Prompt Proofing Blog: 10 Easy Steps to Writing Effective Web Content
In this week's blog post we run through a few of the top priorities any business owner should have when designing or revising their website copy.
VANCOUVER, BC, January 28, 2011
In today's business world, your website is basically your calling card. It is often the first impression someone gets of your business and its products or services. The writing on your website obviously contributes a large part of the overall impact your site has, along with, of course, graphic design and layout. In this week's blog post we run through a few of the top priorities any business owner should have when designing or revising their website copy. Of course, if you want a professional to take care of this for you, don't hesitate to contact us at Prompt Proofing about our website content writing services!1 Keywords
Keywords are important for SEO, so think carefully about which keywords you want to include. Ideally they should be included naturally in your text; at all costs avoid 'keyword loading' in a misguided attempt to improve SEO.
You need to include at least one keyword in your headline, or few people are likely to find your site in the first place.
2 Open strongly
Attention span on the Internet is notoriously short. Grab your readers' attention with a stimulating - but brief - opening that makes them want to read further.
3 Be lively and entertaining
You've grabbed your reader's interest, now you have to maintain it. Make your style as lively and entertaining as possible; use humour if appropriate to your content.
4 Write well
Sound obvious? Think about the websites you generally visit most often; chances are their content is well written, engaging the reader. If writing is not your strong point, hire someone else to write your content for you.
5 KISS (Keep It Short and Sweet)
Brevity is key; people tend to skim rather than reading in detail, so don't bore your readers with long, involved sentences and rambling paragraphs. Be concise.
6 Think visually
Avoid long sections of unbroken text. Divide your content into short chunks and separate with sub-headings; white space on the screen helps avoid reader fatigue. Use different fonts for headings and sub-headings and intersperse text with graphics or bulleted lists.
7 Stay current
Nothing is more annoying than out-of-date content; refresh your content regularly. This not only improves SEO but ensures that the information you are putting out there is current and relevant.
8 Be accurate
Make sure your content is factually correct; misleading or ill-informed content will lose you clients in a heartbeat.
9 Make your content easy to navigate
Well-placed links should lead the reader to other pages (of equally well-written content). Links to other site areas also help with 'spidering'. Use headings and sub-headings judiciously to guide the reader's eye from section to section.
10 Be paranoid about proofreading
Last, but by no means least, check, double-check and then check again to ensure that everything on your site is grammatically correct, punctuated correctly and without spelling errors. Overlooking this makes you look unprofessional - you only have one chance to make a first impression!
About the Author
Pat Wootton is originally from England and is a former high school English teacher. Having spent many years in the Caribbean, where she raised her family, she now lives in Vancouver, BC. In addition, she has taught English as a Second Language (ESL) for several years after earning a diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the University of British Columbia. She now owns and runs Prompt Proofing, a copy editing and writing service that caters to individuals and partners with marketing and public relations companies.
About Prompt Proofing
Prompt Proofing is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada and was officially launched in 2010 by a team of editing and writing professionals who have over 40 years of experience in the education, news media, public relations and recruitment fields. Prompt Proofing prides itself on affordable services delivered with fast turnaround times, without sacrificing quality or accuracy.
Offering content writing, editing and proofreading services, Prompt Proofing takes care of your individual or business content needs. Visit our website for more information at http://www.PromptProofing.com.
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