Bill Gates said it first, I’m just here to relay the message.
In 1996, when Bill Gates published an essay titled Content is King, he had no idea how right he was. (Or actually, he probably did). His thoughts – notably a little dated in 2025 – all remain valid. What you publish online has the real ability to drive success if you’re strategic with it.
He also mentions that people would have to “put up with” the act of turning on a computer to look at a screen in order to retrieve information. And while at one point in time that was something we “put up with,” in 2025, it’s more of a given. At any moment, it’s right there in our pockets. So much of our knowledge is obtained digitally, and many of our clients take this for granted. It’s easy to leverage this fact – Say, by building your own website, for instance.
And to Gates’ point, when it comes to the world of digital marketing, content is still king.
Why does this matter to you, today?
To put it simply, content that resonates with an audience will help build their trust, and people tend to hire firms that they trust.
If you’re an AEC professional (or not!) who is looking to build a website, I’m here tell you that despite what anyone else says, your content is your foundation. And it better be sturdy.
Make no mistake – the time and effort that go into the visual design and development of a website truly make a difference. In Gates’ words, “If people are to be expected to put up with turning on a computer to read a screen, they must be rewarded with deep and extremely up-to-date information that they can explore at will…They need an opportunity for personal involvement that goes far beyond that offered through the letters-to-the-editor pages of print magazines.” Slightly dated? Perhaps. Is his point still relevant? You know the answer.
But while the bells and whistles should do a good job of catching people’s attention, what about your website makes them stay? Or, I’ll do you one better. What about your website makes them care?
Content development is a crucial part of building a website. At the end of the day, it should be one of the biggest tools in your toolbox. A place you can point people to that will advocate for your firm without you even having to lift a finger. Your website can and should be working for you.
This sounds nice, but how does one get here?
There have been too many times to count where our team has embarked on a website project with a client that has no idea how to tell the world who they are as a firm. They’d prefer to just slap some words on a page and call it a day – and honestly, we get it. This industry is overflowing with booked schedules and tight deadlines, and something like website content development often (and understandably) takes a back seat. But just like you prioritize your projects, we prioritize ours.
Content development is the first phase in our website process for that exact reason. It drives everything, from the actual design and functionality of your website to how people perceive your firm, and we want to give our clients the tools they need to make it impactful. Your content should be developed strategically and before anything else.
Knowing exactly who you are as a firm, what value you provide, and why that makes a difference for your clients goes a long way – not only for the purpose of building a website, but also for the sake of having a concrete identity that resonates with your audience.
In the words of Bill Gates, “No company is too small to participate.”
I tend to agree.
Need some help kick-starting your website? Start Here
Sources:
https://medium.com/@dorcasemanor/content-is-king-e8b809c1a058
https://medium.com/@HeathEvans/content-is-king-essay-by-bill-gates-1996-df74552f80d9