What do I put on my website?

It's a simple question with a complex answer. A lot of corporations start with existing literature; catalogs, brochures, info sheets, etc. But I find that this sort of content only gets you so far. Small companies and startups don't always have an abundance of pre-existing literature to draw on, and so they are more or less starting from scratch.

So if you are having trouble coming up with content for your website, start with this: Answers to your most frequently asked questions.

I do not mean that you should only place an "FAQ" section on your site (not on its own anyway  but they are certainly great customer service tools)  I mean, that the best way to start developing your website's content is to address your customer's questions. In your company's daily operations you encounter any number of questions regarding your products or services. Whether you are fielding questions over the phone or in sales meetings, you are continually answering your customer's inquiries and selling your business. With that in mind, the best way to develop your website is to start with this information.

Start with the basics:
• What do you do?
• Why do you do it?
• Is it a service or a product?
• How does it work?
• Why is it better than your competitors?
• How fast can I have/use/do it?
• How much does it cost?

The answers to these questions may seem daunting and too complex. But you should easily be able to break these down into simple 2-3 sentence paragraphs. It's the old "elevator conversation"  how would you answer "each question" if someone asked you in the elevator and you only had that short trip to answer it. (That short trip to make your sale.) For example, you may start with: "We make widgets that interface with 90% of the world's software applications. Our widgets have an advantage over most, because they cost less, they're customizable and are friendly to the environment." Short, succinct and informative. It's a great start and makes for an excellent jumping off point for the rest of your website's content, naturally leading in to the other questions: What are the Widgets? What software? How are they customizable? What is the Pricing? How are they friendly to the environment?

Take your time and walk through each of the questions that may arise. If you are having trouble thinking of the questions, write down every question you have fielded within the week. Within no time at all you will have an incredible resource for which to develop your site around.

In short, think like a customer. If you can answer their questions and concerns through your website, you will have developed a truly useful tool that can be relied on by both your customers and your own organization. In doing so, you are sure to increase your bottom line as well.