subject: 6 Ways to Make Your Website Copy Standout [print this page] 6 Ways to Make Your Website Copy Standout
Ok, first of all, I'm going to make a big assumption that you already know the importance of having a good website with great copy. If not, then I'm going to tell you in the briefest possible manner, that in any sort of business, your website is often the first point of contact your customer has with your business.As perception is often reality,a cheap and unprofessional website can equate to a negative perception of your business.
Your website is the central information hub for your business and having clear and concise copy that communicates the right things is a necessity.
Here are a few ways to improve your website copy:
1) Grab attention with a good headline
Although the whole look and feel of your website is extremely important, a good headline commands attention. The estimated average viewing time your customer spends on your website is around 3 to 8 seconds. It is important that you command their attention immediately with an engaging headline.
2) Avoid chunks of texts
Let's face it, most of us out there are very busy people who don't have time to sit and read through large chunks of text on a website. Your website should allow your customers to easily scan through your content, so they can locate the relevant information they require with ease. One way to do this is by incorporating bullet points into your copy. Using bullet points will help communicate your information in a more visually appeasing way, making your content more "scannable." Another way is to implement subheads into your copy. Subheads prompt your viewers to read your copy and break up your paragraphs.
3) Use your homepage to answer your most important questions
Your homepage is the most important page on your website as it's often the first point of call for your customers. Your website should answer your customer's most important questions up front. Think of your homepage as a condensed frequently asked question's page, answering the most important questions your customers may ask of your product or service.
4) Make every word count
Your customer's time is important and you are limited to the amount of words you can use on your website, so it's important to make every word count! One way to do this, is to read through your website content and ask yourself,why would my customer's care about this information? Using this question when reading over your copy, will enable you to eliminate any unnecessary information on your website.
5) State benefits not features
Customers buy benefits not features. All your features have a benefit and you should never assume your customer's know what that benefit is. It's your job to communicate these benefits to them. For example, a feature of a car might be ABS brakes but the benefit to the customer of owning a car with ABS brakes is that it may one day save their life.
6) Turn "We" and "I" statements to "You"
When your customers read your website, they want to know how your product or service can advantage them. Far too many times, businesses focus too much on themselves using words like "us", "we" and "I". By changing these words to "you", your website content becomes more customer focused and can help give you the competitive advantage you need to increase your sales.
Apply these tips to your website today and watch the difference it will make to your sales.
