Ever try to write website content for your own business?  It is hard – really hard.  I am a copywriter, and I struggled to write content for my own website even though I write for other companies’ sites all the time without a problem.

I think the problem most people run into when writing their own content is they don’t understand one simple thing: You cannot write about yourself from one page to the next.  No one, but no one, cares about what you do and how you do it (OK, maybe your mom cares). They (really, us) just care what problems you solve for them (us).

In this three-part series, I will walk you through the beginning, middle, and end of writing website content that connects with your target market to the point that they say, Wow, I need to work with/buy from these guys.

Naturally, we will start at the beginning.  Here are the first three things you need to do to write truly spectacular website content:

1. Define your target market.

Most companies think they know who their customer is, but they don’t because they are not specific enough.  You can’t just say, My customers are government contractors or professional services firms.  You need to drill down to specifics: revenue, employee size, geographic location, specialties, gender, age, income level, education level, etc.

Until you know exactly who you are trying to sell to, you can’t write anything.

2. Define your services.

Yes, I know you know what you do.  But do you explain it in the most straightforward way possible?  If your service is on the more complex side (financial advisor, let’s say), or sounds vague when you state what it is you do (management consultant), you need to break down your services and clearly define each one.  What are the problems your clients have?  What are the solutions?  How do you implement those solutions and save the day?

So, instead of saying, “I provide interior design services,” list that you do space planning, staging for home sales, work with contractors during renovations, etc.

3. Write your value proposition.

Your value proposition is what makes you unique.  It is the reason people buy your products and services.  So sit down and brainstorm all the reasons you are different from the competition.  If you want more inspiration, ask your clients why they chose you over everyone else.   (All those quotes can become testimonials for your website.)

When you write your value prop, focus on your clients and the benefits you offer them. First start out by saying what problems you solve, then explain how you do it.  It should be one sentence long, and it should flow nicely, as if you were actually talking to someone.

Your value proposition will go on the home page of your website.  It has to be really good (no pressure!).

In my next post, we’ll cover the “middle” of writing website content: what pages to include, how to lay them out, and what to actually write in them.

Image by Flickr user dtron (Creative Commons)