People often underestimate the importance of quality copy on a website. A website may have a unique and impressive design, but have copy that doesn’t match up.
Not only will this affect your search engine ranking, but it can be really off-putting for visitors of your site!
The following steps will assist you in producing good quality copy for your site.
1. Keep your audience in mind
Understanding your audience is key. So make sure you do lots of research to find out what it is that they want and what key words they’ll be looking out for.
“Don’t forget who’s reading your copy!”
Write about benefits to your target audience instead of features. This way the audience can relate directly to it. It’ll keep them interested and wanting to find out more!
2. Only write one idea per paragraph
It’s a well-known fact that when reading websites people skim read. So, it’s important not to overload them with information by having big meaty paragraphs. They won’t know where to look and will lose interest!
“People won’t read every word. Structure your ideas simply.”
So, just use one idea per paragraph. And that idea should be clearly stated in the first sentence. Then you can expand in the latter part.
3. Use short sentences
If you’re concise and to the point, this will happen naturally anyway. But if it looks as though you have a particularly long sentence, like this one, know it won’t bode well with your readers and they’ll lose interest and won’t read it all!
4. Use bullets and headings
This may not always be possible, but do it where you can. It will make it easier for people to skim the page and follow the main points. They can also find the information they want quickly! Another plus.
5. Use action words
Remember the reader needs convincing that your product is right for them! Use words like ‘will’ and ‘can’, NOT ‘may’ or ‘could’. It makes you appear more confident with your product and the reader will pick up on this kind of language.
These simple steps could improve the quality of your copy dramatically. Remembering to be clear, concise and targeted are really the main points to take away from this article.
Don’t be afraid to develop your own style and personality to your copy too… People will like this! Good luck.