Posts Tagged ‘Website copywriting’

Have you always been led to believe that SEO copywriting is a complex beast that only a few 'chosen ones' can master? Well, it's not that difficult so long as you remember one important thing, it's still web copy, so it should be written primarily for your reader and not the search engines. Yup, that's right, your reader should be help aloft on a pedestal because they are far more important than the likes of Google. Really? Yes, really - it is your reader who will buy from you, not Google. Granted, you have to get Google to like you a bit to make sure you appear in the appropriate search results, but good SEO copy won't do that alone. To make that happen it has to be combined with good web design, link building and making sure your keywords appear ...

What is your brand? A simple enough question, but one that leaves many people scratching their head. If you think you know, write it down as simply as possible and put it to one side. After reading this post take another look at it and see how close you were. What is your brand? When you started out, you probably spent a lot of time thinking about your brand. For many people, that meant sitting with a graphic designer to come up with a really cool logo. Once you had that, you probably visited your web designer who put together a fab website with loads of cool gizmos on it - and that was it; your business was launched. So, is that right? You have a logo, therefore you have a brand? It's not really that straightforward because branding isn't just about your logo - its about: Colour Graphics Images Words Design Perception It's about you What are your values? Taking a step back, do you ...

If you automatically answer to the question - why do you have a website? - is... Because everyone else has got one ...you could be in trouble. Yes, being in business today means you are expected to have a website, but that shouldn't be the only reason for its existence. Your website must have a purpose; one that will be of benefit to you and to your customers. The benefits for you Being on the web with an effective website (that means one that actually works rather than one that just looks nice) means you can: Save time because it should provide the answers to most of your customers' questions therefore freeing up staff Be a source of information 24/7 Be optimised so people can find you online Use it to publicise your latest news and events Show off your products and service to one and all sell online That's just off the top of my head - your website should make ...

Hands up if you've "we'd" all over your website. There are oodles of websites out there suffering from this very embarrassing condition, simply because it's full of "we" and not enough "you": We've been in business 20 years We won the Award for best customer service We made awesome chairs Who cares? Certainly not your customers. The only thing your customer wants to know is what will your product/service do for them? You've got to make them see how much better their lives will be with your product, how much money they'll save, how much more successful they'll be... But to make that happen you have to ditch the "we" in favour of "you". To make your website copy achieve this, it should be written in the second person so it addresses your reader directly - like this: Make your marketing materials work harder and ...

We all want happy customers that return to us time and again. As, for many customers, your website will be their first contact with you, it must give them the experience they want - speed, simplicity and a warm and fuzzy feeling. So, how can you make sure your website delivers on all fronts? Well, here are a few tips you can use to improve customer experience: Speed From the minute they land on your website, they want things to happen quickly. 1. Loading A fast loading website is a must because your customers aren't going to hang around waiting for you. If you have images on your site, make sure they are compressed otherwise they may adversely effect your loading time. 2. Payment process Again this will need to be fast and simple to follow. Plus, it's always an idea to offer a range of payment ...

Search engine optimisation doesn't have to be scary. Despite the claims of some, anyone can make simple SEO checks on their website that will make a difference to their rankings. Of course, you must have a strategy in place (and stick to it) if you want to be really successful. So, if you're ready, let's get to it with check number 1. 1. Design For most companies (yes, you too), the look of their site is everything. They invest vast amounts of money on the design of their site because they want it to look 'nice'. Well looking nice is all well and good, but if it doesn't appear in the search results no one is going to see it. Custom built websites are great if you work with a team that are as good with SEO as they are with their creativity (a rare combination). Whether you like them or not, template websites tend ...

Search engine optimisation can seem like an unfathomable language at times. Working our what your keywords should be, organising your site structure and building back links are all part of this, at times, mystical art. And, there are no short cuts because you need all the elements if your strategy is to work. When it comes to your website copy, the best course of action is to hire a SEO copywriter, but if that’s not something you’ve budgeted for, here are 7 quick tips to help you optimise your web copy.   1. Headline It doesn’t matter what you’re writing your copy for, your headline is always going to be important. If it doesn’t grab your reader from the outset, they’re not going to waste their time reading the rest of your copy. Basically, it’s got to be powerful and ...

  How do you know if you have a piece of good copy or not? Can you tell, just by looking at it? Annoyingly, the answer is yes and no because it depends on: What the copy is What’s its purpose is What form it takes As an example, take a look at this piece of SEO copywriting: As you read through it, you are constantly tripping over the phrase ‘search engine optimization’. That’s not good. A well written piece of SEO copy should not make its keywords obvious. It should be written in a natural way – and if you think about it, naturally, you wouldn’t constantly repeat a phrase over and over, would you? OK, that was quite an obvious example, but let’s think about a general piece of text that is being used to sell a product. It can written grammatically correctly without ...

