We all know that consumers are time poor these days. And consumers of digital media are even more so.
If you want people to engage with your content and eventually purchase your product or service, the way in which you present your information online needs to be carefully considered.
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Here’s what you need to think about when it comes to copy on your website:
1. Put the customer’s needs first
You employ a very detailed philosophy when designing your products? Consumers don’t really care.
Your website should not focus on how amazing you are, it should focus on what benefits you can offer your potential customers and what problems you can solve. So do include your company philosophy on your About Us page, but don’t make it front and centre on your homepage, for example.
2. What makes you different?
If you’re in a competitive industry, you need to emphasise what sets you apart. Maybe it’s your award-winning customer service, or your years of industry experience, or your unique approach to sourcing products?
Make this the focus of your copy so that it’s very clear why a potential customer should choose you versus another competitor.
3. Contact details
I see so many websites where the contact details are placed only on the Contact page, or written in a very small font way below the fold.
It needs to be ultra simple for people to contact you, so make that phone number or email address clearly visible on the homepage – or even better, somewhere in your main navigation that then displays on every page of your site.
4. Calls to action
Consumers need to be told what to do. Write about how great your product is and then follow it up immediately with a sentence telling them exactly what action to take: Need more info? Call us on xxx (phone number) or fill in the contact form below.
5. Use short sentences and simple words
Long rambling sentences lose the reader – short punchy ones work better. The same applies to words, so use simple ones as often as possible. Remember that simple doesn’t mean unsophisticated.
Think of Google and Apple, two of the world’s biggest brands. They use a simple and direct tone that still communicates their offering perfectly. Also check your tone: write as if you’re chatting to one person and you’ll immediately engage the reader.
6. Get specific and paint a picture
If you’re selling a sailing holiday in Croatia, don’t tell them that the waves are blue and beautiful. Describe the smell of the ocean in the air, the feeling of the sun on your skin and the taste of the fresh sushi caught on a nearby boat.
You can sell something much more easily if you get very specific and evoke an emotive reaction in the person reading your words.
7. Use formatting
No one likes long reams of text – you’ll lose their attention and a possible sale. Break up your copy so that it is easily readable by using bolding, bulleting and separate paragraphs.
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8. Limited sales offers
Reserve space on your homepage where you can include blurbs about latest offers or special promotions.
This will keep your website fresh and allow you to capitalise on potential customers who may be interested in these offers, by encouraging them to click through and stay on your site.