8 Tips for Writing Great Web Copy

So, what makes great web copy, great? The answer is straightforward. Great web copy not only engages readers but converts them into leads and, ultimately, customers.

That being said, you may already know how to tell an interesting story, reiterate the news, or write a top 10 list. However, whether you’re a business owner, manager, or marketer, it is essential to know how to not only captivate your readers but also convert them into customers.

Let’s face it, writing great web copy isn’t an easy task. We are highly aware. 

On top of this, attempting to write effective copy without the proper knowledge or experience can lead to headaches, writer’s block, and worst of all, wasted time and money. 

At TechWyse, we have years of experience writing successful copy for our clients. So, we’ve decided to narrow down our top tips below to help you experience the same success. 

1. Keep your reader in mind

Even before you start writing, it’s best to think about your audience and understand who you are selling to. To do this, you must think about your product or service and establish a buyer persona.

Here are some questions to consider when determining this:

• Who is your average customer? 
  • Consider their age, occupation, and salary.

• What are their pain points?
  • Consider their needs, wants, and struggles.

• How can your product or service help them?
  • Consider how you can provide them with a solution.

If you’re having trouble answering these questions, here are some tips:

• Talk with your sales team

By doing this, you’ll get a better sense of who your audience is plus what they struggle with most. 

• View your website’s analytics

With the help of social media analytic tools like Facebook Audience Insights, you’ll be able to view a large amount of information about your audience. 

• Conduct customer surveys and interviews

Collect as much information about your audience as possible by asking the right questions. One way you can do this is by emailing your current customers with questions about their pain points and demographics.   

2. Establish trust and authority 

Why should the reader trust your copy? Who are you, and why does your opinion matter? Most importantly, why should they purchase your product or service? One of the best ways to keep your reader reading is to create authority very early on.

Let’s be real, you wouldn’t want to continue reading an article if you didn’t find the information trustworthy. So, let the reader know who you are and why you are so experienced on the subject or topic. 

Throughout your copy, make sure you are confident and sure of what you are writing about. Try to avoid words like “maybe” and “think” when describing your service or product. You want to make it sound like what you’re offering is superior to your competitors.

3. Research your topic thoroughly

While establishing why you’re an expert on the matter, finding additional points to back up your claims is necessary. 

Let’s face it, you’re busy and conducting your own research would be inefficient and time-consuming. 

Thankfully, there are thousands of publications online to look through. You can easily find trustworthy statistics, case studies, and surveys to include in your piece. This is sure to keep your reader engaged throughout. 

4. Write in a conversational tone

It’s best to write in a simple, but descriptive manner. By that, we mean, you should use language that is easy to understand while still adding as many details as possible. 

In addition, make sure to address the reader throughout your copy. Use pronouns like “you” and write in 2nd person to keep them feeling engaged. 

No matter who your customer is, no one wants to read long and difficult to understand language. No one especially wants to feel like they’re reading an academic paper. By doing this, you risk losing the reader and increasing your bounce rate. 

5. Create a sense of urgency

It’s not enough to just have an effective call to action in your copy. You want to be able to make it clear that the reader needs your product or service immediately. 

Here are some tips to creating this sense of urgency:

• Include a Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

How is your product different from your competitors, and why is it so valuable? You want to be able to make this clear so that the reader has no choice but to fill out a form, give you a call, or complete a purchase. 

• Give them a clear solution to their problem

How did they find your page, and why are they reading your content? They are there for a specific reason. That said, make sure to explain how your product or service will fix their problem. 

• Get to the point

Keep in mind that users spend about 57% of their time above the fold while viewing a page. So, you should start addressing the reader’s wants and needs in the introduction or, at least, above the fold. This way, they know they’re reading the right article and will continue reading it to find the solution to their problem.

6. Appeal to the reader’s emotions

Creating a connection with readers is essential to keeping them engaged and getting them to the next stage of the funnel. So, how do you make this connection?

Here are some ways:

1. Write with their pain points in mind

You can write stories based on your real experiences or not-so-real experiences. However, make sure to hit pain points so that the reader has a sense of understanding or empathy. 

2. Use their language

This is another good reason to know your audience before you start writing. Whether your audience is old, young, wealthy, or the average joe, the type of language you use is important to make that connection. 

3. Focus on the benefits 

Listing and describing your product or service isn’t enough. How will it benefit the reader? You must focus on the reader’s goals if you want to connect with them. 

7. Format and style your content for scanners

It’s no surprise that most site visitors will scan your copy as opposed to reading every word. In fact, it’s estimated that users only read 20% of web pages. 

With this in mind, you want to make sure you:

• Put your most important information first (above the fold)
• Use headings and subheadings to separate information/sections
• Bold or underline any important words
• Use short paragraphs that can be glanced at
• Use eye-catching images and infographics

8. Optimize your copy for search engines 

Last but not least, to get your copy out there, you’re going to want to optimize it. After all, what’s the point of having great web copy if no one can find it? 

There are many ways to optimize your content to get it to rank well on Google. From enhancing your meta and alt tags to strategically placing top keywords and linking internally, search engine optimization can make a big difference in traffic, conversions, and more. 

Ready to write great web copy?

After reading this blog, you should know that understanding your readers, appealing to their emotions, and giving them a solution to their problems is needed to write effective copy. While writing effectively takes time and experience, the above tips should put you in a good position to start. 

However, copywriting is still difficult, and it’s okay if you’re not a copywriting superstar. 

Luckily, at TechWyse, we have these superstars ready to not only publish amazing content on your website but also develop a powerful content marketing strategy. One that will give you the traffic and conversions you need to succeed. Contact us today to start seeing the results you really want from your content.