Being able to capture a reader’s attention with your writing is a difficult task, especially when most Customers will only spend mere seconds on your Site before deciding whether to stay or move on.
Your written Web content is one of the most important aspects of your Site, as it speaks in the voice of your brand and can optimise your Site for Search Engines.
If you’re still here, it must mean we’ve truly captured your attention! And this will do you good, because we’re going to get into 3 golden rules that will elevate your Web copy to a more sophisticated level, putting your Site on the map for those desired Customers.
Know Your Audience
Your Customers are the ones purchasing, reading and engaging with your business. They hold most of the power, but maybe we can take some of that power for ourselves? It will always be the Customers’ decision, but if we get under their skin (not literally, ew), we can understand how they tick and use that to our advantage.
Now that we’ve put their skin on, we need to ask some questions. What search terms are they using? What sort of questions are they asking about your product/service? Learn how they speak so you’re able to write in their language, then you’ll be able to answer their questions and they’ll feel like they can relate to and be comfortable navigating your Site. Your content needs to be relevant and interesting to your perceived target audience.
Once you’ve got a clear idea of your audience’s language, it’s time to take off their skin and begin planning. You should be able to articulate the search keywords they’re using and have a grasp on their needs, so place those terms in your headings to improve the SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) of your Site.
Short and Sweet
With Customers in and out of your Site in a flash, your aim is to hook them from the first line. You’ll have max 15 seconds to grab your readers’ attention, so it pays (literally) to make it count.
Following on from these short attention spans, this will continue even if they choose to remain on your Site. Leave out those sizable, analytical paragraphs and stick to text that is scannable. Use descriptive headers and dot points, with white space between paragraphs.
Those terms that are jargon-filled and sound impressive but are difficult for the everyday person? Get rid of them. That authoritative tone that you believe gives you a good image? Stop it right now. Your reader needs to be viewed as a friend, so talk to them that way.
Encourage Customers to Act
Your Customer is hooked, the writing makes them feel like they belong, it’s answering all of their questions, and they feel at ease on your Site. Excellent, you’re almost there.
The next stage is encouraging them to act upon your products/service. The call to action (CTA).
Phrases like ‘join’, ‘sign up’, ‘subscribe’, ‘watch’, ‘download’, ‘learn more’, all which will motivate your Customer to heighten their relationship with your brand.
You should also demonstrate the worth of your CTA with testimonials and success stories on your Site.
By keeping it simple, putting the Customer skin on and hooking your audience, your Website copy should work efficiently, attracting sales and a larger reach for your Site.