I think there’s a couple of things worth thinking about when it comes to website copy. I thought I might take a few minutes to chat to you about that so you understand the approach we take in writing for OM4 websites.
Effective online marketing copy is not marketing hype. In general:
- Sentences are shorter
- Paragraphs are shorter
- A site is stronger if it informs rather than sells
- Let pictures and information show who you are
- Go for copy that is understated rather than overstated
- Simple accessible language works better than formal language
- Think useful information rather than advertising copy.
I’ll take the material clients supply and I work hard to simplify it. The reason for this is that many people will initially skim rather than read websites.
Many people think of a website as an online brochure but it isn’t. You only have a few seconds to get the attention of your customer. The easier it is for them to read, the more likely they’ll want to stay.
Online readers aren’t very tolerant of obstacles in any form. They don’t respond well to a sea of copy that looks like hard work.
More than ever – simplicity is the key. Ask a friend to read the material on your website and make a note of any points they felt bored or confused.
Edit out material until each page is easy and interesting to read. Check your analytics to see if there are particular pages are consistently sending customers away. Consider a rewrite or even delete that page.
Websites are not unlike gardens. Five minutes weeding every now and again will boost your results.