Organizations typically invest a lot of time and energy in their online communications, especially their websites. They may even spend sizable money to boost their search engine ranking and ensure they access every technical advantage they can: funneling visitors into automated communications silos or retargeting visitors with preplanned advertisements. But when we’re asked to give feedback on optimizing existing websites, we set aside algorithms and SEO boosters for the moment.

We start with content and the way that content is expressed. What voice is the website using? What is it saying to the visitor? What questions does it answer? What problem does it solve?

As we answer those questions, we can begin to see where the content of the website may need refreshing or revising. If we can’t answer the questions easily or clearly, or if the answers don’t align with the organization’s brand, intent, and audience, editing or rewriting may be necessary.

Basic content checklist

1.  Put site visitors first. Whether that means clients, partners, or donors, let them know what’s in it for them. What problem does the organization solve? What does the site ask of your visitors? If you’d like the website to be an effective business development tool rather than a backgrounder, focus your content on visitors’ issues.

2.  Differentiate quickly. Clearly identify your organization’s unique story early on. Don’t bury major points of differentiation too deep.

3.  Show what it’s like to work with you. Who are you and how do you partner with those who work with you? If your services involve providing detailed data, show some detail; if you’ve developed a product that eases suffering, give some signs of relief; if you’re all about communication, create a website that tells stories in your style.

4.  Meet standards. Ensure your site offers clean functionality, crisp content, a site index, a populated news and events section, working links, contact forms that respond…hit all the basics. Pro tip: Broken links turn visitors away.

5.  Ensure that the visuals match the story. Stock images that don’t illustrate your story, don’t belong on your website. Lovely generic office photos have their purpose, but not as the primary image on your homepage unless you’re selling interior design…and perhaps not even then. Pro tip: Strive for synergy between copy and visuals.

6.  Proofread. Everyone makes mistakes, but in business communications typos can kill confidence. Pro tip: If your goal is to work collegially to improve your organization’s online communication, you may not want to challenge anyone by pointing out typos and bad grammar in their website content, especially if they’ve written it. It’s tricky. It’s often easier to audit materials for strategic missteps rather than for typos. Getting the content on track strategically will give you the opportunity to smooth out any unintentional issues with tone, grammar, and typos that could otherwise undermine the message.

Following some basic communications guidelines should help you get more out of the process of refreshing your website’s content. For assistance auditing or refreshing your site, we’re just a stone’s throw away.