Web Site Writing FAQ

Q1: How important is the text on my Web site?
Very! The words on your Web site (also known as copy) are one of the key means by which you communicate with your target market. It's vital to make a positive first impression on your site visitors and having inaccurate, outdated or spelling and grammatical errors in your Web site copy will reflect poorly on your business and could put off potential customers. Good Web site copy will give your online business credibility, and will make your customers feel secure about doing business with you. Read more on Web writing.

Q2: How does writing for the Web differ from writing other print material?

Web writing requires different techniques because the copy on a Web site must be easy to scan. Web site visitors don't read every word on a page and instead quickly skim over headings and paragraphs to see if the site's content appeals to them.

Q3: How can I get my Web site writing to encourage sales and conversions?

Your Web copy, particularly that on your homepage, is essentially your business' sales and marketing pitch directed to your customers, so it has to make an excellent impression - and do so quickly. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when putting together the text for your Web site:

• Provide benefits rather than features
• Provide Unique Selling Propositions (USP) that differentiate you from your competitors
• Engage your customer or reader
• Convey enthusiasm for your product or service
• Offer a compelling reason to buy or to act
• Call your customer to action
• Support your brand with testimonials and endorsements