This assignment was to determine a better strategy and content system for an existing company. I have used this company and highly recommend them, but created a strategy for their website.
Strategy Statement:
We will use past projects, testimonials, and helpful information to make AllTrade’s website more informative and beneficial to current and future customers.
Content Product
What content should the organization produce, procure, curate, and share?
- Blog – AllTrade should add a blog and reuse their informative pages on repair, maintenance, etc., to create content for the blog. Writing about general maintenance benefits and when it’s time to consider renovation can encourage future sales.
- Testimonials – They should be available directly on their website. I am not as inclined to click social media buttons the moment I view their website. Instead, I would view their site, which should be readily available.
- Before/After/Ideabooks—We should use existing idea books to showcase a project’s process and then use before/after photos to showcase our positive changes.
- List of Services- A list of services should be included. Their site currently mentions only HVAC services.
- Locations Served – A list of areas we serve should be readily accessible.
Who will curate the content?
We should hire a content creator specializing in SEO to properly maintain the blog, website, and social media content. Having one person will provide consistency and allow for any method of contact to be used.
Where will the content live? That is, how should we store it?
For efficiency, we can create a company Google Drive and store blogs, testimonials, photos, and information in corresponding folders.
Which content from our inventory can be re-used? How?
- Information pages (Service/Repair, Install/Replacement, Routine Maintenance)
- About Us
- Contact Us
- Projects
- Business
- Credentials
- Review
- Ideabook.
How will changes be made to the content?
Firstly, all text needs to be consistent and not in all capital letters. Font size and style need to be considered and adjusted for everything on the website. Additionally, information needs to be more specific, and vertical lists need to be incorporated for important information like services provided and served locations. All links need to be redone to navigate to the specific pages properly.
Audience
We must create personas with scenarios for each to better understand our customer base. Please use the basic persona template available on Xtensio to develop personas. I have made two examples below.
Persona One: Isabella
Scenario One: Isabella wants to remodel her kitchen but isn’t sure what features she wants included. She wants to see past projects to understand her desired renovation.
Scenario Two: Isabella has high hopes for her kitchen renovation but only has a specific budget. She would like to see estimated costs for past projects to get a realistic idea of what she can expect for her renovation if she chooses this company.
Persona Two: Jeff
Scenario One: Jeff wants to replace his company’s HVAC. He wants to know what brands AllTrade works with and the estimated cost.
Scenario Two: Jeff wants regular maintenance done on his HVAC system. He wants to understand what the maintenance entails and the estimated cost.
Messaging Framework
First Impressions
When users first land on the site, we want them to feel well-informed and secure when choosing our company.
Value Statement
Users should feel confident after spending a few minutes on our site because they understand we provide high-quality service and brands.
Proof
Our about us, projects, and credentials show our users that our content is trustworthy, easy to access, or high-quality.
“I feel safe with this company due to their values.” – Isabella
“I have a realistic idea of what the cost of this project will be.” – Jeff
Content Aligned with Strategy & Messaging
Content #1 – Projects
On AllTrade’s Houzz account, we have five projects with images and estimated cost, location, and date the project took place. We must put this content on our website and expand it to our other contracting projects to show we are more than just HVAC services.
Content #2 – About Us (Houzz)
On our Houzz page, we have details about the services we provide and the locations we serve. This information is lacking on our website. We must incorporate these details onto our website and expand them into our contract work.
Content #3 – Business Details
On Houzz, we have a cleaner-looking section of our business details. On our website, we display our license number in large font at the bottom of the page without explaining what it is. We need to mimic this style and combine it with our website’s “Contact Us” page to make information like address, phone number, and license number more accessible to find and read.
Below is our website’s “Contact Us” page. It looks less professional and has many accessibility issues.
A short explanation:
The content I selected was content that AllTrade already has. However, it comes from their Houzz account rather than their website. When viewing the website, it comes off as somewhat scam-looking and unprofessional. We need to bring the same professionalism from Houzz to our website. Additionally, we must find the many broken links on our website and provide clear information.
As we rely heavily on word of mouth, it’s crucial that our testimonials are showcased. Many of our text, icons, and information are too large, while vital information is hidden behind links (some of which are broken).
The content I selected is straightforward, has an appropriate font and font size, and answers the questions our customers are searching for.
For more examples of my writing and creative works, please visit my portfolio page for a directory.