5 Tips for Writing Effective Web Content

Before sitting down to draft copy for your business’s website, it’s important to identify your objective for each page. What goals do you want to accomplish with your website? How will you measure your success? And what overall message are you trying to convey?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you’re ready to write. Below are five important tips that will help you compose effective copy for your website.

1. Know your audience

   To write copy that keeps people navigating through your pages, you must first know who you’re writing for. Ask yourself: What does my audience do in their spare time? What do they look for in products and services? The more you know about your target market, the easier it will be to determine their wants and needs.

2. Choose the right voice

   Every business should have a clear voice. When customers read content, whether from your website or in print, it should always sound like the same person is speaking. For example, if your audience is very spiritual, you should probably write copy that is positive and empowering. If your audience is highly technical, you’ll want to include their jargon and keep adjectives at a minimum. The better you know your audience, the more you’ll keep them engaged. The goal is to create a consistent voice across all communication channels.

3. Solve their problems

   Learn about your audience by conducting a survey or researching them online. Find which websites your target audience visits most frequently, what information they like to read and where they go to get it. Are they looking for more engaging content? Write a blog. Are they looking for information? Provide them with some white papers. The goal is to make your website the trusted go-to place for answers to the questions your audience is asking.

4. Share your expertise

   You know what they want and need; now it’s simply a matter of giving it to them. If your audience is into yoga, you may want to use social media to provide free instructional videos or helpful tips on how to best execute poses. If your audience enjoys martial arts, keep them informed of upcoming fights and industry news via email or social media. Make sure that every free piece of information always links back to your business’s website. The point of giving out free content is to establish yourself as an expert, and drive your audience back to your website to use your products and services.

5. Organize your content

   People quickly lose interest when confronted by a wall of text. Research shows that readers want to view content quickly and often scan copy prior to reading. By using headlines, subheads and bulleted lists you can effectively organize and break content into scannable sections. When writing headlines, be as poignant as possible and make sure that each heading states a benefit that addresses your readers’ concerns.

   Your audience visits your page because they’re looking for information they think you can offer. Remember to use plain language that speaks directly to their needs, keep your copy straight and to the point and keep your thoughts well organized by using headlines and bulleted lists.