The Web development industry has seen a lot of change in a relatively short period of time. Consider that just 10 years ago, Google had only eight employees and had recently vacated a garage.
At that time, businesses that made information available online were progressive. Web development was largely in the hands of IT departments and websites were seen as a highly technical endeavor. Heavy on text and thin on graphics, these early websites appear spartan by contemporary standards.
Marketing professionals and designers became involved as technology matured and Web development tools became more accessible. As we entered the 21st century, Web sites were often highly graphical. Designers experimented with unusual techniques for layouts and navigation. Along the way we learned a lot about what works and what doesn't when people interact with computers. Standards and best practices began to emerge as the industry grew.
The Web development industry is still young in comparison with many others, but we have the advantage of being able to test new concepts and adapt to change quickly. Having spent several years exploring the visual aspects of design, we're beginning to see a renewed focus on content.
The content of your website - whether text, images, video or otherwise - is what provides value to your users. Providing value is what keeps us all in business, but often content is treated as an afterthought in the design process.
Today's progressive businesses are those who approach content strategically. This means seriously considering what you want to say and how best to say it on the Web.
It means asking why each page of a site exists; determining who it's intended for; and what goals (or whose goals) it supports. It means understanding how writing for the Web differs from writing for print. And it also means taking responsibility for the long-term maintenance of content. In short, it means having a plan.
As the Web has become a critical part of our lives, Web content has become a critical part of nearly every business marketing effort, but it's not always treated that way. To learn more about how to develop your own strategy for content, be sure to attend our upcoming Web marketing seminar on October 14.
Tags: content, cws, strategy, web marketing, writing