The One Thing Every Website Needs
Chanel Polk
Content Writer???Editor???Autism Advocate???Fiction Lover???#ForbesBLK Member
I’ll give it away right at the beginning. There’s no need to scroll down to find out the one thing that every website needs.
The one thing every website needs is authenticity.
Whether you have a standalone blog, an e-commerce website or a website with a blog embedded inside, your content needs to be authentic.
It doesn’t matter if your website is about providing services to corporations, family matters, or fashion and entertainment; the same thing applies. Authenticity matters.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines authentic as “true to one's own personality, spirit, or character. Sincere and authentic with no pretensions.”
When it comes to websites, authenticity is made up of two important things: vulnerability and tone.
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1. Vulnerability
The ability to allow people to catch glimpses of who you are and learn the very personal things that motivate you or that you struggle with or have overcome is powerful. It makes you appear more human and builds a bridge from you to the people who visit your website..
You don’t need to reveal all of your deep, dark secrets to be vulnerable. Simply sharing why you’ve started your business or why you’ve chosen a certain path in life may be all it takes to connect on a deeper level. Businesses can show vulnerability by prominently displaying their mission statement or publicly connecting with a worthwhile cause.
2. Tone
How your content sounds when it’s read, listened to, or viewed can tell people a lot about who you are, where you’re from and what you’re into. Tone can change from person to person depending on a number of factors, including age, gender, place of birth, or specific interests and a host of other reasons. You can choose to be edgy, funny, conversational, and educational or you can combine them to reflect your unique personality.
With that said businesses have to be a little bit more careful when it comes to tone. When the goal is to get more clients or make sales, it’s better to use a tone that won’t potentially alienate or offend. Businesses can show their authenticity by mixing humor or quirkiness with a professional or educational tone to show customers they’re different from their competitors yet still qualified to do the job.
Never underestimate the power of your unique voice and point of view. What you have to say and how you say it has the power to transform the lives of the people who visit your website. I know it sounds dramatic, but it’s true.
Cookie-cutter websites and blogs that create the same types of content and use identical formats and the same tone are boring to read and quickly fade from memory. Memorable websites are the ones that not only answer important questions, teach us something new or entertain us but also have the number one thing that makes any blog or website stand out from the crowd—authenticity.
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