When a website visitor finds the page containing the information they want, they will read the content - carefully. So ideally, you will have presented a story on your web page before a visitor arrives to your site and examines the content.it is important that what you say is carefully crafted.

Website content typically falls into two basic types:

• Product-Centric: pages that describe your product/service (features, benefits, and applications)
• Non Product-Centric: pages that discuss needs and solutions.

Product-Centric Pages

Product-centric pages are typically company focused. In other words, they are all about what your company offers from a product/service point of view.

Essentially, these pages make up an online catalog. There is nothing wrong with a product-focused approach. In fact, product specification/description pages are a necessary component of a company website. 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 what a simple product spec sheet can offer.

Additionally, Internet visitors want:

• Authoritative and unbiased information,
• That answers their questions,
• Quickly.

Product-centric pages, although authoritative in and of themselves, are not unbiased because the market wants a complete body of information from with to make a choice. While product-centric pages focus on facts, they lack the more verbose reasons why a product/service offers a better value relative to other options. Product-centric pages do not provide a STORY that COMPELS the AUDIENCE to take a DESIRED ACTION.

Non Product-Centric Pages

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 to obtain knowledge for the purpose of making an informed choice toward some goal or objective. And the way you can help your visitors choose wisely is to demonstrate the value of our product/service relative to broader options. It is the same information your sales personnel tell prospective clients in response to their probing questions.

Examples of Non Product-Centric Pages

So what do thesenon product-centric pages look like? They are small articles - 250 to 600 words long. Each page covers a subject that informs the reader in such a way that they 'connect the dots' to your product/service.

Again, well-written content tells a STORY that COMPELS the AUDIENCE to take a DESIRED ACTION (Call To Action).

The examples below demonstrate how non product-centric pages, rather than product-centric pages, provide a Call To Action.

Example 1: A colorful web page describing a wakeboard is a product catalog page. But a page that describes what kinds of wakeboards are better suited for women, and what kinds are better suited for men, is going to help your readers make an informed choice on which board is suitable for them. When you offer your readers links to either women's or men's wakeboards, you provide a Call To Action - to make a purchase.

Example 2: A well-designed web page displaying the specifications for an Internet filtering appliance is considered a catalog page. But a page describing the different methods used to reduce false errors helps to instill credibility while informing the reader why your product is a better value. Additionally, providing a button leading to an online 'Value Calculator' requiring contact information. This information is the Call To Action - which can initiate a sales discussion.

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 may be integrated into existing WiFi infrastructure is informative. A Call To Action in the form of an invitation button to download a whitepaper - establishes your credibility as an authoritative source, which furthers the business relationship.

Conclusion

Non product-centric pages are more effective in establishing your authority and convincing your visitors that your product/service will address their needs better than alternative options.

Therefore, it is important to tailor your website content to effectively cater to your AUDIENCE's needs as early on in the website development process as possible - because once they arrive at your page, you will only have a few seconds to make that first impression and pull the reader in.

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