  Why is it that so many corporate and professional business services websites are written in a stiff and formal tone? Granted, they are serious businesses, but that doesn’t mean that to portray a sense of professionalism you have to use intensely complex language. The result is generally, an underperforming website that no one wants to read because it’s too boring and the language completely unfathomable. If you want to make someone think… “Yes, this is great. They sound just like the company I need” …you have got to write in an approachable, accessible and friendly manner. Making friends Writing in a conversational tone is the best way to get readers on your side. That doesn’t mean you have to ‘dumb-down’ your language, it just means creating something your readers can relate to. Your website will be instantly more accessible. I know what you’re saying, most of your ...

  If I asked you to give me an example of powerful copywriting what you say? Something that catches your attention immediately A headline which draws you in Simple to read copy with lots of headings Hopefully your answer was something along those lines. Powerful copywriting is all of those things. The problem is when some people try to write strong copy they get it all wrong. Bear with me and I’ll explain. Shouting copy A few days ago, I was writing some web copy for a client and my husband was working from home. He works for a German company and deals with a lot of customers located around Europe. That particular day he was engaged on a phone call to one such customer. Instead of his usual voice, I heard a rather strained conversation being conducted in very slow, broken English. He, like many of us, is guilty of adopting the technique of speaking very s-l-o-w-l-y ...

  Website copywriting is just one of the services I offer my clients. Creating copy that is effective is essential if you want your website visitor to become a paying customer. Generating copy that is interesting, relevant and that sells isn’t as easy as it sounds and there are a number of factors that you must consider when creating your website copy. In fact, these factors are equally relevant when writing copy for all your marketing materials such as brochures, case studies, newsletters, emails etc. Even though you are writing about your products and services, it is your reader who must be at the forefront ...

  Getting someone to find your website is one thing. Encouraging them to read your content while they are there is something entirely different. If you market your business online you probably spend hours producing content that is designed to promote you and your business and build links. To target your audience you would have done a mountain of research to come up with a list of topics for your blog posts, articles and website copy.   Once you’ve uploaded your fantastic value-laden information and hit publish… …absolutely nothing happens. No matter how often you check there are no tweets (not even ...

  As a website copywriter, I have been know to harp on about your website copy should address the needs of your reader. What do I mean? Basically, your content must focus on the benefits of your product/service to the reader rather than focusing on your company and its accomplishments. That may sound easy but it isn’t. To create great copy that’s compelling, you have to distance yourself from your business which is why many companies opt for the services of a professional copywriter. Writing for your reader is the way to go but that doesn’t mean you have to totally forget about yourself. You still need an outlet on ...

  Despite living in a virtual age there are still many businesses out there resisting the urge to have a website. Some of the common arguments about not buying into virtual real estate are: It wouldn’t suit our customer base We get enough customers without having an expensive website I don’t understand all that computer stuff It’s too expensive I don’t want to sell online I don’t have time for one of those The problem is just about everyone else is online, especially your customers. So when they search for a supplier ...

The SEO Low Down Google is constantly changing. It loves to keep internet marketers on their toes by changing the goal posts every so often. One of the most recent changes that you’re bound to have noticed is the introduction of Google Instant Preview. Now, when you enter a search term in the Google search box, each of your results will have a little magnifying glass next to it. Designed to help you search smarter, by clicking on the magnifying glass you bring up a preview of the web site so you can see in an instant whether it’s going to be of interest to you. So now, rather than having to open a site, scan it, realise it’s not for you, hit the back browser and start all over again – you can scan the results without leaving the page to ...

  Whether you’ve got a website and need a revamp or you’re just starting out on  the web there are certain things you need to avoid when thinking about your design. Remember that your website is, in effect, your online shop window. Think about how it will be viewed by your visitors, what they will want to see and what they’ll need to know. Don’t be complicated If a visitor lands on your website they will want to be able to find out what they need to know quickly and easily. If they’re faced with numerous options, confusing navigation and a ‘busy’ Home page they are more than likely ...

  Search engine optimisation – three words that can fill any internet marketer with dread. If you opt for the PPC (pay per click) route, you may see faster results but you’ll also experience the high price tag that tends to come with it. SEO may be slower but it’s a more economical long term solution. To get an SEO strategy that works, you’ll need 3 things: An SEO friendly website that is easy to navigate (for the reader and search engine spiders) Great content written by a professional SEO Copywriter Back links Yes, I know what ...

  Once upon a time if you wanted to research a subject you had to go to the library and scour numerous reference books for the information you needed. Today, you just have to Google it. So how long will it be before the humble books is consigned to the history web pages of the internet? With the arrival of the Kindle reader (iPad and smartphones) the traditional book looks to be under threat of extinction. This ‘electronic-paper’ wonder  is supposed to offer a reading experience that looks and reads like real paper. Really? Not for me thanks. When I read I like to hold a book; ...

  Every business with a website is after good Google rankings. With more and more people turning to the internet for goods and services, you’ve got to be listed if you want to be found. Which means your listing has to be on the front page. The copy on your website has to contribute to getting great rankings and it has to be interesting and relevant to your reader. That’s a tough combination to achieve which is why it is vital your business invests in the services of a good SEO Copywriter who really knows what they are doing. SEO Cheatsheet If you are ...

