WWW.What the Heck?
Have you looked at your business web site lately? Maybe you’d better. As a matter of fact, pull it up right now and look at it as you read this.
How well does your web copy communicate what you want it to say? As Dr. Phil would say, “How’s it working for ya?”
What I do most often is write web copy for my clients. Web copy is different from the copy you’ll see in other types of marketing vehicles. We web surfers, well, we just don’t have the time to read a full sentence. So, you have only a few seconds to grab people’s attention and make your case, before they go on to the next site.
Readers will ditch your site right away if they are:
- bored by your presentation,
- confused by what you are trying to say, or
- overwhelmed by all the stuff you throw at them.
So, make sure your site is written for your customers, not for your own entertainment. Here are some quick tips, supported by my gurus in web content, like Robert W. Bly.
- Be personal. Use “I” and “you.” The web is a conversation between two people: the potential customer and you. Let them know what you can do for them—don’t lecture at them, or use all your space just describing yourself.
- Be organized and brief. Don’t use long paragraphs, or try to fit too much on one page. Break your text into short paragraphs of no more than 2-3 sentences, and use lots of bulleted lists (like this one) to make your page easy to scan.
- Use headlines and questions that immediately get at the heart of what your customers need.
- Use only enough photos, videos and animation to educate your customer and make your case. Too many of these, while fun and attractive, can be a distraction
- Close your “sale” with an easy way for people to get in touch, using a clearly visible phone number, address, email, contact or order forms, etc.
If your site doesn’t pass the test, then get help from a web designer or copywriter. We're here to make you look great!
Fran Fahey, Fran’s Fine Editing
Very good tips Fran! One question and one comment. My question is how is print different from web in that doesn't print also need to communicate quickly because of limited space. In fact on the web we could get away with more as I suggest in my comment, next.
I am not a fan of one size fits all and in that spirit I would say that there are different styles in blogging depending upon the purpose and content. For example, Seth Godin (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/) doesnt use sub headings and has longer blogs and yet it works for him because he would not be able to do justice to his knowledge by making it shorter.
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Thanks, Shalini, for your comments and support! I think that writing for print can be similar to what is used for web if one chooses, but often doesn't have to be. When I write a brochure, for example, I take more time to make my point, due to the 3-panel layout and the fact that the person has it in hand and can take their time reading it.Keywords up front aren't as critical.
I didn't mean to address blog writing in my article, only writing for a person's main site, and in particular the home page. I agree with you about blog styles. From what I've read, blogs can be written differently depending upon the purpose of the blog, the topic of the post, the reason for writing it, the personal style of the writer, the nature of the writer's business, etc. For example, Ann, your blog is long, flowing and poetic, very much like your work, and is entirely appropriate to who you are and what you do. My blog is intended to be instructive in how to write and edit, and the article makes several different points. It's a little longer than Seth Godin's posts, and I think would be hard to read if I didn't organize it the way I did. Seth doesn't need subheadings because he uses short paragraphs very effectively and confines himself to one or two main points per post. Over time, I'd like to sound less didactic, and get closer to how Seth writes; thanks for sharing his blog with me.
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My apologies about my last comment--I copied it from another source and didn't give my readers the links for the blogs I was referring to (I'll get this blog-thing right one of these days). Ann Brauer's blog about quilting and Seth Godin's blog about marketing couldn't be more different from one another in their styles and formats and, but both are excellent examples of well-wriiten blogs.
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Hi, Fran ¶ I'm a friend of Kathy Mackey; I'm designing her WordPress blog. I hope to be able to meet you at some point. I like your blog—AND the name! Fine Dining—Fine Editing! I love it. Hope to join the small business networking Thursday morning Brockton group, too. I'd like to talk typography with you, perhaps. Have a great Spring; hope to meet you before too long. Peace, Doug Arnold d/b/a The Graphic Solution Group, Mansfield, MA
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