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Creating informative and readable web copy may seem like an easy task.
But it’s not.
Writing web copy that converts takes skill – something that many business owners don’t have.
Your business website needs effective copy, words that are attention-grabbing, insightful and relevant – because content is considered king in the digital world.
Know Your Audience.
Before you can create dazzling copy, you must know your audience – or your buyer persona. Your team has to know the people you are selling your products/services to, in order to persuade them that they should buy from you!
No matter what type of business you have, every site needs to have compelling web content that immediately grabs the visitor’s attention.
To do that, you need to know your audience well, their interests, their pain points and their needs.
When you can target their needs and pains, you’re giving them the solution so they won’t think of going anywhere else to purchase products or services.
Start with effective market research and analysis to identify where people are coming from, what’s working in the market, and what opportunities you can exploit.
Know Your Platform.
Secondly, the platforms in which you’re operating should be thoroughly analysed so you know exactly what they require.
You’ll need to tweak your web copy on your blog, and then write different copy for your social media channels, as your audience will use each platform for different reasons.
Some brands will build a profile on Instagram, for example, designed specifically to inspire their audience, while their Facebook profile may be intended to sell products.
Here’s another example: Twitter originally initiated the hashtag trend, which extended to other platforms like Instagram and Facebook. But you would never want to use hashtags on LinkedIn, a platform where professionals connect.
Be aware of how your audience uses social media, blogs and websites and employ that information to craft your web content.
Know Your Topic.
As an expert, you know your products and services well. But to write compelling copy that converts, you almost need to toss this information out the window.
You see, your audience doesn’t care as much about your great product. They want to know HOW your product solves their problems.
When creating content, you need to make this shift in mindset in order to draw potential customers in. When you create content from this angle, you’ll craft meaningful and compelling content.
Here are some areas of information you should examine when brainstorming ideas:
- The objective of the blog, ebook, social media post.
- The scope of your topic.
- The limitations your audience experiences.
- The keywords you’ll use to please Google. (Yes, Google’s Hummingbird algorithm has changed how it treats keywords, but you still need ‘em. Just be sure to write for humans.)
Keep the six W’s in mind as you’re creating web copy.
Use Powerful Headlines.
After the research phase is complete, you can begin writing.
Your blog post, email and web page headlines play a vital role in attracting readers.
They will help you compel the visitor to read further.
Here are some best practices for creating headlines:
- Be experimental
- Use action words
- Use numbers
- Use listicles
- Trigger emotions
- Ask a question
Use Persuasive & Action-based Words.
“Sign-Up”
“Download Now”
“10 Simple Tips to Write Great Content”
These are just a few examples of headlines and calls-to-action that are action-based and persuasive.
Web copy that is persuasive and employs actionable words prompts readers and website visitors to take action or read more. And that’s exactly what you want them to do.
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Research has further shown that verbs and adverbs perform much better than nouns and adjectives: The click-through rate of these words are higher too.
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Avoid Cliches & Unnecessary Words.
Using cliches and being too wordy will also drag your web copy down.
Readers want concise, informative content. They don’t want to have to wade through a lot of unnecessary information to get to the point. With this kind of web copy, you’ll be sure to LOSE readers – and potential customers.
Craft your web copy so that it’s to-the-point and relevant for your readers.
Keep it Personalized.
Personalization is one of the best copy-converting tricks you can do.
Speaking directly to your readers keeps things personal, and draws your reader in through emotion.
If your message is too general, readers will see right through it. They’ll know you’re sending a mass email for the general public and that has little to do with their problems.
Pro tip: Use these personalization steps when crafting content.
Focus on the Benefits.
Value.
Perks.
Benefits.
These are the things your visitors are looking for.
Make sure your copy shows that you care about what they need and what is important to them, and you’ll land a customer.
Instead of explaining about your product features, you should elaborate on the value you are providing to the consumers.
Why?
Because they only care about how your product will solve their problem – they don’t necessarily care how great your product is, at first.
Include Social Proof.
You should offer social proof in a variety of ways, including:
- Testimonials
- Reviews
- Endorsements
- Badges
- Social connections.
That’s because social proof builds credibility and trustworthiness for your site. Don’t think that consumers will bypass these. Turns out, they see online testimonials, reviews, etc. just as trustworthy as referrals from friends and family.
Here’s an example of how to effectively use a testimonial on your site:
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10. Keep It Short
Another great tip for writing copy that converts is to keep your paragraphs short (think 1-2 sentences).
Readers have an easier time skimming through short sections than paragraphs that are 5-10 sentences long.
Try using things like bucket brigades and one liners to get people to read and engage with your web copy.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.