Writing for websites is a whole lot different from your blogging or storytelling copy. With an abundance of alternative websites these days, it’s important to be quick to make a good impression, in seven seconds to be exact.
Every line of your copy, on your homepage especially, should help the user learn something or at least outline a service so that visitors can come away with something from your page. A successful writing strategy would ideally entice a user to engage with you or read further into your other web pages looking for quotes or services. Learning how to write intriguing website copy? Here are a few top tips to get you going!
Be Straightforward
When writing for blogs or books, it’s important to get the detail in and really transfer knowledge to the reader. Website copy is much different, users are more likely to scan over your page rather than read every little sentence, so don’t waste time and space with the details. In fact, it can be a good reason for the user to get in touch!
Using bold feature text to outline the aspects of the page you want visitors to focus on is the best way to grab their attention. CloudBook Accountants Ltd is a great example of this, their home page is relatively brief but conveys all the information needed whilst providing links to their other, more detailed pages embedded in the text.
Visuals and Spacing
Going hand in hand with being straightforward and reducing text amounts, it’s important to break up your copy with either imagery or a sufficient amount of white space. Web pages that are too busy are unattractive and will increase your bounce rate. Blank space can actually add to the appearance of your website, making things much clearer and easier to read for the user.
When using visuals, be sure to select relevant, high-quality imagery or make your own illustrations. Check How to Sell With an Image for some photography and imagery tips and tricks!
Use Your Keywords
SEO is so important for websites these days you probably won’t hear the end of it. Writing to enable SEO growth is crucial to getting your website visible on the internet. To put it simply, your company will have certain keywords that reflect you, some more common in searches than others. Do your research to find these keywords to implement into your SEO strategy and use them as often as necessary in your website content.
In summary, regardless of previous writing experience, producing top-quality website copy is a truly unique skill. However, with the right research and time spent, as with many other things, website copy becomes fairly straightforward.
