What’s the secret to good content?
Keep it informative, interesting and relevant
Informative: Provide useful information that answers a question or teaches readers something.
Interesting: Good writing keeps readers reading. It’s not facts and figures and wordy explanations. It’s enthusiasm for the subject and simple, uncluttered language.
Relevant: To be effective, content must have a sensible, logical connection to the subject at hand. Relevant content builds trust by being authentic and believable.
Informative: Provide useful information that answers a question or teaches readers something.
Interesting: Good writing keeps readers reading. It’s not facts and figures and wordy explanations. It’s enthusiasm for the subject and simple, uncluttered language.
Relevant: To be effective, content must have a sensible, logical connection to the subject at hand. Relevant content builds trust by being authentic and believable.
Photos used in websites
To understand the role of photography in website design, Jakob Nielsen, a well-regarded usability researcher, conducted an eye-tracking study.
The study found viewers ignore images that have no meaning and serve no purpose other than to fill the page. The images people pay attention to tell a story and carry information that relates to the particular website they’re visiting. They ignore purely decorative images and view them as just so much fluff.
How do you know if an image is useful or not?
Ask these questions about any photo you want to use on your website:
The study found viewers ignore images that have no meaning and serve no purpose other than to fill the page. The images people pay attention to tell a story and carry information that relates to the particular website they’re visiting. They ignore purely decorative images and view them as just so much fluff.
How do you know if an image is useful or not?
Ask these questions about any photo you want to use on your website:
- Are there any benefits to using this particular image? For example, does it show off my product or service in a meaningful way?
- Does it help the user understand the point I’m trying to make?
- Does this image have emotional impact? For example, does it help customers see themselves using the product or service represented in the photo?
- How does this image relate to my brand? Does it speak to my target audience?
- What message does this image send? Is there a message being sent at all?
- How will visitors respond to this image? Will it change their opinion? For example, will it help lead to a purchase?
Why video is so important
Dr. Susan Weinschenk, consultant to brands like Amazon, Disney, Walmart and South By Southwest, offers four very human reasons for why we are drawn to video:
1. The Fusiform Facial area makes us pay attention to faces – this is an actual brain function that hard-wires us to use the human face as a gathering point for information and believability.
2. Voice conveys rich information – the simple sound of a human voice speaking to us has an amazing way of converting information into meaningful content.
3. Emotions are contagious – here’s a subtle but powerful aspect that we may take for granted. The body language of emotions is appealing and we naturally love to share it.
4. Movement grabs attention – another trait that runs deep in our collective anthropological DNA is the power of peripheral motion. Since the Stone Age, we’ve survived by noticing things in motion – and motion still captivates us.
1. The Fusiform Facial area makes us pay attention to faces – this is an actual brain function that hard-wires us to use the human face as a gathering point for information and believability.
2. Voice conveys rich information – the simple sound of a human voice speaking to us has an amazing way of converting information into meaningful content.
3. Emotions are contagious – here’s a subtle but powerful aspect that we may take for granted. The body language of emotions is appealing and we naturally love to share it.
4. Movement grabs attention – another trait that runs deep in our collective anthropological DNA is the power of peripheral motion. Since the Stone Age, we’ve survived by noticing things in motion – and motion still captivates us.
