Copywriting Guidelines
Web copywriting is ad copy! Every web page is an advertisement unto itself. Each page must be marketed to the search engines and other traffic building sources i.e. link pages, blogs, etc.
When done right, web copywriting can almost eliminate the need for other forms of Internet advertising. The goal is to produce professionally written copy that sells itself and the product or service!
Website ad copywriting is not different from writing for television ads, magazines or newspapers. Website ad copywriting is the delivery of a message that must stop the visitor for that split second to ponder the point or issue being presented. Being concise and using stop words -- words that catch the attention of the reader -- are integral to successful ad copy.
Website ad copywriting is only effective if there is a call-to-action statement that gets the visitor to click or make some other active move guided by the website owner. The best website ad copywriters will be able to put themselves in the mind and shoes of the visitor and second guess the feelings when reading the words. This is then translated into definable visitor actions that can be measured.
Every page in the website is important! You need to keep the pages current and optimized on an ongoing basis and you should add new content as often as necessary and feasible. Remember, you never know what page the search engine spider will land on OR what page the prospective client will land on! So EVERY PAGE is important!
Web copywriting is the special art of creating content for the Internet (i.e. Web pages, banner ads, e-mail messages, etc.). Creating web copy is often written to convince visitors to take action, from simply clicking through for more information to actually purchasing a product or service.
Effective Web Copywriting Focuses on Three Main Areas:
Communicate Clearly and Concisely:
It's easier said than done. You have mere seconds to get prospective clients to know A) who you are, B) see what you're selling, C) how they can make purchases, and so on. When writing for your website visitors, you must effectively express these and other facts about the website or no one will buy from you.
Get Visitor's Attention Quickly:
Internet users are often reluctant to read through long blocks of text. By creating clever headlines and compelling paragraph lead-in sentences, your copy must capture the visitor's interest or they'll be somewhere else within a click of the mouse. The use of bullets, color bursts and arrows often work.
Convinces Visitors to Take Action:
It's time to sell. Good web copywriting tells your visitors why your site is valuable to them. If you're selling a product or service, show visitors how to conveniently purchase it. If you want to boost your site's traffic, give visitors a reason to return. No matter what your objective, you must subtly and overtly present your visitors with powerful copy and a call to action, before they decide to leave the site entirely.
Effective web copy is paramount to your Internet endeavors. Your website can possess the latest bells-and-whistles, but you won't be able to create revenue and obtain contact information if you don't have fresh content that captures the imagination of the website visitors. Persuading the visitor to take action is the key to success.
