Content and design both have equal importance for a good website. Ensuring that they both work together is very important for the success of a web project.

Often many designers will find it difficult to start without content. Copywriters and strategists on the opposite find it complex to write down without a design model. What’s the finest method to move past this sticking point?
As a digital agency, we’ve come across this concern in the past so we’ve put together a few easy tips to help out get the ball rolling.

What is content?

Content goes a lot further beyond written words. Think about images, videos, audio, podcasts and much more. Content is all about conveying information whether that amuse a user, makes them laugh or even cry.
2014 will see content be extremely important to the success of a brand’s digital marketing campaign. Onsite and offsite content need to be carefully planned, whether this is simply website copy, Advertising, YouTube videos and social media.

Why does a content strategy matter?

A content strategy can hold the entire project collectively and when effectively managed, it can offer some unbelievable results. A consumer’s experience with a brand starts the instant that they see content whatever type it may be. It even comes down to if they can evidently notice the features or the words that have been written.
Without good content, a product or service can fall short very speedily. Even as good design takes a long time, so does effectively planning content so it’s significant to organize the two at the very start.

Getting started

When content and design are functioning together it’s often far easier to break it down. We recommended the following steps while thinking about your content strategy–

Who – is it important to express this message? This speaks to purpose.
What – are we trying to say? This speaks to clarity.
Why – do we convey and sequence the information for maximum impact? This speaks to expressiveness.
Where – on the website should the message come into view? This speaks to context.
How – do we convey and sequence the information for maximum impact? This speaks to expressiveness.

Thinking about the client and their objectives, there are several other options to consider.

Target Audience – Think about whom the product is being aimed at and their personas. For example, are they
students? Professionals? Male? Female? Personas are a major factor in digital marketing so ensuring that you’re aiming your design and content to the correct audience is important.
Overall Message – This will narrate to the in general objectives. This needs to be considered from the start. Is there a particular belt line that needs be revealed? What needs to be said to show the way into the particular call to action?

Amount of Content – Depending on the objectives and target audience, this is a key thought. Some sites will need a vast amount of written content whereas for others, it’s necessary to remain it short and snappy.
Clear Call to Action – The wording needs to be clear, concise and help the user get to where they need to go. The design also needs to represent this.

Top Tips

Check out a few tips ensuring that content and design work together.

• Make sure that somebody has the responsibility of managing the content strategy. If this is managed efficiently, it’ll direct to a well refined final product and happy client.
• Arrange all of the content as early as possible. Leaving the content strategy until the last minute will cause a lot of issues. Make sure that customers give details what they want to attain and what they require to include as soon as you can.
• Designers and content writers have to to work together. Don’t let either walk on each other’s toes and both should feel free of charge to make recommendations. Communication is important and key to the development.
• For bigger website development projects, make sure that there is a development manager responsible for ensuring it all goes to plan.

What are your opinions on how content and design can work jointly as fraction of a digital marketing campaign? Please share of views.