Writing for the web: a quick guide

We’ve all met him or her. The person in the bar, or at the party, who can’t stop talking about themselves. Who gets their job title or their new house into every conversation.

Sadly enough, this is the impression that many businesses are making with the copy on their websites. All too often, the content is based on what the company wants to say, rather than what the reader wants to hear.

And what happens when we’re not interested in what we’re hearing? We switch off.

As a copywriter, I’ve spent many years helping businesses to write content that people actually want to read.

It may not be rocket science, but there are a few tricks that it pays to remember. You’ll find these tips below, along with helpful examples to illustrate each point.

1. Keep it simple

I can’t stress this enough: the average person’s attention span when reading a webpage is less than a minute.

Readers are likely to have several tabs open at the same time, and your competitors’ websites are only a click away.

In this context, it pays to make your text as simple and easy?to?read as possible. Your sentences should be short and purposeful, with paragraphs that are one to two sentences long (as I’ve done in this article).

Another great way to make your website more accessible to readers is to include plenty of headings and sub headings within individual pages.

Tip: This will help your website to be found by search engines, too.

Example

Average copy: With our groundbreaking new product, business functions are able to leverage the power of collaboration and communicate in real time, enabling you to achieve vital strategic goals in an efficient and effective way.”

Awesome copy: “Our product helps employees to work together more effectively.”

2. Use the magic word

No, I don’t mean “please”. Whether you’re composing copy for your website, sales brochure, or advertisement, the magic word you should keep in the front of your mind is “you”.

By using this word and addressing your reader directly, you’re showing that you understand their needs. When you do this, you also encouraging people to listen to you in return.

Another good way of phrasing this is with the old marketing adage: “features tell, benefits sell”.

As in, don’t tell me all about your product’s amazing features. Instead, show me how the product can help me, the reader, by making my life easier, or better – I’ll be hitting the “BUY” button before you know it.

Tip: Reading through online product reviews before you start writing is a great way to get a sense of your customers’ wants and needs.

You can also use free research tools such as AnswerThePublic.com to see what questions people are asking online.

Example

Average copy: “Our new TV comes with pause, rewind and record settings”

Awesome copy: “The ability to pause, rewind and record programmes means that you’ll never miss out on your favourite shows.”

3. Be a good conversationalist

People want to feel like they’re hearing from a person, not a robot.

If your readers can get a sense of personality from your writing, they’ll be more likely to trust you and listen to what you have to say.

Innocent Drinks is an example of a brand that oozes charm and charisma. Head to their site and you’ll find phrases such as “we know it’s a bit airy fairy, but we strive to do business in a more enlightened way,” and “sign up for love, friendship and a weekly newsletter.”

How do you echo this friendly, laid?back style? One way to do this is by asking questions of the reader – questions that you then go on to answer (as I’ve done with this sentence!).

Another trick is to use very short, informal sentences, and even throw in the odd slang word.

Example 

Average copy: “Our coffee roastery provides high?quality beans to consumers and restaurants.”

Awesome copy: “Are you tired of searching all over town for a good coffee? Well, we were too. That’s why we started the Littletown coffee roastery.”

4. CTA, CTA, CTA

A “CTA” is short for a “Call to Action” – a short, punchy phrase that starts with a verb, prompting the reader to perform a certain action.

You’ll often come across these in brand straplines, such as Skittles (“Taste the Rainbow”), or Nike (“Just Do It”). You’ll also see them in the little “Buy Now” labels and “Order Now” buttons in shops and online.

There’s a reason that CTAs are so ubiquitous in the marketing world; they are a powerful way of persuading people to take an action, such as adding an item to their shopping cart.

It turns out that these short phrases are hard?wired to activate psychological processes in our minds, based around anticipation and reward.

So, next time you’re writing some copy for your website, try using some of this CTA magic for yourself.

Example

Average copy: “Our package holidays give you the chance to meet new people and discover new things.”

Awesome copy: “Meet new people, learn new things and discover more with one of our amazing package holidays.”

That's all for now - I hope you've found this a helpful guide to writing for the web.

If you're interested in hiring me to create awesome copy for your business, head on over to my website, or shoot me a connection request here on LinkedIn.

I'm also on Twitter at @norwegian_life.