At Valerian, we believe that content drives design. A lot of times, people take the reverse approach: they pick a website template that they like and try to fit their content to that template, or they get excited about the design aspect and begin there. This can work, but the most effective websites put content first.
If content drives design, what drives content? 🤔
When content determines the design of your website, it follows that your content really needs to be polished and well thought out. 💭 So what drives your content? How do you know you’re writing something that will drive your website design to the right place?
Valerian’s storytelling focus 📖
At Valerian, we center the idea of story when we work with our clients. This is because stories are an integral part of being human and people tend to be more engaged when a story is being told. By telling the right kind of story to your potential clients or customers, you’re more likely to connect with them and they’re more likely to engage with you.
We’ll get into how to tell the right kind of story in the next lesson and then take a look at all the components of a good story.
A solid voice 🗣️
We call this section Business Basics because we cover the items here that you really need to get a handle on before you start your website. If you aren’t sure about any of these items, we really encourage you to give them some thought before you start working on your content.
Phrases like corporate identity can sound really intimidating or impersonal, but think about it this way: your website is written from a point of view. When you’re a coach, influencer, or something similar, it can feel like you and the brand are one and the same. But the “you” in your business is still a version that is different from the you that your friends and family get to know.
The content on your website should all sound like it’s written in the same voice, and to do that, you likely need to define some things about your corporate identity first. We’ll talk more about how this works in the Corporate Identity + Voice lesson.
A clear goal 🏁
To write good content for your website, you need to know what you’re trying to accomplish. We have a lesson on figuring out your website’s primary goal. If you know what you’re hoping to accomplish, you can keep that goal in mind during the entire website process. This will help you create an effective website for your business/organization.