Before you create your next website or app, make sure you and your team know what you want to say, and what your users/clients want. This is crucial for success.
Imagine the following case: you are a governmental institution. A consultant advised you to change your homepage, because the one you have is outdated. You proceed: you instruct your IT team to create the homepage. They hire a web design company. At some point the web design company will ask what content to put in the homepage?
Only in that moment do you realize that no one has thought of that.
What I describe above is a real situation. It happened in Chile, in 2021. I know it, because as communication and digital advisor, I was called in to fix the situation and quickly fill the newly created homepage with content.
But what content to create? For whom?
The fact that an institution could start a digital project like this, without having first considered for what and for whom it was done, serves to illustrate how commonplace this is.
And now, as Content Strategy student, I realise every person that leads a digital project must have an answer to these questions.
They might sound simple, but they are key for the success of any website, app, chatbot, or social media campaign.
What message do you want to convey to your clients, users, or target group?
Before discussing if your IT team should develop your next website in WordPress or WooComerce, ask yourself and your team this question: What message do you want them to get when they visit your website?
For example, do you want your customers to get excited with your new product, so they buy it? Or do you want citizens to known about a new program and register?
The answers will help you to make sure you develop your project in a way that will match your objectives, making sure that your message is conveyed.
What do your clients, users, or target group want?
The second question is about your clients, users, or target group. This is the people you want to reach. Who are they, and what do they want to know or do with your project?
For example, do they want to buy something, inform themselves about a topic, pay for some service, or maybe learn something new?
Having your clients, users, or target group needs in mind is crucial for the success of your project. Just think of your own experience. How many beautifully designed websites have you visited, in which you could not find what you were looking for?
Why these questions matter
A website or an app can look shiny, modern, and it might also use the latest technology available. But without a content that matches your and your user’s needs, it cannot be considered as successful.
So, before you start your next digital project, I would like to encourage you to ask these two questions:
- What message do you want to convey to your clients, users, or target group with your project?
- What do your clients, users, or target group want or need from your project?
The answers will help you to make sure you develop your project in a way that will match your objectives and solve your user’s needs.