Back to basics. Forget funky design, good copywriting is the key to a clear and intuitive website.
Are you losing business because of your website? More and more customers are logging on to the Web to decide where to spend their money because it is quick and convenient, and they can jump from site to site instead of walking from store to store.
Web savvy customers don't need to be patient, studies have shown that you need to engage a potential customer very quickly by giving them easy, fast access to the information they need. Otherwise they will simply move on to the next site.
Appealing design and speedy functionality are important but they don't ensure that your site is well structured (intuitive) or well written (clear).
Write First
The real message on most websites is in the writing, and so it makes sense that the writing should determine the structure. Unfortunately, this is not the usual case. Most businesses choose the structure and design of their site first and then try and fit the writing around that structure. This flies in the face of commonsense. When you speak to someone, you structure your speech around your message, you don't decide on a structure then change the message to suit. So you need to plan what you want to say before you create the site. Maybe even write the whole thing first and then use the message to determine the structure.
When deciding what to write, think about what your customer wants to know rather than what you want to say. It's a subtle difference, but it is the key to engaging a potential customer.
Most customers will want to know the basics:
What do you do?
What benefit can you offer them?
Why should they choose your service or product?
What does it cost?
How can they contact you?
Where are you located?
Brevity & Clarity
Your website has to communicate a lot of information and to make matters worse, you are going to have limited space. Ideally, your customer won't have to scroll on any page (all your information will fit in a single window) and that single view will need to contain more than just words. The design and navigation elements take up about a third of a window, and you should leave a bit of room for white space (you don't want to overwhelm the customer). As a rule of thumb you should expect to have about half the window free for text.
How you are going to fit all your information in such a confined space? This is where writing skills come in - choose your words very carefully.
Websites can be an extremely powerful piece of marketing collateral. You can reach millions of potential customers for as little as a few hundred dollars. Unfortunately, your competitors are all doing the same thing - it's a level playing field but there are a lot of players.
It is important that your message is structured and well thought out, otherwise your site will be a mess and no-one will bother to read about your business. If your message is clear, your site will be simple and easy to use. It's all in the words.
About The Author
* Glenn Murray is an seo copywriter and seo copywriter. He is a director of seo copywriter and also of copywriting studio Divine Write. He can be contacted on Sydney +612 4334 6222 or at seo copywriter. Visit http://www.divinewrite.com or http://www.publishhub.com for further details, more FREE articles, or to purchase his e-book, 'SEO Secrets'.
efficient cleaning crew Lake Forest ..These days, it seems that everyone has a website. Unfortunately,... Read More
As a web designer, I have a personal interest in... Read More
Unless you are an inventor, most likely you are selling... Read More
In retailing there is a saying that sales are made... Read More
Do know your audienceIt's important to know your audience. If... Read More
There is a widespread confusion among lots of new website... Read More
To explain my point I need to first confuse the... Read More
I always have people asking me if I know of... Read More
There are lots of websites out there that do little... Read More
Almost everything is available on the web? products, services, e-books,... Read More
(1) Create a Direct Response Website, with the minimum number... Read More
CNN.com's designers have gone out of their way to make... Read More
Congratulations! You've got a brand new site and it's doing... Read More
Yes, in a world that is obsessed with makeover madness,... Read More
There are many companies who build websites, all of which... Read More
Let's look at what your user wants to see at... Read More
On the internet we don't deal with face to face... Read More
Never put form over function. Why? Because it's crucial that... Read More
Every action has a beginning phase where you launch your... Read More
Have you ever thought about the real stories behind all... Read More
Over the course of the last decade, the Internet has... Read More
Whether you're hiring a designer who has created 10 sites... Read More
I do site reviews. Needless to say, I see a... Read More
Let's face it; the line from A Field of Dreams... Read More
Whenever singer John Mayer sings his romantic song, "Your Body... Read More
green cleaning service Deerfield ..In learning webpage design, I encountered many problems that took... Read More
If you've just finished building your new website (or revamping... Read More
There is nothing wrong with making your own website if... Read More
Choosing the right typeface for your website copy is important,... Read More
Over the course of the last decade, the Internet has... Read More
CNN.com's designers have gone out of their way to make... Read More
1. DO NOT use excessive graphics or banner images on... Read More
1. Size does not equate to competencePeople sometimes assume a... Read More
You may not bother with html validation or writing simple... Read More
Before you take a road trip it is usually a... Read More
My mother used to take me along when she visited... Read More
There are more than billions of Web Sites, running Online... Read More
One of the biggest problems with Web sites is that... Read More
If you are anything like me, your website is a... Read More
Owning your own website is a must if you are... Read More
In retailing there is a saying that sales are made... Read More
Never put form over function. Why? Because it's crucial that... Read More
When your web site sells more than a dozen items,... Read More
Creating a web site takes thought, planning and execution. Unfortunately,... Read More
10 Basic Things Your Website Should Have ...__ all short... Read More
If you are going to be placing ads on your... Read More
When designing your website, remember to avoid useless and confusing... Read More
First off, I am a designer. Now you're thinking, here's... Read More
When creating an e-cover the what's the first thought that... Read More
I always have people asking me if I know of... Read More
Web Design |