How to Write for the Web

June 29, 2008

I just received an invitation to a kickass web copywriting seminar in Florida - which costs over $4,000 (groan…).  No doubt it’s worth it (did you know the going rate for a landing page with less than 1,000 words is $1,500? I am TOTALLY under-pricing my services!) — but as much as I strive to constantly improve my craft, I think I’ll pass.

The truth is, you can learn how to write for the web for much less - if you’re willing to invest the time and effort.  There are a lot of great books out there (I highly recommend Web Copy That Sells by Maria Veloso for content, and MarketingSherpa’s Landing Page Handbook for format and design) and there are literally volumes of free resources available on the internet. 

But who really has the time, right?  So fine… I’ll dedicate a bunch of posts to some basic lessons on writing for the web. 

LESSON #1:  
Content Will Always Be King, but for
the Web, Format is Just as Important.

Before you even begin to write for the web, first consider how people READ on the web.

Here’s the thing - they DON’T.  The majority of web surfers don’t read, they SCAN.  And if they don’t find what they’re looking for within the first few seconds of landing on your webpage, they’ll move on…never to be seen again.

So your most important task as a web copywriter is to create compelling, scannable copy for the first screen*.

*The first screen is the portion of your website the reader sees without having to scroll down.  If a webpage was real estate, the first screen would be the overpriced prime location everyone is scrambling to purchase.

No matter what anyone says, don’t waste that precious first eyeful with an oversized header showing nothing but the company name and logo, and/or a bunch of fancy images that won’t sell anything. (And seriously? Just forget about BANNERS. People have gotten used to ignoring them completely - hence the term banner blindness).

Instead,  populate your prime cyber-property with… I repeat… compelling, scannable copy that will keep your A.D.D.-afflicted web visitors engaged.

The “compelling” aspect of your copy depends on your skill as a writer, and how well you know how to push the buttons of your target audience. (I have a whole other course for that) 

But in terms of scannability (which is equally important on the web), here are a few practical, actionable tips you can implement right now:

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1.  Start with a big, powerful headline. 

Experienced copywriters might think “Duh…” — because any copywriter worth his or her salt  will know that the headline is the single most important element of ANY form of copy - whether online or offline.  But have a quick browse around the web and you’ll find a LOT of sites that don’t use a headline -  to their great detriment. 

Think of the headine as a pickup line, and your website visitor as the most gorgeous person in the bar. Mess it up, and you end up alone. 

 

2.  Write your most important copy in the form of a letter F.  

Several eye-tracking studies have shown that web users generally scan webpages in the shape of an ‘F’ - starting from left to right on the top, then down, then left to right again. 

So make sure the important elements of your content (headlines, subheadlines, bullet points, and highlighted text) are situated along these lines.

 

3.  Much as the web designers may hate you, restrict webpage format to a maximum of 2 columns.

Note: The ideal is actually just one column - this outperforms multiple columns each and every time, as it totally eliminates distractions.  But in my experience, that option rarely flies with the Powers That Be, and arguing just wastes precious time.

So if you must have more than one column, make it 2 max, with the important copy on the wider left column, and supporting content on the narrower right. 

 

4.  Use short paragraphs and bulleted lists to summarize your content. 

As I mentioned earlier, most Internet users have short attention spans, so - in the first screen at least - the more concise your copy, the better. 

…And don’t assume people will read your copy through to the end, no matter how short or scannable.  Present all the key points first, with the less important (or more detailed ) information further down, or on another page. 

 

5. Highlight key words or phrases to keep scanners moving through your copy.  Make good use of those bold, italics, and underline buttons.  They will serve you well.

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Ok… That should be enough to chew on for now. 

Now that you know how much space you really have - and how to use it - we can move on to the actual writing. 

Next lesson (on Headlines) coming soon!