Website Project Management - Content

Content

Ask ten designers what the number one cause of delay in a web project is and nine will immediately answer: “content.” The tenth will hesitate for a second, then say “content.” Don’t underestimate the time and effort that content creation will take. Late content delivery will not only delay the launch of the site, it may also increase costs and make your developer really cranky.

On the other hand, don’t just rush content through to meet deadlines. It’s the most important element of your site. Sure, the design is important, but if you don’t have relevant, well-written content, your users will move on to somewhere else.

It’s important to note here that people read differently online than off. In fact, people typically do not read at all in the traditional sense; they scan. This means that simply re-using your brochure content online will not be effective. It must be formatted to incorporate headers and subheaders, bulleted lists, links, etc. Find a writer or copy editor that understands how to best present information on the web.

Content will probably be your biggest contribution and responsibility to your website project. Have a plan. Allocate adequate time and resources. Be prepared.