I attended a webinar yesterday by MarketingProfs about copywriting for the web. Here are the top 10 tips for making sure your copy help you meet the goals of your site:
Love the inverted pyramid method.
Give the conclusion first, supporting info second and background/technical details last.- Cut unnecessary words and then cut even more! After writing your copy, cut out about half the words, then cut out another half. Get out of your readers’ way.
- Get to the point. Give them what they came for fast. Don’t bore them with niceties.
- Avoid jargon. Make your goal to inform, not impress. Keep in simple with common words.
- Make easy to scan. Weight the most important information.
Paragraphs should be between 40-60 words. No more than 60 words!
Headings should be 8 words or fewer.
Subheads 12-14 words.
Use bulleted lists for features, subjects, ideas. - Read copy out loud. If you can’t read it out loud comfortably and naturally to someone, it still needs work. Also, avoid “At company X, we…”
- Write killer headings. Use keywords. Be clear, not clever.
- Lead with active words.
- Use simple sentences. Verbs & nouns = good. Adjectives & adverbs = bad (use sparingly). Eliminate commas. Break up sentences to make shorter, simpler.
- Set up a review process. Someone else should review for accuracy. Someone else should review for quality.
Aside from the 10 tips, I also took away that you shouldn’t say more than you need to just to make your page more searchable. Instead, use keywords in links, subheads, etc.
Figure out the goal of each page. Provide a clear path from the page to the next step.
Make your copy engaging. Avoid marketing speak. Be authentic. Be personable. Avoid jargon and hype.