How to write great website content

SEO copywriting writing for websites

Before building a brand new website, or updating an existing site, you need to do a bit of research on your business and answer some important questions about your online presence. The results will guide the structure of your site and ensure you create the right impression that will have visitors coming back for more.

A fabulous website not only needs to look good but sound good too which is where these tips on how to write great website content will help.

As part of your research, consider the following:-

–          What is your site’s main purpose?  Is it to sell a product or service?  Provide information to members?  Sign up visitors to a course? Maybe encourage volunteers? Or even recruit people?

–           Is there a secondary purpose for your site?  For example, a corporate site like a bank may sell products but also provide information for financial analysts, investors and brokers

–          What sort of content is important for each purpose?

–          Who is the target audience the site is trying to attract?  What are their interests?  What do you know about them, eg their age, how much they earn, where they live?

Once you’ve got answers to these questions, you can start organising your site.

1.       The best starting point is to put together a website map which shows the site’s structure and content.  It’s also important to choose your keywords before you start writing so that search engines can easily find you.

2.       Your homepage is the most important page on your site and creating the right impression is essential.  Make sure your menu structure is clear as this will help visitors navigate around your site quickly and easily.

3.       Visitors scan rather than read and skip from place to place.  Remember that reading on a screen is slower than reading the same text in its printed format.  Give visitors minimal directions so that they can find the information they need quickly and easily.

4.       Write clean, clear, concise copy with your target audience in mind.  Write with a purpose which could be to inform, educate, persuade or entertain.

5.       Include bulleted and numbered lists and highlight text to make it easy to scan.

6.       Deliver copy in bite size chunks and remember less is more: edit any unnecessary or irrelevant copy

7.       Ensure you include a clear CTA (Call To Action) that is easily visible on your site. Don’t leave visitors wondering what to do next – include messages like: “Sign up to our newsletter for a free e-book” or “”Call our Helpline for product support” or “Register your details to get a discount off your first order”

Finally, check your grammar, punctuation and spelling – it’s just as important to get them right online as it is with any printed media.  Minimise the use of adjectives and adverbs and always spell-check content.  Spelling mistakes on websites happen too frequently and errors make visitors question the reliability and accuracy of information on the whole website.

If you have questions on how to write great website content, send a message on the Contact page or give Ruth a call on 0411 889283.