In a recent client meeting, I had to quickly think of a way to describe the web content process. The client wanted web copy and thought that in hiring a professional web content writer, that’s what she would get – copy to “fill in the blanks”.

That’s when I resorted to using something a good writer should never use – a cliché. Not just any cliché, but an overused, jumped-the-shark, unoriginal cliché that’s so trite it applies to everything from personal growth to objective setting. And of course, the reason it’s so popular is because it works.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present: The Web Content Iceberg Analogy

Many people ask me how I can sit with a client for an hour and get everything I need to write the content for their website based on a simple conversation. What they don’t see is what goes on beneath the surface. My job as a web content writer is to distill hours of research, interviews, marketing information, and strategy into 150 words or less.

If I’ve done my job right, the web content on any given web page should communicate in seconds all of these hours of background work in a way that’s simple …meaningful ….and, easy to understand.

It’s not that hard to do if you know what to look for. The anchor for all content is the purpose of the website. What you communicate on each page and how you communicate that message is founded on who you’re talking to (your target audience). Everything else is content strategy and marketing strategy.

As an organization, what kinds of information can you provide a web content writer to make sure your web content effectively supports the website’s purpose?

- Web traffic statistics (Google Analytic Reports)
- Organizational challenges both internally and externally
- Marketing brochures or offline campaign information
- Communication challenges both internally and externally
- Marketing reports, audits, annual reports
- Product/service features
- Competitor websites
- Keyword research or organizational lexicon
- Target audience or customer information
- Other sources of present or forecasted content: i.e. YouTube videos, Podcasts

Writing is an art. Just like any art-form people erroneously assume that simplicity means easy …or quick …rudimentary …or less skilled.

Contemplation, understanding, and perspective are qualities all artists bring to the creative process. The resulting product of their creation is really just the tip of the iceberg.