New businesses sometimes contact me and ask for advice with their web site copy. While I always recommend that they use a professional copywriter (like my good self!), I appreciate that this isn’t always possible due to financial restraints. Rather than be spiteful and send them on their way empty handed, I like to at least give them a few pointers so that they can get the most out of their own writing. Hopefully, when they are a bit more successful, they can come back to me for professional copywriting.
So what are my top 5 tips for improving your web site copy? Here goes:
1. Focus on the real message. There are loads of websites that simply state ‘this is who we are and this is what we do’. In today’s competitive market that’s not good enough. Remember, your competitors are only a click away! Your real message needs to be clear, concise, grab the attention of visitors and most importantly, it needs to say ‘this is how our products or services will make your life better’.
2. Use appropriate language. If your website is going to be successful, it needs to connect with your visitors. And that means your copy has to be accessible, engaging, and understandable. Use simple, direct language wherever possible – jargon, buzzwords and business-speak are your enemy!
3. Identify with your Visitors. Before you can communicate effectively with your visitors, you need to put yourself in their position. Think about why they are visiting your site – What are they looking for? What are their concerns? Once you understand their mindset, it is much easier to identify the areas your copy needs to address.
4. Keep it short. When I was studying at university, we were told that you should try and limit the number of words to between 300 and 600. I can’t remember who actually undertook the research, but it was proven that people’s attention span is much lower when reading on screen, so it is vital that you keep your message short and punchy. Get to the point!
5. Remember that you don’t need to hard sell. The majority of visitors to your website arrive there because they are looking for something that you offer. So they are already potential customers – you don’t need to brow beat them into making a purchase. Make them aware of your services, how they can benefit from using you, and let them know that you are a reputable, reliable business. But do so using subtle language. Because if you make wild claims or overuse repetition for emphasis (a common trick used in direct mail campaigns, particularly US ones), you run the risk of creating caution. Why? Because that is the sort of language and approach that are often used on Internet scam sites and notorious ‘get rich quick’ schemes. It creates a lack of trust, and when you are buying online and there’s no personal contact with the seller, trust is extremely important.
If you need help with your web copy or have a client that needs professional web copy, please get in touch. As a professional copywriter, I can offer high quality, clear, concise and persuasive copy that engages customers and always creates the right impression. Just send an email to craigwright@straygoat.com or contact me through www.straygoat.com
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