Preparing, generating and adding written content to your website.
In this article, I will explain how I do this in the hope that it might help you when preparing, generating and adding written content to your website.
Preparing content.
Preparing written content is figuring out what content you will need for your website, and the best way to do this is to break up larger, more significant subjects into smaller, more digestive chunks.
Think of these chunks as the pages that make up a website, and If you begin to order these in some way, you are creating website navigation and a sitemap of sorts.
I cover this topic a bit deeper in my article “How I prepare content for a website”, and if you are considering hiring me to build you a new Squarespace website, you will most definitely want to read it!
You might want to talk about your company and explain what you do, who you do it for and how you do it to an audience. That's the subject, your company. However, one big website page with all that information would be a lot for anyone to read and take in. Break this content up into smaller bits for easier reading and website navigation.
“Think of these chunks as the pages that make up a website, and If you begin to order these in some way, you are beginning to create website navigation and a sitemap.”
Generating written content.
There are only two options when it comes to generating and creating written content:
- Write the content yourself.
- Get someone professional to write it for you.
Writing content yourself.
You will know your subject better than anyone else, so it seems logical for you to write your website content.
I am not the best writer in the world; I am a little dyslexic and have always struggled with writing, especially spelling and auditory skills.
Grammarly.
However, I have become a much better writer with practice and using tools such as Grammarly. Also, I learned to touch type reasonably early on in my career, which has also helped with the flow of my writing.
It’s worth noting that Grammarly isn’t a tool that does it all for you. I have become a better writer by using it because the application passively teaches you as you use it. I have found it helpful, and you might too.
It’s a big undertaking.
Of course, writing your website’s content is an undertaking you might not have the will or time for, especially if you are too busy running your business. In that case, you must contact a professional to assist you.
When I write content for a website, I always begin with the process described earlier of breaking up more significant subjects into smaller chunks and effectively forming the website pages and navigation headings that will eventually make up my website and sitemap.
With this list of page headings, I begin to form and generate my content, writing and gathering images and assets. If I get stuck on ideas, I might ask ChatGPT to give me some.
Using a word processor.
Also, and rather importantly, create a separate document in your word processor of choice for each physical website page; this will make it easier to organise and see the scope of your content. Plus, it will keep you organised and act as a digital backup.
“Create a separate document in your word processor for each physical website page; this will make it easier to organise and see the scope of your content.”
Having content written for you.
Do this if your time is limited or you want someone else's help to fully explain what you do in a way your audience will find most appealing.
Finding a good copywriter to work with can be tricky. If you do find someone, you are going to want to make sure they have an understanding of website navigation best practices. If possible, someone who understands how to write content to appeal to a particular market or prospect.
I don't want to get too deep into marketing best practices. Still, ideally, you will want whatever you write to appeal to your target audience, which is an art and a skill. A professional copywriter with a good grasp of this notion or more formal marketing know-how would be invaluable.
“A professional copywriter who understands how to write content to appeal to a particular market or prospect.”
Adding written content.
Once you have your content and a website, you will want to add it to your website. I will give you a few quick tips to avoid potential issues when generating and adding content to your Squarespace website.
Never write content directly into Squarespace or your website platform interface. Instead, write it in a word processor and copy and paste it into Squarespace. This way, you won't accidentally lose your work if Squarespace or your platform goes wrong at any point.
You will also have a digital backup of your entire website's content if Squarespace or your website platform blows up or you decide to move your content elsewhere.
Changing and updating your content.
If you make any amends or changes to your content over time, always make these changes on your digital copies and then add them to Squarespace. That way, your digital copies are an up-to-date backup of your website's content.
“Never write content directly into the Squarespace editor.”
Summary.
I hope you found this article helpful. If you have any questions regarding Squarespace or website designer practices in general, please get in touch with me anytime.
