Over the last decade, the number of companies selling their products and services on the Web or sharing information online with their target market has exploded.
It's no longer frowned upon to conduct your business on the Web, and huge numbers of people are making a healthy living doing just that. Others, however, are not. For every great website out there that grabs its customer's attention and holds it, there are hundreds more bad ones that don't. Despite their best efforts, many businesses are losing money daily due to the poor performance of their company website.
Contrary to popular myth, what constitutes a great website is not just fantastic design, but also the quality of the online copy that accompanies it. If you pay equal attention to both sides of this equation, you'll end up with an amazing site that drives traffic where you need it most, bringing excellent sales or driving great interest as a result. But if you ignore the necessity of simple, effective and clear-cut Web copy, evidence has shown your site will suffer as a consequence.
In a 2002 Stanford University "Web Credibility" survey of over 4,500 Web users in Europe and the US, findings are unequivocal. Whilst recognising the benefits of good design, the report also states:
"Our data suggests that integrity of content has considerable impact on how people evaluate the credibility of a website. Study participants gave some of their lowest scores on credibility to sites that fail to separate advertising from editorial content, run too many ads on a page, or display ads through pop-up windows. At the same time, users gave strong marks to site content that identified its sources and provided its authors' credentials."
Along with effective design and navigation, the report concludes that:
"As for writing style, (websites should) be clear, direct, and sincere."
(Source: Stanford-Makovsky Web Credibility Study 2002).
So you have to ask yourself, is the writing on your website 'clear, direct and sincere'? If not, then you could be losing sales. Nobody wants a lame duck website that leaves its visitors confused or disinterested, or worse still, a site that makes inflated and unrealistic claims. What people want to find on your site is a credible and well thought out approach to their requirements, they want answers to the questions that drew them to your website in the first place ? because it's then that they are more likely to make a purchase. Hitting just the right tone to do this is the job of a really good copywriter, and the time and money you take to get this right with a professional writer will ultimately be reflected in increased business for you and your company.
Laurence James is Copywriting Director of The Copy Box ® ? Professional Copywriting & Content. He holds a BA Honours Degree in English and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism. Laurence has been writing commercially in a variety of different markets for over seven years, and works with companies of all sizes, including marketing and advertising agencies.
Web: http://www.thecopybox.com
Email: info@thecopybox.com.
Headlines attract attention. Headlines generate interest. The time spent writing... Read More
Is it out there? The chance to be a freelance... Read More
In order to get ahead in your copy writing business,... Read More
Sometimes it's a struggle to figure out what's the best... Read More
We all know words are powerful. Whether written or spoken,... Read More
Listen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time... Read More
When making a purchasing decision, people have their "rip off... Read More
Quality is what you need. What you don't have is... Read More
In the competitive marketplace of the new millennium, the demand... Read More
Where can you find out about freelance technical writing pay?... Read More
While traditional marketing can work for the book author or... Read More
1. Address your reader as a friend, not as "Friend."When... Read More
An interesting debate is currently raging among copywriters, web designers... Read More
I've seen this ongoing debate debate jump up again recently... Read More
Internet Marketing- Forget the experts, latest software program or even... Read More
Whether you run a home-based business or Microsoft, one thing... Read More
Your sales letter is the most important component in your... Read More
Think you have what it takes to be a freelance... Read More
What ever happened to good old fashion, fundamental copywriting? Has... Read More
Only about 20% of your copy is going to get... Read More
Whether you're an executive or a small business owner, chances... Read More
Think quick. In 10 seconds, can you list the 5... Read More
These days, you don't have to traverse the dark forest... Read More
Once a upon a recent time in a galaxy not... Read More
Several years ago, when I was working for an agency,... Read More
When I critique, edit or rewrite sales copy, I discover... Read More
Most people would love to make a living from freelance... Read More
Pretty or elegant? Good or scrumptious? Nice or delightful? There... Read More
I like to use power phrases when writing sales material.... Read More
As you know, I'm constantly making the point that the... Read More
When you want to sell something?anything? you need to first... Read More
It's true, we were all taught in school to express... Read More
For the e-book, Advice from Successful Freelancers: How They Built... Read More
One of the biggest challenges a copywriter faces is to... Read More
1. Use a hand written letter on your ad copy... Read More
Run or hustle? Eat or devour? Move or scurry? You... Read More
These days, there's widespread acceptance that a website is an... Read More
Hands up if the title to this article made you... Read More
Your sales copy is the life source of your business.... Read More
If you made it this far, the headline for this... Read More
Lots of people who seek out my copywriting services are... Read More
A few weeks ago I wrote some copy for a... Read More
Headlines are, without a doubt, one of the most important... Read More
You've probably seen web sites with testimonials - they can... Read More
Regardless of how you look at it, the most important... Read More
Your definition may differ, but I define a lapsed donor... Read More
Overlooking simple steps such as proofreading and grammar can affect... Read More
"Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a... Read More
When it comes to search engine optimization, copywriting plays a... Read More
Network marketing is an art as much as it is... Read More
I worked as a business magazine editor for about 20... Read More
All the world's a story. Video games have storylines; newspapers... Read More
I want to tell you how I go about writing... Read More
Do you have the training and skills needed for copywriting?Are... Read More
Have you heard of Brian Keith Voiles? Probably not, but... Read More
In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as... Read More
When you want to sell something?anything? you need to first... Read More
Looking to chuck that full-time job for a life of... Read More
Most people can write. Some can even write well. But... Read More
So you finally built a website for your home-based business.... Read More
As with any business, becoming a freelance business plan writer... Read More
People tend to read your ads and sales letters in... Read More
Year after year people make the same mistakes in direct-response... Read More
Nothing can turn strong copy into a 97-pound weakling faster... Read More
If you've been writing web articles to help promote your... Read More
If you write copy you need a swipe file. A... Read More
Copywriting |