Children are unlike any other audience, especially when it comes to digital content and marketing in online spaces. They’re curious and unpredictable, and common practices don’t exactly apply to them. It’s important to note, however, that children have a significant impact on the buying habits of their parents and their families. Kids in the United States, for example, spend over $200 billion annually on apparel, toys, entertainment, and more. This means that building a website for kids is going to be tricky for brands and businesses. As a business owner or a marketer, you’re going to need careful consideration and a deep understanding of children as an audience or target market.
Nowadays, there are many great websites designed specifically for kids. They offer a wide range of educational and entertaining content, including National Geographic Kids, PBS Kids, Starfall, Funbrain, NASA Kids’ Club, and more. To have a successful website for kids, you need to learn how to create kid-friendly content.
What makes good kids content?
Good kids’ content for websites should be engaging, educational, thoughtful, and, most of all, age-appropriate for young audiences. Before you create your own website for kids, you need to know what good kid content looks like.
Here are some key factors and elements that make good content for kids:
- Age Appropriateness: Content should be tailored to the specific age group it’s intended for. For example, for ages 5 and under, family is a central part of their lives. For ages 6 to 8, school and friends start to matter apart from their initial family. And for ages 9 to 12, children are usually exploring their identities outside of their family or friends. Because of this, it’s best to remember that language, interactive activities, and themes should align with the cognitive and emotional development of the target audience.
- Engagement: Interactive elements such as games, quizzes, puzzles, and videos can keep kids entertained and involved. They should also pique the interest of the kids to keep them engaged.
- Educational Value: Website content for kids should also offer opportunities for learning and skill development. This includes subject areas like literacy, numeracy, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking.
- Safety and Security: A website for kids must prioritize the safety and privacy of children. Children can be a vulnerable audience, and an easy target for malicious attacks. They should have strict measures in place to protect personal information. The website for kids should also ensure that all pieces of content are appropriate for the intended age group.
- Visually Appealing: Bright colors, fun animations, and appealing characters can capture kids’ attention. Children, as an audience, will rely on these visual elements to digest and understand the content on any website. These will make a website for kids visually stimulating.
- Clear Navigation: The website should be easy for kids to navigate. Complicated and confusing navigation will make it hard for kids to interact with the website and digest content, especially younger children. with intuitive menus and simple instructions.
- Variety: Offering a variety of content types ensures that there’s something for every child’s interests. This could include stories, crafts, science experiments, and more. More variety means more engagement and more engagement means more exposure and traffic.
- Positive Messages: Since the audience is made up of children, it’s also crucial that the content promotes positive values and messages. This includes kindness, empathy, diversity, and even environmental awareness.
- Parental Involvement: Having the involvement of parents also shows that a website for kids is trustworthy, engaging, and effective. Providing resources and guidance for parents can enhance the overall experience. This will also allow them to support their children’s learning and exploration in online spaces.
- Feedback and Interaction: Feedback, of course, is also significant for kids websites. Incorporating features that allow kids to give feedback or interact with the content can make them feel more involved and valued.
How to write kid-friendly content?
Writing kid-friendly content for websites involves using language, tone, and style that resonate with children while also being engaging and informative. You have to remember that such young audiences think differently and react differently to content. It’s going to take careful consideration and thoughtfulness to create the best content for your audiences.
Here are some tips on writing effective content for kids:
Use simple language
As a golden rule, when writing for a website for kids, keep sentences short and use simple words. This way, children can easily understand your content. Avoid jargon and complex vocabulary, which can easily confuse children, especially younger ones.
Be clear and concise
As much as possible, be concise with your content. Present information, especially complicated ones, in a straightforward manner. Break down complex and bigger concepts into smaller, digestible chunks to make it easier for kids to read and understand.
Use imagery and visuals
Visual elements make up for good kids’ content, which means incorporating visuals such as pictures, illustrations, and videos is a must. These elements will complement the text and enhance understanding for the younger audience. Visual content such as infographics, memes, GIFs, and more is also a surefire way to engage with young audiences.
Be interactive
Interactivity is crucial on a website for kids. Make sure to include interactive elements like quizzes, games, and activities to make the content more engaging and fun. You can also include interactive layout elements of a website design. Elements like animation, pagination, interactive buttons, and even interactive infographics. This will make a website more fun and engaging, capturing children’s attention span.
Tell engaging stories
Children love stories, and that’s a universal fact. This means you should also consider incorporating storytelling elements into your content. This can capture their imagination and interest, while also making it easier for them to get information or understand a concept.
Include humor if you can
While humor is not exactly a go-to when it comes to websites for professionals and other adults, it’s a different story when it comes to a website for kids. A touch of humor can make the content more entertaining and enjoyable for kids. Just make sure it’s age-appropriate and in good taste. Lean on the humor that is popular among kids, and don’t stray too far from what they can understand.
Use examples and analogies
For complicated or big concepts, it’s best to use examples when writing kids’ content. Use relatable examples and analogies to help children grasp abstract concepts and make connections to their own experiences.
Incorporate characters
Introducing characters or personas can also help make any content easier to understand and more tailored to children. These characters and personas will help children relate to and empathize with them. This can also help create a sense of connection and engagement, especially when delivering big messages to children.
Consider their reading level
The reading level is also significant when writing for a website for kids. Tailor the complexity of the language and concepts to the age group you’re targeting. Younger children, of course, will require simpler language and concepts compared to older ones.
Be positive and encouraging
Use positive reinforcement and encouragement when writing kids’ content for websites. This will help motivate children and build their confidence. This will also help you connect with them at a more personal level, helping build a good rapport with young audiences.
Consider and respect diversity
Last but not least, you need to ensure that your content is inclusive and represents diverse perspectives, cultures, and experiences. While children have general characteristics, approaching them with a one-size-fits-all strategy can be costly. Acknowledge their differences and their intersectionality, and show that you can connect with them in your content.
Keep these things in mind as you create kid-friendly content and build your own website for kids. By following these tips and practices, you can create content that is engaging, informative, and enjoyable for younger audiences.
For more help, Twin Rams Media Group is also here to assist! Professionals are ready to help you create kid-friendly content and find success as you market to younger audiences. Contact us today!
References:
https://online.csp.edu/resources/article/marketing-to-children/#:~:text=Why%20Kids%20Matter%20to%20Marketers,or%20indirectly%20through%20their%20parents.
https://developers.google.com/building-for-kids/developing-thoughtful-content
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/kid-friendly-writing
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/approved-kids-creating-child-friendly-content-jane-hunt-mcim-/
https://www.verywellfamily.com/best-free-educational-websites-for-kids-3129084