Website content typically falls into two basic types.
- Product-Centric: pages that describe your product/service (features, benefits, and applications)
- Not Product-Centric: pages that discuss needs and solutions (non product-centric).
 The former are typically ‘me’ centric. In other words, they are all about what your company offers from a product/service point of view. Essentially, these pages are an on-line catalog. There is nothing wrong with product-focused pages. In fact, product specification/description pages are necessary. But in and of themselves, they are unlikely to provoke or compel visitors to take action. Why? Because these kinds of pages typically do not answer the question “Why is your product/service a better value?” To answer this question requires more than a simple product spec sheet can offer.
Internet searchers want:
- Authoritative and unbiased information,
- That answers their questions,
- Quickly.
Product pages, although authoritative in of themselves, are not unbiased. Product pages focus on the facts--just the facts--and lack the more verbose reasons why a product/service offers a better value. Product pages do not accomplish the marketing objectives of the website, which is:
COMMUNICATION through various MEDIUMS or VENUES of a STORY that COMPELS the AUDIENCE to take a DESIRED ACTION. So what kind of website pages should you use? Pages that discuss needs
and solutions without being product-centric – information rich pages –
the kinds of pages visitors say were helpful in their decision making
process. | The quest of every Internet searcher is knowledge. And knowledge precedes understanding. So if you want your website visitors to understand why your product/service offers more value, then give them the knowledge they need to make that informed choice. It is the same information your sales personnel tell perspective clients in response to probing questions.
So what do these pages look like? For lack of a better term, they are small articles – 250 to 600 words long. Each page covers a subject that informs the reader in such a way that the reader can ‘connect the dots’ to your product/services. Well-written content compels your audience to take the action you desire.
Example 1: A nice colorful page describing a wakeboard is a product catalog page. But a page that describes what kinds of wakeboards are better suited for women vs. men is going to help your readers make an informed choice. Then offer your readers links to either women’s or men’s wakeboards.
Example 2: A well-designed Internet page showing the specifications for an Internet filtering appliance is a catalog page. But a page describing the different methods used to reduce false errors helps instill credibility while informing the reader why your product is a better value. A button on the page leading to a ‘Value Calculator’ that requires an email address is the desired action. With the visitor’s email address, your sales staff can further the communications.
Example 3: A product description page covering an RFID system for the healthcare industry is a catalog page. But an article describing how specific RFID systems can be integrated into existing WiFi infrastructure is informative. An invitation button to download a white paper is on the same page and serves as the Call To Action.
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