Writing for the Web: Tricks of the Trade

If you only take one lesson from this white paper it should be that writing for the web requires economy. Great website copywriting cuts down content to its core ingredients.

This white paper will provide you with practical advice on how to write profitable copy for websites. You can download this White Paper, or keep reading.

The Basics of Good Website Copywriting:

1. Cut down your content to the bare essentials.

Usability guru Steve Krug identified the value of cutting content by half for the following reasons:

• It reduces clutter on the webpage, making content seem less daunting
• It makes important information more prominent
• It helps quick scanning and reduces scrolling

2. Get to the point.

People who visit websites are time poor, within seconds they want to know what the website is about and what you are offering them. Make sure that your content delivers.

3. Your website content should be self-explanatory.

Avoid useless introductions or instructions - no one is interested in reading content-free fluff.

4. Words are not for stylistic expression, they are a medium to deliver facts.

Unfortunately having a good command of grammar and style is not sufficient for writing great web content. Websites require clear and simple expression to allow good content to shine through.

5. Divide your content into easily digestible chunks.

People generally scan content rather than reading it. Make use of headlines and bullet points to make sure you deliver the most important information in the shortest possible time. Also highlight important phrases to make them more noticeable.

6. Headlines are key to structuring and relaying information quickly.

Your headline should hook the reader by selling them the benefits and encapsulating the most salient points.

7. Headlines do wonders for your website's SEO.

Make sure your headlines include keyword phrases, preferably at the beginning of your headline. Headlines should be no longer than 72 characters so the full title appears in search engine results.

8. Make your content compelling.

The best website content is unique and relevant to your service or product offering. Make sure that your website content is focused, regularly updated and audience-specific.

9. Create content with a high keyword frequency.

Keyword frequency describes how often keywords appear in your website content. Be careful not to overdo it though, over 5.5 % keyword frequency reads as spam.

10. Speak the language of your target audience.

By understanding your target audience you will be able to communicate with them more successfully. Identify what your audience is looking for and meet those needs through your content.

If you are interested in finding out more about content management systems feel free to contact us. Nicework is a creative communications and web development company with a design-driven ethos. We count ourselves lucky to be involved with people and projects we are passionate about. Our aim is to deliver client satisfaction through great design and nice work.