There's more to producing web copywriting than publishing a certain number of words with an optimal keyword density--if you want to keep your readers coming back for more, that is. Anyone can lure web searchers to their sites for a one-time hit, but it takes web copy with real value to make them want to return again and again. And isn't that what everyone wants? To establish real relationships with potential customers and contacts?
Web copywriting has the potential to do just that: to help you communicate with customers, clients, and future contacts. In addition, it can help you to become a thought leader in your industry and to earn a reputation as someone who can solve problems and offer results.
But in order to do all this, you've got to consistently produce valuable content. And here's how:
1. Make it relevant.
People are bombarded with information every day, and they're getting more and more adept at weeding out the information they don't need. Therefore, you need to make your web copywriting relevant to their daily lives. If you're not sure why someone would read your blog post, don't bother writing it. Think of a problem you can solve for someone and then solve it. If it's a real problem that people face, surely they will Google it for help. Be there in the search results, ready to lend a helping hand.
You can make your web copywriting even more relevant by tying it to current events. To do this, keep tabs on your industry's news by customizing your news feeds and reporting on trends and developments. The more relevant your copy, the more you will be considered a thought leader in your circle.
2. Make it real.
Do your suggestions and ideas seem like pies in the sky to your readers? If so, they'll wonder if you're for real. You'll engage your readers more deeply if you give examples they can relate to and solutions to the real problems they face on a regular basis. If you offer real solutions to real problems, you'll have them eating out of your hand. They'll come back for more help next time they face a similar problem, trusting that you have the answers.
3. Make it polished.
Harsh as this sounds, you'll lose credibility if your web copywriting contains typos, misspellings, and even punctuation errors. Your field of expertise may have nothing to do with grammar or the English language, but you'll be judged on your writing anyway. There are a couple of ways to ensure that your web copywriting is polished. First, learn basic grammar rules yourself, and apply them to everything you write. Second, have someone else look over your writing before you publish. It's difficult to look at your own writing objectively; even professional writers depend on editors to catch their mistakes.
4. Make it stand out.
How much web copy is produced every day? More than a billion pages. How will your web copywriting ever stand out in such a sea of text and data? Create interesting headlines. Some SEO copywriters will tell you that the headline is the most important part of your copy. That's partly true. If you write a mediocre headline, you won't get any traffic. No one will read the post or web page you spent so much time on. On the other hand, if you write a fantastic, attention-grabbing headline but your copywriting is blah at best, people won't trust you anymore.
So how do you go about writing interesting headlines for your interesting web copywriting?
- Use numbers
- Avoid mainstream phrases
- Avoid the passive tense
- Drop a famous name
- Apply alliteration and cadence
- Keep it short and simple
5. Make it yours.
In this age of mobile marketing and social media, branding is key to your marketing success. If your business is serious, say a mortuary, don't use a sarcastic or flippant tone in your web copywriting. That's not to say that serious businesses have to produce dry or boring copy; it should just be appropriate and consistent. Firms that have several people producing web copy for the same venues often create a style guide that lays out their criteria. Style guides are very helpful for getting everyone on the same page about tone, language, length, and message.
Follow these tips, and you'll produce web copyrighting with value and punch. Your readers will return often to find out what you have to offer, and you'll reap the rewards of a substantial online presence.
