Once you have snared someone to your website, it is easy to fall into the common trap of assuming people actually read your website and that they treat it the same way as reading a book or magazine. You assume completely wrongly! Because website copy is totally different from print copy. Website copy is not read but is scanned, or glanced at. And if you are lucky, research says that the majority will only spend 15 seconds or less on a webpage. So how do you produce sticky content to get people to hang around?
2. Show your most important information first
As has been said, people look at websites rather differently to print media. If you were writing a survey report it might go something like this:
• An explanation and introduction about what your report will review with an overview and introduction.
1. Understand who your target audience is
Obvious enough you would think, but many people start to write copy before they have fully thought it through. So take a moment and pause. Who is your primary audience; but importantly who is your secondary audience, those who may be able to influence and inform your primary audience?
Let’s dwell on this a bit more. For example, say you’re creating a website for a marine surveyor. Your primary audience might be your existing client base who know you. However, your secondary audience is far broader and could include brokers, potential new customers, insurance companies, the general boating and yachting public, in fact anyone who might need your services as a marine surveyor. Your website content must be interesting and understandable by all these audiences.
• Then you might present details of what you found by one area of the boat after another.
• You may make some recommendations and finally you write a conclusion or executive summary.
When writing content for the web, just go straight to the conclusion and leave the rest out! Sounds radical? An example: suppose you need a new office chair. You visit the office chair website. You immediately want to know that they sell office chairs. You want instant access to a search box to see the chairs, the colours and styles offered and to find out the cost and how fast they will deliver. At this stage who the company or provider is are of secondary importance.
Also of primary importance is using a few words to tell people exactly what you do before offering more background information. So always present the big picture first. Who you are and what you do with images and words matters.
3. Avoid trying to be clever
As you now know, people will not spend a long time on your website. So use simple and easy to understand statements. If you write using clever and sophisticated phrases that require people to think you are asking too much in the majority of cases. Remember visitors to your site are ‘hunters’ looking for a solution to their problem. Don’t make it hard for them by making them having to think. Keep it simple and easy.
It is also important to understand that you are an expert in the marine surveying sector. You know the intricacies and importance of the services you offer. Your potential client may just simply know they need it. In many cases it is probable they will not know the ins and outs. Make sure you speak in language that will appeal to them and accepts that point.
4. Write for scanners because as research shows, only 16% will read all the copy on your page
Writing for scanners means you should do the following: - ensure your headlines explain exactly what the page is about and what you are offering;
- be certain that you have communicated a sales message and made your call to action easy;
- make sure that your sub headlines summarise your key points;
- use easy to read bullet points to cut down on too many words.
The Report • March 2019 • Issue 87 | 65
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