Top Tips For Writing Content

I see a lot of content. A lot. I cringe at the thought of myself being the spelling and grammar police, and usually I have to remind myself that editing the content is outside of my scope for that project, but every time I find myself tapping away fixing things up because I hate to see a site go live with poor content!

The mistakes I see aren't deal breakers, but it's always good to remember that Uncle Google likes good grammar. Good grammar, correct spelling and content that makes people stop and read are going to earn you extra SEO points, and that is the aim of the game for most of us small businesses.

So here's some things I see time and again, and some handy hints to remember; 

1. Capitals are special

   Save capital letters for the start of sentences, brand names, proper nouns and acronyms. Eg:
   Wrong: Thank you for Stopping by, HEART from HAZEL is the Home of Chunky Knits and DIY Crochet Patterns designed by Renee Johansen.
   Right: Thank you for stopping by, HEART from HAZEL is the home of chunky knits and DIY crochet patterns designed by Renee Johansen.
   
   
2. Make a point of making your point
   
   More is not more when it comes to content. No one really cares that you named your online toothbrush store after the exact shade of blue that you noticed the sky was when you were at the beach on holiday in 2005 and also your first dog, writing out your School C marks (yes, I'm that old) will not convince your potential clients to engage your services.
   
   
3. Bullets then bla bla
   
   I have accepted that not everyone reads information online in the same high speed vortex as me - some people like to know that the candle smells like sunshine on a rainy day. So start with the facts for skim readers and then talk about the feels.
   
   
4. Include the important deets
   
   It's hard to zoom out and think about all the things about your product or service that website visitors need to know (because you just know them), add dimensions and measurements, don't forget to add sizing or colour options available (not everyone will check the dropdown).
   
   
5. Consider the user experience (always)
   
   I've talked before about Uncle Google watching how long website visitors spend on your site and how many pages they visit, so encourage them to stay and look around or keep moving. Read more UX tips here (see what I did there?).

If you're looking for a place to ask quick content questions, please join the Running In Heels Bidness Tips group on Facebook and ask away! If you need someone to write you some slick AF content for your online store, you might be interested in one of my brand new (and super affordable) Shopify support packages.