I, Resolve

There’s nothing new in this post, but some messages need repeating… and repeating.

I recently came across the outspoken media blog which shocked me into consciousness. Instead of the usual marketing drivel, these folks really are outspoken! They say what they think and take a stand, even if it ruffles some feathers.

Thanks to content management tools it’s easy to write for your blog or website. You don’t have to know how to spell, and grammar, what’s that? Hey, you can always “borrow” some copy from another site (but that’s a different blog post).

In every tool there’s the potential for good or evil.  There’s a difference between adding effective, engaging, inspiring content and adding meaningless word combinations to a page nobody will ever read.

What makes effective content?
Take this simple test. Read the copy on your web page. Out loud. If you can get through it without getting confused (what is this about?) or bored (oh brother!) you’re on the right track.

The biggest problem on the web
Too many words. It’s not that people aren’t willing to read online. It’s that we don’t want to waste time reading boring, irrelevant nonsense, or being forced to read (rather than scan) to find what we’re looking for.

Some tips for effective web copywriting

• Write less
• Write from your visitor’s point of view (what do they need to/want to know?)
• Focus on the benefits of your product or service
• Use short sentences, brief paragraphs
• Make it easy to scan with sub-headers, lists, and bold text for emphasis
• Use “you” and “your” rather than “we”
• Include a “call-to-action” that tells visitors what you’d like them to do

That’s not going to solve the biggest problem on the web, but it’s a start. What tips do you have?