The actual content however is often left to the last minute -  “the client is going to email it ” or “site users will be creating that” so focus is put on design before the content.   But if we’re not careful,  we could end up creating a puzzle into which the real content is stuffed and gaps plugged with unnecessary text.

Even if it’s not our job to write the content – we need a content strategy from the very start, so we can identify the content that will create our site architecture, navigation and interface design.

Don’t forget that your content is one of the biggest factors contributing to repeat visits and user acceptance.  So we must favour designs that are transparent, not over-decorated and above all – where the content is the star of the show.

The best way to do that is to have a good content strategy – so you’ll have a framework in place for creating, publishing and controlling useful content.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What information do we need to give users in order to meet our goals?
• What voice should we use in the writing style?
• How can we structure content to get our message across better?
• Who is going to create and look after the content?

If writing the copy is up to you – here are some points to keep in mind:

Who’s going to read this?

Know exactly who you’re writing for before you get started.  Address your site’s most important audience directly and tell them what you can do for them.  If you’re targeting more than one group, it’s a good idea to direct different audiences to different areas within the site.

What’s in it for me?

This is probably your readers’ first question and it’s all about what you can do for them – not the other way round.  Keep readers interested, clearly lay out what you’re offering and guide readers with precise call to action.

Use interesting headlines.

We know that visitors don’t usually read web pages word-for-word, they scan them.  Using clear headlines will help you get the reader’s attention.  Headlines also explain how you can help solve a problem or what you’re offering the reader in exchange for their time (which is always precious).

Keep it consistent.

If you’re style is consistent, it’s easier for readers to become familiar with you.  That’s important because the more the reader gets to know and like your content, the more likely it is they’ll come back.

Short and simple is good.

What you say should be short and easy to understand – so don’t use big words or long adjectives.  Make sure text is easy to understand on the first read.

Write good copy.

Make it easy for people to read your content. Divide distinct ideas into paragraphs, use headings, sub-headings and bullet points.

Review your content.

Don’t forget to review content and see how it performs.  For example, get Google Analytics setup and keep an eye on the average time people stay on your site.  If they come and go within a minute, something is clearly wrong. Do people comment on what you’ve got to say?  People will tell you if they like your work and find content useful.

Further reading and useful articles

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html
http://designshack.co.uk/articles/business-articles/the-importance-of-copywriting-in-web-design
http://digitalmash.com/journal/articles/designisnowhere

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/thedisciplineofcontentstrategy

Illustration characters designed by Danielle McCormick.

If you’ve found our article useful, please let us know and tell us your thoughts below.

There are some that particularly stand out but this short list covers some of our favourites and we hope you find these sites as inspiring as we do.

National Gallery, London

http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid

http://www.museothyssen.org

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

http://www.mfa.org

Tate Modern, London

http://www.tate.org.uk/modern

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York

http://www.guggenheim.org

National Gallery of Art, Washington

http://www.nga.gov

Alte Pinakothek, Munich

http://www.pinakothek.de

Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

http://www.khm.at

Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid

http://www.museodelprado.es

Museum of Modern Art, New York

http://www.moma.org

Unterlinden Museum, Colmar

http://www.musee-unterlinden.com

National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh

http://www.nationalgalleries.org

San Diego Museum of Art

http://www.sdmart.org

Musee du Louvre, Paris

http://www.louvre.fr

As this is our first live post with WordPress, we thought we’d have a look at what it has to offer.

1. It’s Open Source

The big one is that WordPress is open source, so can be used for free on personal or commercial websites.

2. Community

There are over 25 million WordPress publishers as of June 2010 which is a lot, so there’s a large user community behind the ongoing development of this great platform.  As well as that, if you hit problems – there are tons of forums and communities where you can find answers.

3. It’s Functional

Plugins allow you to do things quickly and are really easy to add and get going.

4. Standards Compliant

WordPress follows Web Standards which helps keep your site in line with all the rules.

5. Search Engines

WordPress sends pings to other sites, categorises your content and tags posts – all things search engines like.

6. It’s Easy to Use

Even better, you can install it with media temple in a single click.  Amazing! The interface is simple, powerful and very easy to learn.

On the way, we also found some good articles so you might also like these:

http://wordpress.org

http://www.leemunroe.com/barcamp-belfast-7-deadly-sins-wordpress/

http://www.idesignstudios.com/blog/web-design/wordpress-as-cms/