Not only must your website engage its audience, but it must also fulfill a purpose: it has to satisfy your audience’s needs and meet your goals for having the site. Because of this, I not only write copy, but also work as a content strategist, giving copy purpose and direction.
A favorite strategic task in this genre: figuring out how best to structure information so that the site is easy to navigate and use. Another important task: creating an overall concept or message that works seamlessly with design and guides the writing toward its purpose.
Once the plan is in place, I write! The writing itself needs to be clear, concise, and speak to audience needs. It must support the main concept and utilize SEO (Search Engine Optimization) terms as much as possible. Most of all, the website needs to fulfill its goals.
Approach
As needed depending on the project, my approach to managing and/or creating website content is as follows.
Step 1: Gather information about your company, goals, target audience, and more.
Step 2: Based on collected information, create a concept or message for your website, along with sub-message points. Ensure the ideas are in line with design concepts.
Step 3: Create an outline or structure for the content that takes advantage of this non-linear medium and makes the site easy to navigate and use.
Step 4: Put these plans into a Creative Brief for your sign-off. This ensures we’re all on the same page about what you want before the writing starts.
Step 5: Create compelling headlines and copy to meet the goals as outlined in the Creative Brief, using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) terms as required. Also, work with your design team to ensure copy functions with design.
For more information on my work process, see Services.
Work Examples
Bailey Communications has worked on websites for Helinet Aviation (producer), WebEx (content strategist), CAGE Design-Build (strategic copywriter), HC Financial Advisors (strategic copywriter), Mixed Palette (strategic copywriter), and the former Interactive Video Technologies (strategic copywriter). Please contact me for work samples, as websites for these companies may have changed over time.
