Build Sites More Efficiently With This Website Content Checklist

May 1, 2021
0 minute read

Writing web content that is relevant and engaging can help increase a website’s visibility in search results and establish trust with potential customers.

Whether you are building a commercial website, an online store, or even a personal webpage, the below website content checklist will help you and your agency's team establish a framework for building sites that are brimming with quality content. 

Your WEbsite Content checklist

The following checklist provides a comprehensive set up steps for digital marketers to go through as they create website content for their clients.


#1 Research Your Audience

As you start developing content for your next web design project, begin by taking a moment to do some basic market research. Market research is the process of establishing a consumer’s interests and behaviors. This research will ensure that the content hosted on the site you are building is both search engine optimized and of interest to the desired market. Your job at this step in the content creation process is to ascertain:

  • Demographic information about your target audience
  • What type of experience and information the target audience is expecting to find when they land on the website
  • What kind of voice, tone and language will the target audience feel comfortable engaging with

#2 Stick To the Point

Relevant content will engage the target market and build trust between the brand and its customers. Apply the information obtained during market research to the content you are developing. To ensure  the content you are writing is relevant to your target market:

  • Avoid filler. Flowery language will only distract from your site’s purpose and messaging.
  • Eliminate jargon. Words and phrases that are not easily understood by the average user may isolate potential customers.
  • Ensure a return on investment. If a reader has invested their time into reading your content, make sure they get something out of it.

#3 Keep Things Concise

One of the difficulties content writers face is creating content that is clear and concise. Consequently, making content that is quickly and easily understood is one of the most important parts of the website content checklist. Content should be brief and to the point. To make certain that your content accomplishes this important goal, follow these tips:

  • Use short, intentional sentences. Run on sentences will confuse readers and may lead them to disengage with your content.
  • Focus on your target market. Use words that specifically identify readers (“you/your”) instead of words that identify yourself (“I/my”).
  • Edit. A piece of writing is only as good as its next best edit. Thoughtful editing will almost always improve the quality of the content.

#4 Add Value

Effective web content doesn’t just sell a product or service — it assists the audience in some way. When a reader finds value in your web content, they are more likely to do three things:

  • Engage with your website again in the future
  • Share content from your site with others
  • Make informed purchase decisions of goods/services

To create website content that delivers value to existing and future customers/subscribers, attempt to do the following:

  • Solve a problem. With each piece of content you create, solve a particular problem that your target audience faces.
  • Prioritize your readers. While it can be tempting to put business or personal goals first, valuable content always puts the reader first.
  • Make your content actionable. Creating content that readers can put into action will build trust between them and the site.




#5 Keep It Professional

Readers turn to online resources for professional, reliable content. It is your job, as a web designer/content author, to be the professional voice they are seeking. This portion of the website content checklist is dedicated to helping you write trustworthy, well-researched content. Professional content is supported by:

  • Research. Informed content not only contributes to a website’s credibility with readers, but with other industry professionals as well.
  • Correct grammar and spelling. Professional web content is devoid of grammatical errors and/or misspelled words.
  • An informed tone. Avoid trying to be clever or funny unless you are able to do so without compromising your professionalism.
  • Examples. While you are writing, consider providing examples of ways in which your content has benefitted other customers or readers.
  • Insider advice. Have a tip that is unique to your experience or industry? Consider sharing it with readers. Insider advice provides readers with knowledge they may not have previously had access to.
an isometric illustration of a woman standing in front of a laptop and painting

#6 Avoid Distractions

At this point in your website content checklist, your goal is to make content that is not only high quality, but draws the attention of the reader. God visibility in a distraction free environment is paramount if you wish to provide readers with actionable, valuable content. To make certain your content will catch the eye of potential customers, avoid the following:

  • Moving content. Image carousels, pop-ups, and flashing advertisements can distract your readers from the content in front of them.
  • Distracting design. Avoid loud, clashing colors and limit your site to two or three different fonts (at the most!).
  • Autoplay web content. Content that plays without a site visitor's consent is both distracting and unnecessary. Put the power in your audience's hands and let them decide whether or not to engage with additional forms of media.

#7 Establish a Flow

For a website to be successful in converting visitors into customers or subscribers, the website content you create needs to support a seamless buyer journey and user flow. The following are actionable items for you and your design team to consider when creating content that supports the user flow on a website:

  • Use legible fonts in easy to read colors. Sans-serif fonts in dark colors are typically best, especially for long form copy.
  • Use a simple, clean background. Contrast the website background and the fonts with a light colored background and darker fonts.
  • Format headings, images, and copy. There should be a clear distinction between titles and body copy. Images should not distract from your content.
  • Add useful tool tips to help users navigate through their experience

Highlight Calls-To-Action

Well placed calls-to-action direct website visitors to products, services and materials that align with your content. In this way, every piece of content is an opportunity to engage a new or existing customer and move them closer towards making a purchase. Here are a few things to keep in mind when thinking about calls-to-action in your website content:

  • Write content that is easily actionable. Writing with a call-to-action in mind will inspire content that customers can engage with.
  • Create calls-to-action that are easy to see. Clickable elements should employ clear fonts and eye-popping colors. 
  • Practice precision. Only make calls-to-action that are contextualized by the content around them.

Conclusion

Content writing is one part of the web design process that allows creatives to share their thoughts, opinions and expertise. In this way, you have the opportunity to instill a piece of yourself in your work. Take confidence in both your abilities and in yourself. The most important part of content creation is the human element. When you share your humanity with readers, you create an invisible bond that transcends content alone.

