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Having a Website is Not Enough. 3 Essential Qualities Your Copy Requires to Sell

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Having a Website is Not Enough. 3 Essential Qualities Your Copy Requires to Sell

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Photograph by Sergey Nivens via BigStockPhoto.com

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Great copy is readable, informative, and enticing. It needs the right keywords to attract web traffic, with strong content that can retain readers and convert leads. Although online commercials and ads have their place, digital marketing first involves strengthening your online presence by revitalizing web copy and formatting. Once a consumer is on your site, the text and design may make or break the conversion. Build a better website and convert more leads using these three traits of high-converting copy:

Present Your Business Offer in a Straightforward Manner

This quality may seem like a no-brainer, but how many times have you visited a company’s website only to leave without a clear picture of what they offer? Perhaps the business has too many products that do not seem to tie together, or they offer certain services with no indication of other common practices. If readers leave your website before connecting through social media, email, or by making a purchase or appointment, you want to ensure that they will remember exactly what your business has to offer.

Once you have established your voice and know your target audience, be able to clearly outline what your product is, what it does, and what its benefits are for consumers. For healthcare practices who may offer a variety of elective treatments, listing clear benefits is particularly important for compelling a reader to choose that service and, more importantly, your practice. Using clear, concise sentences or bullet points, list both the benefits of your services and your expertise in performing them. Include high-quality blog posts, case study analyses, and internal links to further boost your credibility and instill trust in the consumer.

Write Simple, Conversational Copy

Writing website copy is not the same as preparing a formal speech, presentation, or paper. Humanize your brand by welcoming visitors to your site with language that is casual and conversational. Pages filled with complex thoughts and industry jargon can disengage readers, especially if the writing is too stiff or formal. Instead, the copy you produce should be simple and readable no matter your profession. Having a stellar web design, listed credentials, client reviews, and high-quality content will make your company appear more credible and professional without alienating readers.

Depending on the voice or vibe you desire, you can break a few rules of formal writing by including some common expressions or slang, bullet points, incomplete sentences, and contractions. Focus on telling someone about your business and products rather than merely listing its selling points. Speak your copy aloud and ask for a friend’s opinion to ensure it flows naturally and is easy to understand.

Mind Your Site Formatting and Addressability

Did you know that website formatting can work either for or against you? Stacked paragraphs of copy create a visual block that most readers find unappealing on a web page. Keep in mind that website visitors are likely to scan pages quickly for key information, and mobile users are even more likely to scan and skim pages rather than absorbing all copy. Here are just a few ways that formatting can negatively affect readability and information gathering:

  1. Large words can slow down readers, who may skip over them or drop to the next line or major section.

  2. Long, complex sentences can be difficult to understand, reducing comprehension.

  3. Large blocks of text may discourage viewers who are reading quickly or looking for specific information.

  4. Google can detect poor formatting and may affect rankings as a result.

However, there are many ways that the right formatting can improve a visitor’s experience:

  1. White space draws eyes to important copy.

  2. Bullet points can quickly list key features or break up otherwise complex copy.

  3. Search engine optimization and keyword placement help users find information quickly.

  4. Simple formatting works better across a variety of devices, from laptops to mobiles.

  5. User-friendly sites may help keep viewers on your page and away from a competitor’s.

  6. Digital images help naturally break up text and add to the site’s visual appeal.

Adding visuals is an easy and attractive way to increase time spent on the page. The right photograph, vector image, infographic, or chart can encourage readers to slow down and read the related copy. The more time a viewer spends on your page, the more likely he or she is to retain information associated with your business. Even if you do not receive a lead conversion that day, the consumer may revisit the site, tell others about your business, or make an appointment in the future.

Struggling with your website content and marketing? Reach out to us.

[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider color=”#cc4315″ show_divider=”on” divider_style=”groove” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” disabled_on=”on” /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” padding_mobile=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image src=”https://iriscontent.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Annie-148-x-234.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” animation=”left” sticky=”off” align=”right” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” animation_direction=”left” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ /][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_team_member name=”Annie Ianko” position=”Content Manager” animation=”off” background_layout=”light” facebook_url=”https://www.facebook.com/IrisWebContent/” twitter_url=”https://twitter.com/Iris_Content” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” custom_css_main_element=”box-shadow: 0 0 20px rgba(0,0,0,.1);||”] Annie has 18 years’ experience as an editor and content creator and manager. With work in television and written media, she has dedicated her past 10 years to learning the ropes of online content creation, from writing to editing, from SEO to content management. [/et_pb_team_member][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ transparent_background=”off” background_color=”#c97824″ allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” custom_width_px=”780px” custom_width_percent=”80%” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” gutter_width=”3″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” parallax_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_3=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”on” parallax_method_3=”on” disabled=”off” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_module=”27319″][et_pb_row global_parent=”27319″ make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”on” width_unit=”on” custom_width_px=”780px” custom_width_percent=”80%” use_custom_gutter=”off” gutter_width=”3″ padding_mobile=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” make_equal=”off” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”on” parallax_3=”off” parallax_method_3=”on” parallax_4=”off” parallax_method_4=”on” disabled=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text global_parent=”27319″ background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”center” text_font=”Cantata One||||” text_font_size=”36″ text_font_size_tablet=”26″ text_text_color=”#fdf3e7″ text_line_height=”1.4em” use_border_color=”off” border_style=”solid” custom_margin=”||70px|” disabled=”off”] Want new articles before they get published? [/et_pb_text][et_pb_signup admin_label=”Email Optin ‘graph text” global_parent=”27319″ provider=”mailchimp” mailchimp_list=”6d2efc3306″ aweber_list=”none” title=”Subscribe to our email list” button_text=”Sign Me Up!” use_background_color=”on” background_color=”#c97824″ background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” use_focus_border_color=”off” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1px” border_style=”solid” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”20″ button_text_color=”#cc4315″ button_bg_color=”#fdf3e7″ button_border_color=”#cc4315″ button_letter_spacing=”0″ button_use_icon=”default” button_icon=”%%%” button_icon_color=”#fdf3e7″ button_icon_placement=”right” button_on_hover=”on” button_text_color_hover=”#fdf3e7″ button_bg_color_hover=”#cc4315″ button_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ disabled=”off”] Yes, I want to learn more about content marketing! I want to incorporate the latest marketing strategies to improve my brand, reach a wider audience and sell more stuff! [/et_pb_signup][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

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