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'.
last minute cleaning help Arlington Heights ..Do use a consistent look and feel Your site should... Read More
There are many ways to add fancy bells and whistles... Read More
Customers will form an opinion of your business as soon... Read More
For those not familiar with CSS Hacks, they are ways... Read More
The "Wow" factor that accompanied the introduction of streaming media... Read More
I've seen articles (and websites) that suggest you can buy... Read More
1. Web site File Structure / File NamingMost search engines... Read More
Conventional Wisdom states you should use Sub-Directories to organize your... Read More
The ability to create simple, attractive and functional web pages... Read More
If you are going to have a web presence for... Read More
Your web site should always adhere to standards!A professional web... Read More
This article gives free tips on how to find a... Read More
QUESTION: We promote our web site in all our... Read More
As search engine marketers, we spend an enormous amount of... Read More
What do the key words represent?Key words - these are... Read More
Home-based businesses need a strong web presence to combat the... Read More
My mother used to take me along when she visited... Read More
Setting up a survey on your site is extremely simple... Read More
I'm sure you've all heard the saying 'Build it and... Read More
No matter what product or service you're promoting, unless you... Read More
Navigation must be simple. Since it's the backbone of your... Read More
In this article you will find the parallel between two... Read More
Before you take a road trip it is usually a... Read More
Geared Up with a website and lots of energy to... Read More
You're all ready to get started creating your web presence... Read More
same day cleaning service Wilmette ..Ecommerce is just exploding right now on the Net. More... Read More
To create professional websites is not an easy task by... Read More
I see a lot of mistakes, but here are the... Read More
Since I'm a web designer, I have a tendency to... Read More
Well it is not Elvis, that's for sure.I am a... Read More
If you're running a website or online business, your number... Read More
1. Who needs an artists website?Not everyone! If you are... Read More
Easy navigation and usability are one of the most important... Read More
FACT: 30 to 60% of visitors tend to drop off... Read More
Avoid these mistakes and your site will be steps ahead... Read More
Regardless whether you manage a small business, charitable organization, or... Read More
We have all seen websites showcasing their testimonials either spread... Read More
When you design a website how do you start ?Do... Read More
Since I made the switch 6 months ago to a... Read More
The time it takes to load your site can make... Read More
Persons engaged in website design, here's a scoop for you!... Read More
If you have a web site to which people pay... Read More
Every day internet marketers are inundated with the latest fad... Read More
Part one of this article is available at ... Read More
Novice and professional graphic designers, we are aware that you... Read More
One of the simplest things you can do to give... Read More
The solution lies in creating a 'Database driven website', through... Read More
I've seen articles (and websites) that suggest you can buy... Read More
Your web site has been up for a few months... Read More
Don't just put your slogan in the title tag when... Read More
Web Design |