Related Posts



An eCommerce checkout showing
By Shawn Davis April 17, 2025
Explore the implications of recent tariffs on your agency and clients' businesses. Learn strategies to minimize impact and communicate effectively.
A homepage of a website with a headline menu and color menu
By Renana Dar March 31, 2025
In today's article, we'll give you a complete checklist to run through when handling web accessibility for your clients.
A collage of images from news articles about EAA.
By Renana Dar March 31, 2025
The EAA deadline is approaching. Ensure your clients comply to avoid penalties and reputational risks—while positioning your agency as an accessibility leader.
Show More

Did you find this article interesting?


Thanks for the feedback!
A computer screen with a graph on it and a purple background.
By Santi Clarke April 24, 2025
Learn how platform ecosystems drive revenue and why they are essential for the growth of SaaS businesses.
By Santi Clarke April 24, 2025
One of the greatest challenges for SaaS platforms is keeping users engaged long-term. The term “stickiness” refers to a product's ability to retain users and make them want to return. In the context of SaaS platforms, creating a sticky product means that users consistently find value, experience seamless interactions, and continue using the product over time. The following are 7 practical strategies you can take to improve the stickiness of your SaaS solution. 1. Offer websites that help customers build their digital presence One of the most effective ways to make your SaaS platform sticky is by offering websites to your users. Many businesses today need an online presence, and by providing a platform where your customers can easily build and manage their websites, you increase their reliance on your product. When you offer users a website-building solution, you’re helping them create something foundational to their business. Websites, in this case, aren’t just a tool—they become a part of their identity and brand. This deepens their engagement with your platform, as they need your product to maintain and update their site, ultimately making them less likely to churn. Plus, websites naturally encourage frequent updates, content creation, and customer interactions, which means your users will return to your platform regularly. When you can give your users the tools to create something so essential to their business, you make them more dependent on your platform. This creates a higher barrier to exit, as migrating a fully built website to another service is no small task. In fact, websites are some of the stickiest products you can sell, so adding them to your product portfolio can be one of the best decisions you can to keep your customers using your technology for the long haul. 2. Deliver continuous value through product innovation The key to keeping users coming back to your SaaS platform is ensuring that they consistently see value in it. This means not only meeting their immediate needs but also evolving to address their growing demands. Constant product innovation is essential for keeping your users satisfied and invested in your platform. One way to achieve this is through regular updates that add new features or improvements based on user feedback. A SaaS platform that evolves with its users will keep them engaged longer, making it harder for competitors to steal their attention. Encourage user feedback and prioritize updates that create tangible improvements. This creates an ongoing relationship with your users, which boosts stickiness. 3. Offer a multi-product solution Another powerful way to increase your platform’s stickiness is by offering a suite of products or features that integrate well together. When your users adopt multiple products, they are more likely to stay because they become embedded in your ecosystem. The benefits of this strategy are clear. Research shows that once users adopt more than one product, especially when they integrate >4 tools into their workflow, their likelihood of churn decreases significantly. This happens because the more a user integrates into your suite of products, the harder it is for them to switch to a competitor. These users have invested time in learning your ecosystem and rely on it for their day-to-day operations, making it much harder for them to make the switch. 4. Create a personal connection with your users Human connection is one of the most powerful drivers of user retention. People don’t want to feel like they’re using a cold, faceless platform. By offering exceptional customer support, personalized communication, and community engagement, you build a relationship with your users that goes beyond the product itself. Make sure your support team is responsive, knowledgeable, and empathetic. You can also consider offering tailored onboarding experiences to ensure users understand how to make the most of your platform. When users feel like their success matters to you, they are more likely to remain loyal. 5. Leverage data to personalize the user experience Using data to drive personalization is another strategy that can significantly increase the stickiness of your platform. By tracking user behavior and usage patterns, you can tailor the experience to each individual user’s needs. This could mean recommending features they haven’t yet explored or sending them reminders about tools they may not be fully utilizing. Personalization gives users the feeling that the platform was designed specifically for them, making it harder to walk away from. By demonstrating that you understand their unique needs, you can build a stronger connection and ultimately increase retention rates. 6. Focus on seamless integrations and API capabilities To further increase stickiness, consider expanding your product’s ability to integrate with other tools your users already rely on. Whether it’s email marketing software, CRM systems, or social media management tools, seamless integrations add tremendous value by making it easier for users to incorporate your platform into their existing workflows. The more your product can work in tandem with other popular tools, the more indispensable it becomes. In fact, users who depend on integrations are less likely to churn since their entire ecosystem is tied to your platform’s functionality. 7. Encourage user advocacy and community building User advocacy is another powerful tool in building a sticky product. When users feel a sense of community or even ownership over the platform, they become your most passionate promoters. Encourage your users to share their success stories, join community forums, or contribute to product development through beta testing or feedback loops. A thriving user community not only increases user engagement but also creates a sense of loyalty. When users are part of something larger than themselves, they are more likely to remain committed to your platform, reducing churn and increasing lifetime value. Create deep, lasting customer relationships Making your SaaS platform sticky is all about creating a deep, lasting connection with your users. This requires building a platform that continuously delivers value, creating a seamless and personalized experience, and integrating features that keep users coming back. By focusing on product innovation, offering a multi-product ecosystem, and fostering strong user relationships, you’ll be well on your way to reducing churn and boosting user retention. Stickiness isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for long-term success. Focus on creating a platform that users can’t imagine living without, and you’ll see them stick around for the long haul.
By Shawn Davis April 24, 2025
Your team is likely pretty familiar with the products they built, but what about the ones they didn’t? Integrated tools can throw a wrench into your support operations, but they don’t have to.
Show More

Latest posts