Whether you need to write content for your blog, a Facebook page or even an email marketing campaign, it can be challenging to write copy that gets results. And, while I may not be an expert copy-writer, as a writer, I do have a little bit of experience in that area.
As I visit different websites around the internet, I am amazed at how much bad copy is out there, and, equally impressed by some of the great writing I run across. So, I thought it would be a good time to share some tips to use as a guide for getting the most out of the text you write for the internet.
Here are some tips for writing better copy:
- Make it easy to scan – Let's face it, on the internet, information is fast and attention is short. Use bullet points and bold lettering to make you key points stand out. Typically, reading online is harder on the eyes than text. This is because of the extra work our eyes do when adjusting to LED displays and the lower quality resolution of monitors. With this in mind, readers tend to scan the page to look for information that they are interested in reading.
- Keep it simple – Reading long pages of text can be a strain for most people. With that in mind, make your point quickly and then give a few supporting examples. This is sort of a backward approach from the way we were taught in college. In a paper, for example, the pattern was to make statements and then draw a conclusion. When you are writing online, make the conclusion first, then back it up. If this doesn't seem natural to you, visit a a few websites to get a feel for how it works.
- Get to the point – Even though you may have a lot of information you want to get across, you still need to get to the point as quickly as possible. Most of the time, readers are looking for the essential information, so give it to them. If you feel that there is much more that needs to be said, provide links to the information, this way, those who want to read more can.
- Use basic English – This isn't the time to show off your amazing vocabulary or to share industry jargon. Always write to a medium reading level, so that your information is available and easy to understand for everyone. Remember that your goal is to provide information about yourself, your product or service in a manner that is easy to read and understand.
- Use keywords – You should always write with a audience of human readers in mind, but adding in keywords related to your topic can help you get higher in the result list of a web search. While I don't think that it is a good idea to form your sentences around keywords and phrases, it doesn't hurt to put them in places where it sounds natural. If you aren't sure about what keywords are popular, visit AdSense and search for the most popular terms that deal with your topic. Also, if you are writing a blog, be sure to tag your post with the keywords that best relate to your content.
This isn't meant to be a full guide for writing internet copy, but rather it is just a few tips that can help you out when you are just getting started with your websites or marketing campaigns. If you find that you are being asked to write more and more frequently, it may be a good idea to look for courses at your local community college or even workshops at your area library.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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