Web Writing Tips

Your copy helps sell your products and services. Many hours and plenty of dollars are spent training employees to sell your products and services. Your copy works for your company as well, so you need to be attentive to its orchestration.

The following article offers suggestions to apply to your copy.

- The first thing the reader sees is the headline. You need to grab their attention with it. First impressions are important. Web browsers have plenty of things to see. If you want them to invest their time, you must intrigue them.

- The use of subheadings helps explain the copy and further attracts the reader. Sometimes the main heading can be vague or ambiguous; the subheading helps the reader better define the scope of the copy.

- The first paragraph of the copy should relate to the headline. The first lines introduce the rest of the copy. Having it follow logically from the headline ensures readers there is a flow and methodology in the copy.

- Using subheadings throughout your copy helps the reader scan and adds white space. Web readers like to scan information. They do not like to be confronted with huge blocks of information. Subheadings allow the use of white space and let the reader find specific information.

- Write your copy to the reader. Do not overly discuss yourself. You want to let the reader know what your products and services can do for them. Tell them about the benefits and not the products/services themselves. You are selling the reader a solution wrapped in your product/service; be sure to alert them of this.

- Write in a conversational manner. You would not want your salespeople to confuse customers, so you should expect the same of your copy. Write in an informative and concise manner.

- Be specific. Use as many examples, figures, and numbers in your copy as possible. You want the reader to experience what it will be like to use your products and services.

- Use your keywords. Each page should have a specific purpose in mind. Devote one product/service to a page. Using keywords helps focus the attention of the reader and helps search engines catalogue your pages according to subject.

- Incorporate a call to action. You want to inform the reader, you want to tell them how they will benefit from your product/service, you want them to experience what it would be like to buy the solution, and you want to let them know they need to act. Many copywriters forget to entice the reader to take action.