Internet users prefer to scan websites in order to find useful information as quick as they can. They don’t want to take the time to read lots of material. Copywriters need to keep this in mind when writing for the web.
Successful web writing needs to be short, objective, and to the point.
Brief and to the point
A general rule to follow when writing for the web is that the word count should be half that of traditional marketing content. Your goal is to have people find the main point of each paragraph as quickly as possible. Too much “flowery” language will turn them off.
Organized
Good web copy is organized as well as concise. Divide your content into small pieces that follow a logical line of thought. Bullets are useful and can easily summarize your message. Keep your main message in the main 1/3 of the homepage. Visitors will scroll down to find more details, not to find what is most meaningful.
Useful
Although a website can attract a visitor’s attention using visuals such as photos and/or videos, headlines are still important. Headlines should still be used to “sell”. Make sure the headline accurately portrays what’s coming up in the article or the next page. There’s nothing more annoying for the reader than to click on a link expecting to get more of the same information and finding something completely different.
Think SEO while you write
Today’s search engine algorithms are out to catch “the cheater”. Don’t stuff your web content with keywords or you’ll get penalized. Consider your keywords carefully and make them very relevant to your business, and your website. Include them in the title and body of your article/page. Your copywriter should use keyword tools to find the relevant phrases that get searched in high percentages.
Hyperlinking
Web copywriters should understand the function and importance of hyperlinking. Hyperlinks deliver information to the reader without slowing them down. Let’s say you point out an important statistic, but you don’t want to take too long to explain the details. You simply link to the article or source that further explains it. Opening that link to a new tab or window is user friendly and allows the reader to get back to the main page quickly.