Don't Let Bad Content Kill Your Business
As a small business owner, startup founder, or marketing manager, you know that your website is often the first interaction a potential customer has with your brand. The content on that site isn't just a collection of words; it's a critical tool for establishing trust, demonstrating expertise, and ultimately, driving sales.
However, in today's fast-paced digital world, badly written or convoluted content can seriously harm your brand—no matter how great your products or services are. We know you’re juggling a million things, and a full-time content team might not be in the budget. That’s why we’ve created this guide: a clear, actionable list of content writing do's and don'ts to help you build an effective content strategy right away.
DO write for your audience (and their pain points)
Content is a powerful SEO tool, but its primary purpose should be to connect with your customers. Think about your personas—Maria, Alex, or Sarah. What are their biggest frustrations? What questions are they typing into Google? Your content should provide useful, informative, and engaging answers that show you understand their world.
By speaking directly to their needs, you build a foundation of trust. Tools like Google Analytics can show you the demographics and behaviors of your existing customers, while a simple conversation with your sales team can reveal the "buyer personas" that inform your content strategy. The more you know about who you’re talking to, the better you can research, write, and adapt your content to build lasting relationships.
DON’T write long, lengthy paragraphs
Your audience is busy. On average, people spend just a few seconds scanning a web page to find what they're looking for. They're not looking for a novel; they're looking for a quick, clear answer to a problem.
Long, dense paragraphs with no clear headings will be skimmed over and often ignored. Keep your sentences and paragraphs short and to the point. Use clear headings and subheadings to guide the reader's eye and help them find the information they need in seconds. This makes your content easier to consume, more effective, and more likely to be shared.
DO proof-read your work
Even the best writers make mistakes. A single typo can undermine your credibility and make your brand look unprofessional. Before you publish, make sure you've thoroughly checked your work. Read your content aloud to catch awkward phrasing and grammatical errors.
*Top tip* Ask a coworker or two to read through your draft. A fresh set of eyes will often catch things you've missed. Consider using tools like Grammarly, but remember that human oversight is essential to ensure your message is clear and your brand voice is consistent.
DON’T repeat yourself (or get penalised by Google)
It can be tempting to reuse content on similar topics, but duplicate content can harm your SEO and lead to penalties from search engines like Google. If you want to revisit a topic, reframe it from a new perspective. Instead of copying and pasting, find a fresh angle or give the content a new theme. You can even reference and link back to your original article, which helps with internal SEO and keeps your content fresh.
DO on-page SEO
As a growth-focused brand, you know that great content needs to be discoverable. Once you have a compelling piece written for your audience, go back and optimize it for search engines. This means looking for opportunities to add relevant keywords, internal links to other pages on your site, and external links to reputable sources.
Why this matters - Internal links help search engine bots crawl your site more effectively, and they help your users find more information about your services. Outbound links demonstrate that you’re a valuable resource in your field. For example, if you're talking about websites, you can link to our page on Website Design. Outbound links demonstrate that you’re a valuable resource in your field.
*Top tip* Make it easy for your content to be shared. Add social share buttons at the bottom of your articles to give readers a quick way to spread your message.
DON’T plagiarise
This one is simple: never steal another person's work. Plagiarism can destroy your brand's reputation and lead to serious penalties from search engines. If you're using information from another source, cite it correctly and link back to the original. Your unique and original content is what makes you an authoritative and trustworthy voice in your industry. The more original your content is, the more likely you are to improve your Google ranking.
DO keep your content up to date
Online searchers are looking for the most current and relevant answers. Outdated content is less likely to appear high in search results. Regularly updating your blog and website content is a simple but powerful way to get extra points with search engines and show your audience you’re on top of your game.
If you’re stuck for new ideas, use resources like Google Ads Keywords or sites like Moz or SEMRush to find trending topics.
If you’re stuck for new ideas, use resources like Google Ads Keywords or sites like Moz or SEMRush to find trending topics.
*Tip of the day* Repurpose old content! The URL has already built up "SEO juice." Update it with new information, and search engines will recrawl it, giving you a boost in the rankings.
DON’T go off-topic
We know it's easy to get sidetracked, especially if you're trying to hit a specific word count. But a rambling article that loses its focus will lose your reader’s attention. Before you start writing, research your topic and create a clear, simple outline. Stick to that plan.
Don’t waffle just to fill space. If you're struggling to meet a certain length, it's a sign that the topic might not be substantial enough, or you need to dig deeper. Your audience values clarity and focus. Give them what they're looking for, and they'll keep coming back.
Need to talk through your content strategy?
Content writing may not come naturally to everyone, but with practice and these rules, you'll get better in no time.
If you're a small business owner, startup founder, or marketing manager looking for help with your content strategy or SEO, we can help. Our team specialises in creating bespoke, data-driven solutions that resonate with your unique audience and drive measurable results.
Ready to elevate your content? Book a free, 15-minute consultation with us to discuss your business goals and see how we can help.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
Give us a call on 01794 725 480 or send us an email to learn more.
