Video may be all the rage right now, but it’s the copy on your site that makes visitors convert to customers. Take a closer look at the copy on your site, and if you want to increase conversions, employ these five easy tips:
1. Use simple words
Business owners who write copy for their own website are often guilty of using industry lingo and jargon. You may not even be aware that people who aren’t familiar with your company or the industry you operate in don’t understand some of the terms and phrases you’re used to.
To combat this, get a lay person to read through your copy and ask them to tell you what it says using their own words. If they can’t explain it to you, it’s a sign that the language you’re using doesn’t suit the audience you’re trying to reach. Go through your copy again and replace any technical terms or jargon with ordinary, everyday words that will help anyone understand your message.
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Keep it brief
You really need to put yourself in your visitors’ shoes when writing web copy. Remember that people use the internet to find answers. The faster they can find what they’re looking for, the more likely they are to explore your site to see what else you have to offer.
To keep your copy crisp and clear, remove the excess and keep only information that is useful, valuable and necessary. Stick to short paragraphs of around three sentences and don’t be afraid of white space – it gives the eyes and the mind a break.
- Add subheadings and bullets
Subheadings and bullets help to break up text and make it more inviting. Much research has been done into the way people read text on the web, and findings suggest that only 16% of people read every word. From that you can deduce that most of us scan the text seeking the information we want.
Use this information to your advantage and employ these tricks to ensure visitors to your website actually read your copy:
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- Highlight keywords to draw their attention to important elements.
- Focus on one idea per paragraph and use subheadings that make communicate your idea clearly.
- Break lists down into bullet points so they’re easier to read.
- Start with the most important information first.
Give these suggestions a go on your copy and you’ll see the difference it makes to your visitor’s experience.
Give these suggestions a go on your copy and you’ll see the difference it makes to your visitor’s experience.
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Add a Call-to-Action
The purpose of your web copy is to encourage people to buy your product, subscribe to your newsletter or fill in your contact form. But no matter how convincing your arguments are, it doesn’t hurt to tell them what to do next.
Writing an effective CTA is a real skill and you should put as much time and thought into creating one as you can. A CTA is usually only three or four words, but it has to simultaneously grab the attention of your reader and convince them to take an action.
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Revise regularly
The great thing about web copy is that you can change it whenever you want to. It’s often the easiest element of your website to manage without the services of an IT expert. If you feel that a particular page, paragraph or word could be better—go ahead and edit it.
You can even experiment with different fonts, colours and graphics to enhance your copy. Don’t forget to track the effects of your changes to see what works best for connecting with your audience.
There really is no secret to writing great copy for your website; you just have to look at things from your audiences’ perspective. Keep it simple, make it easy to skim and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. Of course it goes without saying that you should check your spelling and grammar. If you don’t, you’ll come across as sloppy and unprofessional.
If you’re not confident about your writing skills, or you don’t have the time to work on your web copy, give Web Changes a call. Our in-house copywriter would be happy to help you find the right words to express yourself and delight your customers.
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