Writing web sites: where - and how - to start

Submitted by fpickering on 22 March 2010 - 4:19pm

I’ve been working on two web copy writing projects at the moment and they highlight the best and (in my opinion) one of the worst ways of tackling the development of a web site.

With one, I’m writing new copy for an existing site the development of which has very much been driven by the visual appearance of the site. The client does not want to change the template for the site (and, hence, also can’t significantly change the structure) as each change seems to clock up yet another cost.

So my writing is an exercise in saying what needs to be said within a framework that isn’t necessarily the best to meet the needs of the message. I’ll make it work one way or another but it’s not ideal.

Working on the other site is a different matter altogether. For one thing, I’ve been working with this client on a range of marketing projects on and off for a few years so I know the business well.

And that’s why they asked me to plan the structure of the site with reference to both their operational and marketing issues - we’ll get a site that really adds something practical, functional and valuable to the business. The site is half written at the moment, with a meeting in the diary with the chosen web developer to talk about the design and technical development, before finishing off and fine tuning the copy.

A good business web site these days has to be much more than an online brochure (we all know that by now, surely?) and that means that it entails more planning and more knowledge than simple web sites of the past. So what’s the best way to tackle the development of a new web site? What’s the best starting point?

1. Your business strategy: if you accept that your web site could be more use to your business than an online brochure, you need to think about what other business purposes it can serve. For example, as well as helping acquiring customers, can it help deliver some part of your service and/or customer care? I like to work with these steps.