Writing web copy requires that you understand what your intended message is and keeping in mind this simple phrase BLUF. Bluf stands for

Bottom
Line
Up
Front

Web users are quick to move on to other sites if they can not quickly find the information they are seeking on your site. It is key to turning visits into sales to keep your copy short and to the point and avoid wasting your customers time with unnecessary fluff.
Here are a few key points in structuring and displaying your web copy.

1. Know your customers – Create a customer profile if possible covering the following areas:
   • Age Group – Pre-K, Adolescents, Teenagers, Young Adults, Middle Aged or Senior
   • Sex – Are they mostly male or female
   • Finances – Are they secure financially or not
   • Interests – What interests do they have and what about your products or services brought them to you
   • Concerns – What are your customers most concerned about when purchasing the services or products you and your competitors offer
2. Be concise and make sure content is easy to read
   • On the web, less is almost always more. Write your copy for the impatient, internet reader. Here are some guidelines for the length of your content:
     • Headings: 8 words or less
     • Sentences: 15 – 20 words
     • Paragraphs: 40 – 70 words
     • Page word count: 250+ words
   • Get rid of pompous words and fancy phrases. Effective writing is not about impressing the reader with your extensive vocabulary. It’s about getting your point across simply and effectively. Remember, BLUF and use short, simple words. Get to the point. And then stop.
3. Content Needs to Call to Action
   • Content is about getting the reader’s attention and keeping it. Content is about selling. Your content must tell your customer what actions to take.
4. Write for how people search
   • If you want your site to be found when people search the web, use words your target readers use. Before you begin to write, sit down and think carefully about the keywords you’re going to use. Then carefully weave those words and phrases into your copy. Here’s two Web sites that will help you find the right keywords and phrases for your site.
     • www.overture.com
     • www.wordtracker.com
5. Check it, Check it and then Check it again
   • Mistakes in web copy are temporary and can be fixed, but if you’ve noticed your error potentially thousands of others have also. Have as many people as you can proofread your copy before release. Check it yourself one last time even when you are certain it is correct

Last changed: Feb 01 2011 at 1:28 PM

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