Writing Web Copy for Small Businesses Rated:

Maybe you have already mastered the design of your small firm's website, kicked its online marketing strategy into high gear and are ready to record the sales with your small business management software. But there is one more element to address: perfecting your site's web copy.

Anyone can write a description of a product and post it online, but savvy business owners know that these words have the power to drive traffic to your page, reinforce your brand, convince customers to make purchases and keep them coming back for more.

Here are some tips:

Know your audience

Writing is about communication. Who are you speaking to? Think about your target audience and write a brief description of who they are, how they shop and what experience they are looking for. Consider factors such as age, income, and location - the same type of information that typically goes into a business plan.

Use this information to craft web copy that speaks to your particular customer base, using a suitable tone, vocabulary and sales pitch. The findings will also help you decide what content to include on your website in the first place.

Catch people's attention

You want customers to stay on your page, clicking links, exploring their options and ultimately making purchases you can record with your small business management software. However, research shows that most people only spend a couple of seconds deciding whether they want to stay on a particular website or move on.

This means you need to catch people's attention by placing your most important and interesting content near the top of the page, in a prominent location. Remember that readers will be scanning quickly and probably won't bother to scroll down in those precious first few seconds.

Headings are crucial to gaining someone's interest. Aim to write eye-catching, concise headlines that are eight words or less. You can follow headlines up with a call to action, such as: "Find out how to save time and money by clicking here."

Keep it simple

Since website visitors tend to have a short attention span, aim to communicate your message in a way that is short, simple and direct.

Language. Your website isn't the setting for showing off specialized knowledge you have about your industry or using terms that may be unfamiliar to your customers. Make sure you aren't alienating potential customers by keeping your language simple and straightforward.

Layout. Similarly, make sure the layout of your web copy is uncluttered. Faced with a large block of text, many people may be tempted to click away to another page to find something easier to read. You can organize information into digestible chunks by using bullet points, bolded text and clear paragraph breaks.

Some experts have suggested each sentence should be no longer than 20 words, with each paragraph up to 70 words long.

Sell the benefits of your products

When beginning to draft content for their websites, many small business owners describe the features of their products or services. While this may seem natural, a more effective tactic for selling is to communicate benefits to customers, rather than features.

Benefit-driven web copy tells potential customers what your product or service can do for them. An example is to describe how a vitamin drink will help someone lose weight or lower their blood pressure, rather than just listing the healthy ingredients.

Put yourself in your customer's shoes and write directly to their needs. For instance, if you sell camping gear, urge people to "stay warm and cozy even in the coldest temperatures with our insulated sleeping bags" instead of simply stating "our insulated sleeping bags are made for cold weather."

You may want to focus on your unique selling point when considering what to write about each product. How is it better than other options offered by the competition? How will it make someone's life easier or more pleasant?

Edit and proofread

The importance of editing and proofreading cannot be overstated. No one wants their customers to be distracted by poor subject-verb agreement, misplaced apostrophes or typos.

Weed out careless errors and let proofreading be your mantra. You may want to review your copy a couple of days after you first write it, so you are looking with fresh eyes. Or have someone else you trust give a final check of copy for mistakes before the page goes live.

Learning to communicate effectively with your customers on the web is a great way to develop a long-lasting relationship and increase sales. You can track your progress with small business management software.