Do you want your customers to switch to your competitor’s website just because your headlines or paragraphs are too generic and scarce?
If not, use these 5 awesome web copywriting tips to always stay in the forefront.
- Use active voice
When you use active voice, the subject does the action instead of being acted upon. That makes it powerful. Sentences that follow this structure are easier to understand, convey movement, and are naturally more interesting.
Active voice sentences can also begin with a verb, as in a command.
- Remember the Important Details.
Who, what, when, where, why, and how are critical for all good copywriting, not just journalism. Your readers want them because they make your copy real, concrete, and trustworthy.
- Learn to Write Powerful Headlines.
All your copy is worthless if your headlines don’t entice visitors to click-through and read further.
- Make It Skimmable.
Readers online don’t read word for word. I don’t even read an article that is just long and dull all throughout, what more with you, right? Instead, they scan to find what they’re looking for faster. Making your copy and content easy to skim gives them what they want, keeps their attention longer, and is easier for everyone to read.
Use a variety of formatting techniques that break up the text and draw the reader’s eye down the page. Some of the best ways to make web copy skimmable are:
- Use several headings and subheadings
- Create bulleted and numbered lists
- Format text with bold, italic, underlining, or colour
- Include images, video, and other media and captions for each
- Write single-line paragraphs
- Vary sentence and paragraph length
- Be Concise.
People have shorter attention spans than ever. Use short sentences, short paragraphs, and short overall messages to hold their attention.
- Use Short Words.
Simple words communicate better than big words and pompous language. Stick with short uniquely English words instead of more complex Latin-based words. For example:
- show vs. indicate
- get rid of vs. eliminate
- help vs. assist or facilitate
- get vs. obtain
- best vs. superior
- Don’t Worry so Much About Keywords.
They’re still important for search engine optimization, but the goal of every search engine update is to improve the algorithm and return the best results. When you write SEO copy primarily for your audience, not search engines, you help them reach that goal.
- Use Positive Language.
If you use negative words, that’s usually what people remember. Rewrite the sentence to use positive words. For example, “Don’t get left behind” might become “Get ahead of the competition.”
Sometimes negative language is necessary, and sometimes it adds variety to your copy. But overdoing it can leave a negative impression.
- Avoid Jargon, Bureaucratese, Hype and Corporate Speak.
In the spirit of using simple words, being concise, and writing in the active voice, avoid these types of pompous language like the plague. They’re difficult to understand, and nobody wants to read them.
My question to you:
What web copywriting techniques have worked for you?