What You Need To Know About Writing For The Web
When it comes to the world of web design, the website copy is often the last thing considered. Most people cut and paste in a section of their latest brochure or sales pitch, after all, it already showcases everything they need to say about their product or service, right? Wrong. Companies often get so bogged down by the look and feel of their website, they forget to spend the same time and focus on their web copy.
Words matter. You have 10 seconds to hook the reader and get them interested in what you have to offer. Users dive straight into the text and often ignore the images, so if a user visits your site and wonders what it's about, you know you have some work to do. Consider the following web copy guidelines when tackling writing for the web:
Assess your goal
Consider your audience
Authority
Currency
Objectivity
Assess your goal
Decide what goal you want to fulfill with your website. Is it a place users can come for information, or are you selling a product? Either way, by identifying your main focus, you'll stay on track, and reach your target audience. The web copy is the hook to catch the user and keep them interested and engaged.
How can you assess your goal? Consider these tips when taking your first steps:
If you're selling a product: Your goal will be to drive up online sales. Your focus: to create an online space that makes finding and buying your product quick and easy.
If you're marketing a service: Your goal will be to offer useful information about your service that will build trust and customer loyalty. One great way is to design an online brochure.
You're providing information: Your goal is to share information with a group of readers i.e.: telling your customers about your site. To meet this goal, you could develop web friendly information on your business. You'll know you're successful when customers report that they found the site helpful.
Consider your audience
How do you identify your target audience? Ask yourself some questions, such as "Is the website geared to business professionals?' 'Is the information directed to novices or experts?' If your web content is directed to the right target audience, you'll write in a voice they identify and relate to.
Determine what information a user will expect to find when they hit your site. Then, generate your website copy and test out the content with target audience members. No one can direct you like your audience, so use the feedback to guide you to the right approach. You can also check out other credible websites and use them as a resource to help get you going in the right direction.
Authority
Take responsibility for the content on your website. This will establish you as an authority and build your credibility with the user.
Identify the author
Identify your authority - State any qualifications or professional standing that make you an authority on the product or service you are writing about. Make sure the qualifications can be verified.
Ensure your contact information is up to date and easy to use. If you post an email address, ensure it is valid and checked often.
Ensure a disclaimer is added when an author's credentials are not appropriate or good enough to ensure the accuracy of the content.
Indicate if the website is personal and has no commercial purpose. Let the user know if you are an educational institution or a not-for-profit company.
Currency
Keep the website fresh and current. It will also reinforce your credibility with the user.
Make sure your website is always available. Consider changing service provider if you experience frequent down time.
Keep content up to date. Indicate when pages are written or updated.
Make sure it's complete. Eliminate any "under-construction" pages or sections
Check frequently for broken links to internal and external pages.
Check to make sure interactive pages such as feedback forms work.
Objectivity
Maintain objectivity when you write website content. Provide accurate information and keep advertising and market-style writing to a minimum and you've succeeded in writing content for the web that is objective.
Give the readers what they want
Write copy that is scannable. Readers want to be able to scan text and identify key points and topics. Make the initial copy easy to navigate by using titles and fonts to highlight key points and topics. By being clear about what they're looking at, the users will respond by digging deeper and getting into the content of your website.
Related Tags: webcopy, writing services, seo articles, invesp
Ayat Shukairy serves as a Director at INVESP Business Writing Services. She has managed the writing team in creating several SEO articles and optimized webcopy for a number of clients. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Using Keywords Effectively For an SEO Campaign
Keyword research is one of the most crucial parts of an SEO campaign. If you end up choosing the wro - Search Engine Optimization Copywriting Tips
SEO copywriting is not as technical as it sounds but is different from traditional copywriting for t - 3 Tips to Make Money Using Videos
For the last five years video has been a real success in the internet. Now you can find video in alm - Is Social Media Networking Your Next Strategy For Your Online Marketing?
When you try to work on online promotion and online marketing, social media especially social media - Submitting a URL of Your Website
People who make a website usually do research on how to improve not only the quality of their websit - 5 Bad Habits of Article Marketing
There are many ways to advertise your company but having a highly ranked website is the best. Most p - Facts About SEO Services Company
SEO services companies are becoming very popular in the internet marketing world but there are some - 4 Ways Search Engine Optimization Can Be So Powerful
Whether you are an affiliate marketer, small businessman or a large organization, your first step wh - A List of 3 Options For Internet Business
The trend of making money through online business has become trendy now a day. People are shifting t - Getting the Best Affiliate Products For Your Site
Making money online was never so difficult before. There are numerous ways through which you can mak
Most viewed articles in this category:
- The Revolutionized Ebay Etailsolution Software
With the help of eBay, the auction business has received a new meaning. With the help of the many eB - Internet Millions - by Ryan Orrell - Honest Review
REVIEW: "Internet Millions", by Ryan Orrell, is a refreshing new kind of internet marketing e-bo - A Google Adsense Addiction
54% of all Google Adsense publishers admit addiction to click income. A recent online study conducte - Lead Generation for Top Residual Income
At the heart of any good residual income business is a person who knows how to generate leads. Lead - Make Money With Information Ebook Products: The Other End
I don't like thinking of myself as the kind of person that has made it rich on the internet, but in - Repeat Business Equals a Residual Income Stream
Residual income comes from other people reacting to a single action by the business owner. What bet - The NFL & United Way
There are many ways that NFL players help with the United Way. First of all, they donate a lot of th - Seo - Making Money Writing Seo Reviews
If you are a reviewer or critic you are likely to find work writing reviews of products and services - Understanding Perfume Types
Understanding the various varieties of perfume can help to cut through the difficulty in selecting a - Ecommerce Basics: Three Things To Avoid
When you decide to put your ecommerce website together there are a few mistakes that are easy to mak