most customers have difficulty understanding the content. Website visitors have a low tolerance for websites they don't understand. They leave and look for another website where the material is more clearly written.
 
Here are some suggestions for making specialized or technical content on your website easier to understand.
 
1. Organize the ideas in a logical progression.
2. Think about the content from the customer's point of view. What does he or she know and what does the person want to know?
3. Make the information easy to locate. Website content should be written in small "packets" of about 500 words.
4. Write clearly so someone who is not an expert will understand it.
5. Avoid industry buzz words and jargon, unless you explain them.
 
All of this seems like common sense, but it is surprising how often people forget these simple guidelines. They can spend a lot of time and energy writing something that, in the end, does not satisfy a customer looking for information.
 
Many people are challenged when they have to step back from their areas of specialization and think about the subject from the point of view of someone who wants a basic understanding of the topic. This technical shortsightedness can affect business owners as well.
 
If you provide (or plan to provide) technical or specialized information as a feature of your website, it is always a good idea to check content with customers or other people who are not close to your business. They can look at the content with a fresh viewpoint and will often give you useful ideas about what to write and how to write it.
 
 
Please share your ideas, comments, questions and suggestions about this blog with us. Feel free to leave comments below or to email Judy at [email protected].
 
Judy Cobb is an independent writer and business writing coach whose clients have included Parsons Engineering, Mattel Toys, The Los Angeles Times and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She has specialized in developing training materials for instructor-led courses as well as interactive online courses and websites. She holds advanced degrees from Columbia University and Stanford as well as an MBA from UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management.
Thanks for reading. Jason.
P.S. Don't forget to subscribe below to this blog.
 
About Jason Ciment
Formerly an attorney and CPA, Jason has been working online since 1997. His columns on affiliate marketing can still be found on www.Clickz.com and his book on search engine optimization can be found at www.seotimetable.com.

This blog is published 4x per week and covers website design and SEO tips as well as a wide range of tips and advice for working and living online more efficiently and enjoyably.
 

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