Writing for the Web can be a bit tricky. It’s different than writing for any other medium because you really want to engage the reader and get them to take action immediately, right there on the site. With the average user spending a maximum of 7-12 minutes on a site, you have very little time to catch their attention and persuade them to take action so its important to that your site is as clear and easy to use as possible. Keeping that in mind, here’s a few things you may also want to consider when you’re writing content for your Website.

1. Write for the Scanner – Keep your content short and break it up. When it comes to the Web, less content is almost always more. Don’t worry about using big words or impressing your readers with your extensive vocabulary. It’s about communicating, plain and simple. So keep your writing plain and simple. Lists, bullet points, headings and subheading breakup the content and make it easier to digest. Don’t be afraid to use graphics to draw the readers’ attention to important information or your compelling offers.

2. Write for your Target Audience – You want to write your content for your target audience, using a wring style appropriate for them and words they are likely to use, not industry jargon. It’s okay to speak directly to your reader using “you” rather than “our customers” or “clients.” It sets a more conversational tone, which is typical for the Web and it conveys a more personal message, which can also be an affective advertising strategy.

3. Write for the Searcher – An important thing Web content can do for a site is supply keywords so the site can be found in search engines. It sounds simple, but what you want to do is put the words people are searching for into your site’s copy. And unless you are one of the luck few, those words are probably not going to be your brand or company name. It may be the benefits of your product, the service you provide or the product itself. Here’s a couple of keyword generating tools that may help you identify some words your target is searching for:

Wordtracker

Google Skool

When it comes to Web copy, repetition is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s important to get those keywords into your page copy and headings a couple of times, as well as in the title and description tags.

These are some simple suggestions to help you write more effective Web copy, but when it comes down to it, content is about selling. If you want to get more out of your Website, make sure your content effectively communicates your marketing message, including competitive positioning and compelling offers, and drives your reader to take action.

When it comes to Websites, it’s easy to let the content take a back seat to the design and layout. Typically the main concern with a new site is the look and feel and the copy can get over looked, assuming most people won’t read it anyway. But isn’t it the words that drive targeted traffic to your site, that convey your marketing messages and ultimately do the selling by persuading people to take action?

Good content that persuades visitors to take action can help make the difference between your site’s success and failure.  You’ve only got 3-5 seconds to catch your readers attention, which makes it all the more important that you put the right message in front of them. So before you start putting words down on paper (or rather, up on a screen) there are a few things you may want to consider that could help you get more out of your Website.

Before You Write

• Do Your Homework – The first thing you should do before you start to write is read. Reading can help make you a better writer, but don’t just read anything.
  a. Read up on your competition; check out their Websites, find out what they are doing and how they are positioning themselves.
  b. Read your own marketing and promotional materials. Determine what you like about your past material and what you can improve on.
  c. Read tips for becoming a better writer. There are literally thousands of resources out there (for free), here are just a couple that I’ve found helpful: Writing for the Web, and Online Copywriting 101: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet.
• Define Your Target – Who’s going to be using your Website? How old are they, are they married or single, men or women, do they own a home, are they professionals or small business owners, vegetarians, Kun fu masters? Here’s a few links that might help you get started: 3 Tips to Defining Your Target Audience and Zero In On the Right Target Audience. When you know who it is you’re writing to, it’s easier to connect with them. You can target your site, your writing style and the words you choose to your reader. Find out what drives them and will persuade them to take action.
• Know Your Product – You should know your product inside and out. Know its features and its benefits. Features describe your product; benefits are what the user will gain from using that product or service. Know your unique selling proposition (why is your product or service better then what your competitors are offering?) Here’s an article on unique selling propositions that you may find useful.
• Set Objectives – What is it that you want to get out of your Website? What do you want people to do when they get to your site? Do you want them to call, download a free whitepaper, sign-up for your newsletter or make a purchase online? Once you determine what you want the user to do, you can write your Website in a way that moves your reader to take that action.

Writing is a process; you shouldn’t expect to have good, compelling copy that speaks to your target audience without first doing a little research. The more time you spend preparing to write, the easier the writing and the better your messaging will be. So stay tuned, because in part 2, which should post in the second week of March, I’ll have a few tips on writing for an online audience to share.