Web development is inclusive of different things, such as web design, scripting, coding, markup, and content development. The latter is not usually mentioned with priority when it comes to web development, and perhaps that’s because it is considered as a whole different area altogether. In any case, it does fall under web development, and this text aims at giving some details on it. A web developer can become a content developer if they have the skills needed to carry out the task. While on the surface, it might seem like it is simply writing, it actually involves a lot more than that.
Because of the increased needs of content development, knowledge in writing proves insufficient. At the very least, a content developer is expected to have knowledge in HTML so that they can code the content they create and ready it for placing on the website. In a perfect world, a web content developer is supposed to have some knowledge in graphic design, so that they can include graphic details in the content they create. They should be SEO experts, greatly informed on web optimization secrets that can make the websites they are working on rise to the top in their niche markets. But as it is, these roles are filled by different other professionals, so a content developer is quite at home with one or two skills, with one of them being writing at both the basic, and the technical levels.
A skill that goes unmentioned that every content developer should have is that of understanding the behavioral traits of their readers. Readers do not mind on having one site to rely for all their information needs, so the content created should be accurate. The creation of a credible information source is one of the goals that any site should offer to reach. This gives the site the chance of getting a loyal following, even when there are hundreds of other competing sites. The content should be presented in an intuitive way as well. The length of the material should be appropriate, as well as it’s arrangement. Any content that is too long, or is in prose, without breaks of any kind is unappealing to the eye, and this psychologically turns off the reader, and they are likely to turn from the site after an effortless scan. The use of highlighted text, bolded sentences is encouraged for the parts of a text that are most interesting. These are the parts that a reader scans through, and determines whether they will take their time to read it in detail. Use of large fonts is encouraged especially when there is little to be said.
Web content development should aim at simplicity. Web users hate the compulsion to deduce a meaning from the content they read. If it does not offer a direct answer to the answers being asked, then it’s not a worthy read. The points should be sold in an interesting way, and not with the use of ‘big words’ as this discourages some users.
