Designing your content strategy with components

Combining content design with components and modifiers allows you to improve your user experience.

Screenshot of component section with background modifiers

Combining Content Design with Component-Based Approaches

A well-crafted content strategy is important for driving engagement and delivering a seamless user experience. But how do you ensure that your content resonates with users and is easy to manage? The answer lies in combining thoughtful content design with component-based structuring. Let’s explore how this approach can improve your content strategy and help you create a more effective website.

While this article focuses on using Convivial CXP and GovCMS, the insights shared are valuable for any website editor or owner looking to improve their content strategy and design approach.

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Content Design

Content design goes beyond just writing; it's about structuring information in a user-goal-oriented way. The aim is to ensure that content is clear, concise, and designed for consumption.

Good content design requires knowing your audience. Are you speaking to experts in your field or first-time visitors? Their needs will determine how you structure your content, the tone of voice, and the length of your pages. A well-thought-out design ensures that users get what they need without being overwhelmed.

Components for your landing pages

Now that you’ve set the foundation with good content design, it’s time to consider the best components for delivering that content. Components are the building blocks of a website, designed to be reusable and flexible. They help maintain consistency and usability to make it easier to manage content.

Here are some components that work exceptionally well for campaign/landing pages:

Component: Section

Sections are layout-focused components that enable site editors to build content creatively without needing to code. Users can add components within a section and easily define the layout, making it a flexible tool for dynamic page creation.

Section content screenshot
Section content example. Content compontent + Node list using a Layout: 4-8.

Component: Node/Item lists

Node and item lists are perfect for displaying concise information on your website. They offer flexibility in how you structure and present content, with the option to change the view mode for different visual outcomes.

Item list example screenshot
Example of an Item list using Image cards

Component: Fast facts

Fast Facts are designed to make statistics stand out. These styled components elevate the hierarchy of your data with the ability to add prefixes and suffixes. They are also animated, drawing users' attention as they scroll through the page, making statistics more engaging and impactful.

Fast facts example screenshot
Fast facts come with a nice animation counting upwards from 0 when users first see the component. 

View mode: Image cards

Image cards are ideal for presenting brief snippets of information alongside compelling visuals like thumbnail images. Whether highlighting blog posts, services, or case studies, cards create an engaging layout that makes content easier to scan.

View mode: Icon 

When photos or images aren't suitable, icon cards provide a cleaner, more simplified way to present important content. Icons help draw attention to key areas, transforming what could otherwise be long blocks of text into more digestible information.

Modifiers – The presentational uplift 

Modifiers can be added to your content, helping your pages stand out. Easily incorporate background images, colours, parallax effects, scroll reveals, and gradients to create visually engaging content.

Scroll reveal

Scroll reveal animations are an effective way to enhance user interaction by gradually unveiling content as users scroll down a page. This technique adds an element of surprise and engagement, making the browsing experience more dynamic and visually appealing. It draws attention to important sections, helping users focus on specific content without overwhelming them with too much information at once. Scroll reveal also provides a sense of progression, encouraging users to explore further as new elements come into view, adding both aesthetic appeal and functionality to your design. 

Be mindful not to overdo it! Motion design requires balance, aim to maintain a consistent flow with your scroll reveals. For best results, keep the distance, duration, and direction uniform across your content. While breaking these rules can sometimes create interesting effects, it often disrupts the user experience, so use it sparingly and with purpose.

Image background modifier

When used effectively, background images can help to reinforce branding, create a sense of atmosphere, and add depth to a page’s design. It's important to choose images that complement the content and ensure they are optimized for performance to maintain fast load times and responsiveness across devices. Be mindful of accessibility when selecting your background images, an accessibility tool is unlikely to check the contrast between your text and images. 

Parallax background modifier

Parallax backgrounds are a great way to add depth and visual interest to a website. By creating a layered effect where the background moves at a slower pace than the foreground content, parallax design draws users in and creates a sense of immersion. The subtle animation enhances the overall user experience, making the site feel more dynamic and engaging. It's especially useful for storytelling or guiding visitors through key sections of a page, helping to keep users' attention and making the content more memorable without overwhelming them.

Conclusion

By thoughtfully designing your content and leveraging the power of components and modifiers, you can craft a website that’s not only visually appealing but also functional and easy to manage. Your content strategy will benefit from consistency and enhanced user engagement, ensuring that your users have the best experience possible.

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About

GovCMS Design Content strategy Convivial CXP User Experience Design
Matthew Commons
UI/UX Designer

Matthew Commons

Matthew Commons is a UI/UX Designer at Morpht. His skills range from UX/UI site design, information architecture, Drupal site building/theming, icon design, support, client training and project management.

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