You set up a website, one that extols the virtues of the products or services you offer. You make sure your website content includes keywords, the kind of words and phrases prospect would use when searching for the goods or services you offer. But somehow the content, no matter how well it is written, feels a tad self-promotional. It sits on the page extolling your virtues, as it should, but you wonder how you can make it feel less like advertising copy and more like a real life business solution.

Then one of your best clients calls. He needs more of what you offer. He extols your virtues, telling you how your product is helping his business run more effectively and efficiently, is solving problems, or is helping him take advantage of opportunities.

And it hits you: If you had his words on your website, your content would sparkle and inspire. It would feel real. You think about asking your client for a testimonial, as you should, but you wonder how you can capture all your client said, and all your products does, in 3 to 5 sentences.

The solution

You know the problem your client was facing. You know the difficulty he was having solving the problem (or taking advantage of the opportunity). You know what he tried, unsuccessfully, to do. You know why he came to you. You know what you sold him and you know exactly how it helped.

Armed with that information, and your client's permission, you can write a 300- to 750-word case study and post it on your website or in your company blog.

"We write and issue media releases for clients and help them communicate using social media. This can build a brand and drive sales. Importantly, it also drives traffic to websites. The fact is, prospects seldom buy before they visit a website," says Alan McLaren, co-CEO, Infinity Communications (www.infinity-pr.com), a full service communications agency specializing in public relations, branding and social media strategies. "Having several case studies on your website is one of the best ways to show your product in action and to showcase how you help clients solve problems or take advantage of business opportunities."

The benefits

There are several benefits to posting case studies on your website and in your blog. Case studies

• are more than content describing your product or service; they are more than a few lines of client testimonial as well
• show how your products or service helped a real company or organization in a real situation, so they extol the benefits of working with you from a third party perspective
• detail specific problems that your product has solved or opportunities that it was used to exploit, and outline the benefits derived from the use of your product
• optimize your website for search engines by include key words that prospective customers might use when looking for the kind of product or service you offer

"Case studies should spell out the issue, describe the solution, and detail the benefits of implementing the solution," says McLaren. "Without being overly promotional, and using concise, focused writing, case studies should position your company and its products or services as the solution your prospect is seeking."

In short, case studies are a great way to extol the benefits of the products or service that you offer because they add third party legitimacy to your web content and boost the search engine optimization of your website. If you don't have case studies on your website, you might want to think about getting several online so you can effectively promote your products and services to website visitors.