The process of writing for the web comes with different parameters than those of traditional media. Since language, vocabulary, sentence structure and tone are being directed towards a web audience as opposed to a print one, the way you write your content must take their habits and tendencies into consideration. We’ll now present you with three tips for creating website copy to highlight best practices of adapting your writing style towards online users.
Keep It Brief
Typical internet users don’t want to read a lot of textual content when exploring a given website. Though it may be tempting to upload every single detail about your business to your online presence, the attention span of an average web surfer is incredibly short and they’re likely to become disinterested in your offerings if you bog them down with too much information. Keep things short, yet succinct, and try to avoid overly-descriptive grammar. If you can transcend your key selling points in 2 or 3 sentences per page, you’re more likely to drive engagement and keep people clicking through to deeper pages.
Strong Headings & Subheadings
A bold, powerful heading is often the first thing that catches an internet user’s eye when they arrive on a website. This is mind, its crucial that you don’t waste this space with fluffy or irrelevant language: Every word counts. Your headings and subheadings are meant to compel readers into moving onto the body text, where you’ll presumably house the meat of what you’re trying to say. If your heading is weak or confusing, there’s a chance users may not even bother reading on and leave immediately, which increases your bounce rate (not a good thing). The key is to tease them with something that leaves them wanting more, then delivering it to them immediately below the fold.
Bullet Points & Lists
Given that web users’ attention spans are notoriously short, bullet points can be an effective way to call visual attention to specific copy points that you want to be noticed. Let’s say your business offers a wide range of branded products, but that some of the brands are more popular than the rest: Highlighting those brands with bullet points as opposed to rattling them off in the form of a paragraph increases the likelihood of them being seen. Lists in general are a great method for promoting minimalist content that alleviates the need for unnecessarily lengthy chunks of text. If your products and services speak for themselves with strong visuals, there’s less need for detailed copy.
Image Credit: Thoughts On Internet Marketing
The process of writing for the web comes with different parameters than those of traditional media. Since language, vocabulary, sentence structure and tone are being directed towards a web audience as opposed to a print one, the way you write your content must take their habits and tendencies into consideration. We’ll now present you with three tips for creating website copy to highlight best practices of adapting your writing style towards online users.
Keep It Brief
Typical internet users don’t want to read a lot of textual content when exploring a given website. Though it may be tempting to upload every single detail about your business to your online presence, the attention span of an average web surfer is incredibly short and they’re likely to become disinterested in your offerings if you bog them down with too much information. Keep things short, yet succinct, and try to avoid overly-descriptive grammar. If you can transcend your key selling points in 2 or 3 sentences per page, you’re more likely to drive engagement and keep people clicking through to deeper pages.
Strong Headings & Subheadings
A bold, powerful heading is often the first thing that catches an internet user’s eye when they arrive on a website. This is mind, its crucial that you don’t waste this space with fluffy or irrelevant language: Every word counts. Your headings and subheadings are meant to compel readers into moving onto the body text, where you’ll presumably house the meat of what you’re trying to say. If your heading is weak or confusing, there’s a chance users may not even bother reading on and leave immediately, which increases your bounce rate (not a good thing). The key is to tease them with something that leaves them wanting more, then delivering it to them immediately below the fold.
Bullet Points & Lists
Given that web users’ attention spans are notoriously short, bullet points can be an effective way to call visual attention to specific copy points that you want to be noticed. Let’s say your business offers a wide range of branded products, but that some of the brands are more popular than the rest: Highlighting those brands with bullet points as opposed to rattling them off in the form of a paragraph increases the likelihood of them being seen. Lists in general are a great method for promoting minimalist content that alleviates the need for unnecessarily lengthy chunks of text. If your products and services speak for themselves with strong visuals, there’s less need for detailed copy.
Image Credit: Thoughts On Internet Marketing
