How to do great copywriting for the web
It takes 25% longer to absorb info on screen than on paper. It’s even harder when that screen is tiny, like your mobile. There’s also a lot of stuff competing for attention on your social media and news feeds – cute cat videos, baby pictures and funny memes. That’s why when it comes to copywriting for the web, less really is more.
Don’t get us wrong, there’s certainly a time and place for long copy content pieces on the interwebs. Landing pages, case studies and how-to articles need something more in-depth. People have deliberately sought out that information. But when you’re trying to stand out in an endless stream, these four tips will help you engage your target audience.
1. Get to the point
Start with the conclusion first. Fill in the details afterwards.
People are probably only scanning the first couple of words to decide whether they’ll pause and read or just keep scrolling. If you cut to the chase and tell them your call to action or the most important thing first, then at least they’ve got that if they read nothing else.
2. Engage your readers
People are impatient. They haven’t got time, especially if they’re mindlessly scrolling, to figure out overly clever headlines or convoluted explanations.
Keep your copy clear and concise. Be relevant and obvious to engage your readers from the get-go. Think quality over quantity.
3. Make your article digestible
Use headlines, subheads, summaries and captions to make your web copy easily digestible.
Make it easy for everyone by breaking up your copy into short, easy to understand paragraphs with subheadings and bullets to introduce and explain each new idea.
4. Encourage readers to take action
What do you want people to do? Buy your thing? Subscribe to your newsletter? Make an appointment? Make sure you always include a relevant call to action (CTA) or you’ve missed an opportunity.
Make it obvious. Providing a link to the relevant product page, subscription form or whatever makes it super easy for customers to act immediately and not forget or get frustrated by having to do extra work themselves.
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