With the online world moving at breakneck speed and the ever-present phrase ‘time is money’ peering over marketeers’ shoulders, it begs the question: ‘Is there a world where speed and accuracy can coexist?’ We ask our Web Content Team Leader, Gemma Adams…
It’s true – we live in a time where everyone wants everything now. Right now. Yesterday. The internet feeds on immediacy, and online users are always seeking fresh content. It’s a challenge for any marketeer, but can be even more apt for web content experts, with clients being eager to have a quick turnaround.
As a team, we’re pros at handling tight deadlines while still meeting the expectations for quality and accuracy, but it’s not the case across the industry – and the speed v accuracy question is a very hot topic.
So, is speed-to-market the most important thing for businesses, or is accurate content more valuable?
The need for speed
Getting your content out first can capture an audience’s attention before your competitors do, and can therefore increase traffic to your site. You can also benefit from early social media shares. For companies who utilise a lot of retail offers or current news, this makes speed a key focus.
Research shows humans have around an eight-second attention span, so it’s important to impress them quickly. Breaking the story first not only increases visibility, but also positions your brand as a thought leader.
With a lot of text-based web content, there’s also the benefit of iterative updates – so speed can take priority initially, with refinements made afterwards to ensure complete accuracy.
That’s quite a compelling argument for speed. Is that the case closed?
Not quite.
The accuracy advantage
While there’s no doubt that being fast is great, there’s a big difference between being the first to publish and being viewed as a digital dinosaur.
We’ve all seen viral blunders. Rushing out half-baked information online can be costly – not just from a legal standpoint but in terms of credibility too. Customers would far prefer spending money with – or sharing the content of – companies they trust. 73% of audiences say that when it comes to purchases, quality is just as important as price point, or even more so.
That’s why attention to detail should be a major part of a web content role. In a saturated market, good content creates authority and confidence. By providing clear, accurate and complete information, we help our clients position themselves as trustworthy experts.
Ultimately, customers care about their pain points, and if your topics are helpful and reliable, it shows you care about the solutions to their problems – giving them a reason to come back for more!
Accuracy wins, then? Not so fast…
‘Quality’ in context
Speed-to-market and accuracy definitely help define the ‘quality’ of content, but the story doesn’t end there. There are other factors that dictate how well your website is received.
With less than a second before the user forms an opinion about your company through your website, have you thought about how the following can help build that vital first impression?
- Page structure: Does the content work with your background theme? Are the sections easily digestible? Are the icons and calls to action (CTAs) clear?
- Copy or content: Your words have different jobs to do in different parts of a website – a copywriter can help sell, while content writers help guide the user.
- SEO: Search engine results are content driven, so including quality copy, important keywords and meta tags can help you rank higher, generating new leads.
- Different types of content: Looking beyond words, many types of media are classed as content. Did you know content with relevant imagery gets around 94% more views?
- Load times: Is your website fast to load? This can sometimes be related to image/video sizes and quality. Is it optimised for mobile viewing?
Many of these points are where UX (user experience) training comes in. We have dedicated UX experts within our digital team, but all of our content team know how to optimise pages to enhance the customer journey. This includes the structure, icon design, CTAs, the arrangement of media content, what words go where – the list is endless!
Another advantage of working with an agency is that we have experience across a broad range of CMS and know how to get the best out of them in terms of user experience. At Denfield, we regularly work with Net Direct, WordPress, Shopify and bespoke builds.
“You haven’t answered the question”
OK, OK… I think speed and accuracy can – and should – be able to coexist, but they should be balanced with the other factors that make a quality customer experience.
In terms of the sweet spot between speed and accuracy, it really depends. Retail offers, news and social media thrive on speed, while research-heavy industries require accuracy. Longevity also plays a part, as evergreen in-depth pieces need to be accurate to ensure they stand the test of time.
Looking ahead, I believe that the scales will tip in the favour of quality over speed, as customers are valuing quality, reliability and transparency more and more. Remember that if your content doesn’t resonate with them or your product or offer doesn’t address their pain points, it won’t matter how fast you published it!
Wrapping up
By now you might be wondering how a content manager can be an account manager, CMS manager, SEO expert, designer, copywriter and web dev, all at the same time.
Technical skills, content strategy, and UX and SEO knowledge are a must, but we also have clear processes in place. We collaborate with different departments in the agency, such as our designers, copywriters and web devs, to ensure we continue to meet speed and quality needs for our clients.
Want to find out how quality web content can help you build trust with your audience? Let’s talk!
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