Writing Website Copy - What's Different?

Is writing website copy anything special?  Is it different from other types of copywriting?

Copywriting is just copywriting, whether it's online or offline, right?

Wrong.

Of course, there are lots of principles that apply to all copywriting, and many of them are explained in this blog.  But there are at least three important reasons why website copy is different.

1. Internet users are active, not passive. People looking at a TV ad don't have much control over what they are watching, unless they want to switch off the TV.  Internet users are usually sitting with a finger on the mouse button.  They can click away from a site as easily as they arrived at it.  You have seconds to capture their interest - if you don't, they will leave.
2. There are thousands and thousands of web sites.  Whatever the site is about, there will be loads of others on the same topic.  If a person is looking at an ad on a billboard, a TV ad or a piece of direct mail, it will be the only one on that topic at that moment.  When writing website copy you have to make an offer that is compelling enough to convince visitors that yours is the site they are looking at.  Look back at the previous post to learn more about how to make a compelling offer.
3. The most important reason why internet copywriting is different - how did the visitor arrive at your site?  Almost certainly, via a search engine.  In other words, they have typed in keywords.  The keywords represent the problem they have or the solution they are looking for.  When they arrive at your site, they have to see at once that it addresses their problem or provides the solution they are seeking.  And this means that you can't get away from the importance of keywords.  Of course there are right and wrong ways to use keywords and we will say more about this in the next post.

Come and visit us at Bizwrite to learn more about writing compelling copy! Or to find out all the ways we can help you.