  Is your website converting? There are loads of websites out there that look great, have loads of content and, sometimes, rank quite well. But they are missing one thing – they aren’t converting. This is a conversation I tend to have with people far too regularly. It goes a bit like this: Client: “My website’s working really well – I get about 500 unique visitors every day” Copywriter: “Great, so what’s your conversion rate?” Client: “My what?” Argh! There you have it – they’ve missed the number one reason for having a website – converting your visitors into paying customers. That’s why I’ve written this post – ...

  The days on the Yellow Pages and Business Pages are fast diminishing. More people today turn to the search engines to find local service providers and products. Therefore getting to grips with local search has never been so important. How geared up it your website and online marketing activities up for local searches? The best way to make the most of your local search potential is to own as much of the web as possible.   Boosting your online presence One of the best ways to boost your profile online is to increase the number of web pages you have. That doesn’t mean to say you ...

  Online marketing – love it or hate it, if you’re a business owner you have to get to grips with it. As the vast majority of the population use the internet to search for products and services these days, if you you don’t have an online presence you will be missing out on a massive marketplace. But that doesn’t mean you can just lob any old website into cyber space and people will come running with open wallets. Being online badly can seriously damage your business The first thing to remember when starting out in the online world is that the internet isn’t a static entity. It ...

  Search engine optimisation – love it or hate it, it’s here to stay so you’d better get to grips with it. Before you ask, no I wouldn’t call myself an SEO expert. So why am I writing this post about it? Well, I am a pretty good SEO Copywriter – what makes me so sure? Well my own site is on the front page of Google for the term copywriter which is very competitive (getting on for 7 million search results) as well as several of my other keywords. Plus a number of my clients are also enjoying front page rankings. If you think writing SEO content is ...

The FAQ page is a must for most websites. To give your customers all the information they need about your company, products and services would be impossible without one. Can you imagine how long each page would be if you were to cover every possible question that your customers had? That’s why the humble FAQ page exists. Through this one page you can convey information to your readers quickly. Most websites include one because: They give an extra level of support for your customers They save you time by posting answers to questions your customers would be phoning or email you constantly about They show you care because you are providing your customers with as much assistance as possible To be effective you must make sure the questions and answers ...

  As an SEO copywriter I hate word count. It’s counterproductive and here’s why. Over the years I have worked on many SEO copywriting projects – some direct with businesses others for SEO web designers and companies. Most clients realise I know quite a lot about SEO copywriting and in particular how it works. Many of the sites I write for rank on the front page of Google for their chosen keywords – not least my own website which is on the front page of Google for ‘copywriter’ (out of about 6 million results). So as SEO copywriters go, I’m pretty good – even if I do say so ...

Online marketers are obsessed about search engine optimisation. There’s nothing wrong with that, after all they wouldn’t get anywhere without keywords, backlinks and a decent website structure. But by spending every waking hour worrying about them you could be missing the bigger picture. Google analytics is vital if you want to know what’s going on on your website – where your traffic comes from and the behaviour of your visitors. One of its key stats – even more important than where your visitors come from – is how effective your website is, i.e. its bounce rate. What is bounce rate? The bounce rate shows the percentage of visitors to your website that leave within the first 10 seconds. And that’s not good. If visitors are ...

  On the one hand you have your reader, on the other the search engine spiders. So who do you concentrate on? All too often, the copy on most websites seems to place the importance on the spiders—big mistake. Their copy is crammed with their keywords because the businesses are fixated on getting to the front page of Google. Will this tactic get you great rankings? Possibly. Will it get you lots and lots of visitors? Maybe. Will it convert all those visitors into sales? Definitely not. Higher rankings, more traffic and greater sales These three things are at the top of most ...

Most businesses realise that the internet is the place to be these days. It is a vast market place scoured by millions of internet users every day. But that doesn’t mean you should dash out and throw any old website together. If you want a website it should for one reason only – to sell. If it doesn’t do that, it becomes a very expensive brochure. As a copywriter I have used this blog as a way of informing and educating people in how to get the most out of their website. But there are still a large number out there who don’t seem to get it. What’s the point in having a website if… Your website is your online shop window. As ...

How is your website doing? Does it get a lot of traffic? If so, is that reflected in your conversion rate? What I’m asking is, if your site gets thousands of hits a week is that converting into sales? As a copywriter I come across lots of websites. Some look good, have a decent amount of content and even rank quite well. But they don’t convert. So how can you get your website working efficiently for you? What is the secret that successful website owners know that you don’t? How to make your website convert every time Before you do anything to your website, you have to go to the beginning of the process and study how people use the internet. Generally if they’re looking for something ...

  In my last post we looked at the Home Page and About Us page. Now it’s the turn of the Products/Service page and FAQs. Products and services 1. A company selling products Quite often when you look at a website, the product pages are full of images showing you what you can buy with very little copy. That’s a real shame as it’s the copy that sells the benefits to your reader and gives you the opportunity to get your keywords into your page. That doesn’t mean there has to be a massive amount of text here, just enough to tell the reader why ...