Wondering how to write web content that sells?
Of course you are! Anyone who runs a business in the 21st century knows how important it is to have a great website. Your website is, more often than not, how your business is first seen by your potential customer. And we all know how crucial it is to get it right.
How it looks. How it operates. How easy it is to navigate.
All of these things add up to creating either a positive or a negative first impression of your business. All these things will either sell, or sabotage, your services.
However, what really sells your business is how your website reads — the words you use to convey your messages.
Words communicate your story, reel your reader in and get them to buy what you’re selling. And what’s more important than that?
With this in mind, here are our top 5 tips on how to write great content for your website:
1) It’s not all about you. Or is it?
News flash! Your readers don’t really care that much about you or your business. So going on about it too much will only bore their socks off.
Obviously, some of your content will need to be about the features of your business and how brilliant it is. But sentences beginning with ‘we’ or ‘I’ should be kept to a minimum.
What they do want to know is: what you can do for them. Focus on the benefits of using your business and how this will positively affect your potential customer.
Sentences using the word ‘you’ or ‘your’ speak directly to the reader. And you want your reader to feel like your copy is speaking to them, rather than at them.
2) Your first paragraph is paramount
If your first paragraph (or indeed your first sentence) doesn’t grab your readers’ attention, then frankly you’re off to a shaky start. Do you really think they’ll persevere when they could be checking their Facebook page or finally getting round to watching that Breaking Bad box set?
Fail to engage with your first few sentences and your reader will be clickety click. Gone.
The first paragraph on your website needs to hook your reader and make them want to carry on reading to find out more about your services or products. So, make it interesting. Make it appealing. And make it stand out.
3) Less is more
Your reader doesn’t want to go to your webpage and be expected to read more text than War and Peace just to get the essence of your business. They’ll take one look and either flick straight back to Facebook or continue watching the unlikely escapades of a certain high school chemistry teacher.
Thanks to our digital age, we all have shorter attention spans than ever. We flick through, we skim over and we scan read.
This needs to be kept in mind when writing copy for most purposes, but it’s even more important to bear in mind when writing for the web.
Simplify your sentences, perfect short paragraphs and separate text with subheadings. Get your key messages across in the most concise way possible.
Less is most definitely more when creating great website copy.
4) It’s not only what you say, it’s how you say it
It’s the unique personality of you and your business that will help to set your business apart from your competition. Try to create a clear and consistent voice across your website (and across your other business’ literature) to help to develop your brand and to make you recognisable and memorable to your customers.
Think about what your business and your brand stands for. Is it serious and reserved? Friendly and informative? Fun and funky? Whatever image your business aims for, try to reflect this in your writing.
Don’t forget that you’re trying to emulate a conversation with your reader, so try not to make it too stiff.
5) Sorry, what is it you want me to do?
Weeks have passed. You’ve not left your desk. You’ve barely eaten.
There’s been blood, sweat and tears along the way, but you’ve finally done it. You’ve finally produced captivating and compelling content for your website. Customers should be flocking to their phones, inundating your inbox and clambering to complete your contact form. So, what’s wrong?
You’ve forgotten one thing: you haven’t told your reader what to do next. Do you want them to fill out the contact form? Place an order? Or pick up the phone?
Forget to include a call to action within your web content and the best copy in the world won’t get the results you want. Tell your reader what to do next and make it easy for them to become a customer.
Have our top tips on how to write great website content inspired you to have a go at writing your own? Let us know in the comments box below.
If not, and your website needs a refreshing rewrite or you’re having a brand-new site developed, get in touch and we’ll produce some cracking content for you.
Laura