5 Ways Web Copy is Different from Print
By Dina
Giolitto
There is no hidden secret to writing great
copy for the web. All that you need to know is already before
your eyes. After you read this article, go visit your favorite
web hangout and take a good look around. Chances are you'll
begin to notice some of the characteristics of web copy that
I've listed below.
1. Keywords are the key to great web copy.
Picture the web as a global library. The
search engines index every bit of information categorically,
much like the index at the back of a book. But while books
are a great way to unleash creative expression, the web is
a bit more restrictive. If you want to be found on the search
engines, the web copy MUST contain basic keyword terms - words
that humans would likely type into a search box. This is not
to say that you must kiss your old SAT vocabulary flash cards
goodbye forever. But you've got to get a harness on those
obscure terms that nobody understands, and opt for common
terminology instead. If you don't, your web copy is not doing
it's job - and that is, helping you get found.
2. Web copy requires links.
I've had plenty of aspiring web copywriters
ask me this question and I can almost hear the groan in their
voices: "Do I REALLY need to include HTML links in my
web copy?" The answer is 100% yes. The keywords I mentioned
above function much better when they're riding on hyper text,
or links. This is how people surf from one page to the next...
via the links. Therefore, you have no choice but to include
them in your copy if you want to claim yourself as a halfway
decent web copywriter (the rest will depend on if you can
actually write in a way that excites the human brain).
3. Web articles should be short (under 800
words).
When I say 800 words, I really mean 600
but I'm being nice because I know it's difficult to stop writing
once you're on a roll. The web surfer's attention span is
incredibly short and in some cases nonexistent. Therefore,
you don't want his eyes to glaze over as he scrolls haphazardly
down the page of copy that you poured your soul into for hours.
Best to save the soul-searching copy for a love letter to
that special someone, and instead keep that web page short
and sweet, the way that the typical web surfer likes it. You
know from being a web surfer yourself, what happens when someone
loses you with their wordy meanderings - you click away, never
to return. So don't commit the same sin when writing your
web articles.
4. Web copy works better when it's broken
into pieces.
I can't say this enough. It really doesn't
matter what you're writing; it could be home page copy, a
web article, a blog post or any other type of miscellaneous
content. Whatever it is, you're far more likely to hold the
reader's attention if you break up your copy into short, snack-sized
sections. Begin each section with a compelling headline that
makes use of a popular keyword term and has been bold-treated
for extra emphasis. Search engines and humans with scattered
minds eagerly gobble up this format of copy for lunch!
5. Good web copy stays simple and to the
point.
Simple doesn't necessarily mean boring.
You can still add some verve and spice to your web copy while
keeping on topic, but effective web content does require significant
trimming. If you were writing a book for print, you'd want
to load up your copy with similes, analogies and illustrated
examples. But unlike books, the web forces you to keep a tight
reign on your mental wanderings. The more focused on one topic
you are, the better chance you have of ranking high for your
niche topic and keywords and the more pairs of eyes your web
site will reach. That is, if you plan to write copy that sells
a product or service which you likely are if you're writing
for the web.
Of course, you are the master of your web
content - so it's ultimately up to you what to publish. But
for those who are new to the whole internet business thing,
you may want to take a good, close-up look at how prominent
web sites structure their copy, and then model yours after
what you see. With a little bit of guidance and a lot of practice,
writing website copy will become like second nature.
Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto, Wordfeeder.com
Copywriting and Marketing. All rights reserved.
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