[COPYWRITING  FOR  THE  WEB]   1    Basically,  why  bother?  Well:  

• People  read  web  pages  differently  as  compared  to  print  • People  rarely  read  web  pages  word  by  word  • They  pick  out  individual  words  and  sentences  • It  is  important  to  be  able  to  write  for  the  web  so  your  

copy  will  be  relevant  to  website  visitors  

This  article  will  provide  tips  on  how  to  address  these.  

WRITE  “SCANNABLE”  TEXT  

 

Because  web  visitors  scan  web  pages  until  they  find  something  interesting  to  read  or  click  on,  we  must  learn  to  write  scannable  text.  Here's  how.    

USE  MEANINGFUL  SUBHEADINGS    

• Use  subheading  for  each  topic    • Make  word  meaningful,  not  clever    • Highlight  the  subheading  so  they  stand  out  (color,  size,  weight,  type)    • Separate  the  previous  topic  /  paragraph  by  a  space    

HIGHLIGHT  KEYWORDS    

• Highlight  important  keywords,  or  group  of  words    • Use  color,  size,  weight,  type    • Hyperlinks  are  a  type  of  highlight    • Make  sure  hyperlinks  highlights  are  recognizable      

USE  A  BULLETED  LIST    

• One  idea  per  bullet    • The  list  should  have  a  title  or  short  description  before  it    • Restrain  the  use  of  fancy  bullet  points      

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HAVE  ONE  IDEA  PER  PARAGRAPH    

• As  with  conventional  writing,  have  only  one  idea  per  paragraph    • Make  each  paragraph  visible  by  a  space  in  between      

USE  THE  INVERTED  PYRAMID  STYLE  OF  WRITING    

• Start  with  the  conclusion    • Beginning  sentence  should  be  important  (this  is  what  they  read  first)    • Succeeding  sentences  give  details  /  support  

USE  ONLY  HALF  THE  WORDS  YOU  NORMALLY  WOULD  

• Use  half  the  words  you  would  write  in  the  conventional  style    • Throw  out  unneeded  poetic  /  prosaic  flair    • Only  use  the  essentials    • Remove  any  paragraphs,  sentences  and  words  that  don't  directly  help  get  your  point  

across    

DIFFERENT  STYLES  

 

Let  us  see  the  contrast  of  different  styles  of  copywriting.  Here  you  will  see  why  writing  scannable  text  is  a  must  for  the  web.    

CONVENTIONAL  

The  conventional  style  is  long  and  weary.  Just  looking  at  the  text  below  doesn't  make  you  want  to  read  it.  Reserve  this  style  for  when  the  visitor  wants  to  read  the  full  version  of  a  scannable  text.  

[COPYWRITING  FOR  THE  WEB]   3    

 London  is  filled  with  internationally  recognized  attractions  that  draw  large  crowds  of  people  every  year,  without  fail.  In  1996,  some  of  the  most  popular  places  were  The  London  Eye  (355,000  visitors),  Big  Ben  (132,166),  London  Bridge  (100,000),  West  End  (86,598),  Madam  Tussaud’s  Wax  Museum  (60,002),  and  Trafalgar  Square  (28,446).  

OBJECTIVE  

A  little  bit  better  because  it  is  direct  to  the  point;  however,  this  still  is  not  good  enough  for  the  web.  Again,  looking  at  the  copy  below  is  not  very  appetizing  to  read.  

London  has  several  attractions.  In  1996,  some  of  the  most-­‐visited  places  were  The  London  Eye  (355,000  visitors),  Big  Ben  (132,166),  London  Bridge  (100,000),  West  End  (86,598),  Madam  Tussaud’s  Wax  Museum  (60,002),  and  Trafalgar  Square  (28,446).  

SCANNABLE  

By  using  a  bulleted  list,  copy  becomes  scannable.  Of  course  there  should  be  a  sentence,  or  label  above  to  identify  what  the  list  is  about.  This  version  is  not  concise  enough  though.  

 London  is  filled  with  internationally  recognized  attractions  that  draw  large  crowds  of  people  every  year,  without  fail.  In  1996,  some  of  the  most  popular  places  were:  

• The  London  Eye  (355,000  visitors)  • Big  Ben  (132,166)  • London  Bridge  (100,000)  • West  End  (86,598)  • Madam  Tussaud’s  Wax  Museum  (60,002)  • Trafalgar  Square  (28,446).  

CONCISE  

Writing  concisely  is  best  because  you  throw  out  all  the  unneeded  words.  Compare  the  conventional  version  and  this:  they  practically  say  the  same  thing  but  this  time  with  less  than  half  the  words.  

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In  1996,  six  of  the  best-­‐attended  attractions  in  The  London  Eye,  Big  Ben,  London  Bridge,  West  End,  Madam  Tussaud’s  Wax  Museum,  and  Trafalgar  Square.  

CONCISE  +  SCANNABLE  

Combine  both  styles  gives  the  best  results  for  web  copywriting.  It  is  direct  to  the  point,  and  easy  to  read.  Yes,  boys  and  girls,  this  is  it.  

In  1996,  six  of  the  most-­‐visited  places  in  London  were:  • The  London  Eye  • Big  Ben  • London  Bridge  • West  End  • Madam  Tussaud’s  Wax  Museum  • Trafalgar  Square  

CREDIBILITY  IS  IMPORTANT  

 

DON’T  USE  PROMOTIONAL  LANGUAGE  

• Don’t  use  promotional  copy  like  “hottest  on  the  web”  • People  want  facts,  not  hype  • Exaggeration  makes  copy  suffer  in  credibility  

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USE  PHOTOS  TO  AUGMENT  YOUR  POINT  

• Good  photos  can  speak  a  lot  of  words  • Don't  write  lengthy  passages  when  a  photo  can  do  

On  the  web  images  speak  a  thousand  words.  So  instead  of  explaining  how  many  people  went  to  the  last  U2  Concert,  just  show  them  a  picture.  

 

By  showing  a  picture,  you  don't  need  to  describe  the  crowd  and  how  many  people  there  are.  A  visual  also  backs-­‐up  your  claim.  It's  evidence  affirming  what  you  are  saying.  The  result  is  credibility  -­‐-­‐  and  people  want  that.  

USE  OUTBOUND  LINKS  

• Use  links  to  other  websites  • This  tells  visitors  you  are  not  afraid  to  cite  your  sources  • Target  a  new  window  for  outbound  links  to  keep  visitors  in  your  site  

USE  THE  ACTIVE  VOICE  

Say  “SUBSCRIBE  NOW”  rather  than,  “click  here  to  subscribe.”