Dear StartupNation : Sure, a better Web site might boost my sales. But I’m no whiz at writing promotional text of any kind, let alone Web site copy. Nor can I afford high-powered help. Is writing copy for the internet really much different from other sales writing? Where can I get low-cost advice on doing it right myself?
We've heard this from plenty of Web entrepreneurs. With millions of Web sites competing for attention, attracting visitors is hard enough. But once you get them there, the real test is convincing them to buy. Site builders often turn to flashy graphics, sound and other fancy features.
While those devices may draw visitors, it’s what you say and how you say it that makes the sale. Establishing credibility is key. Customers expect the world and are suspicious of almost everything. The content on your site must be crisp and intelligent. What you say should grab a visitor’s attention, pique their interest and motivate them to action.
“Don’t make your Web site look like an ad” is rule number one of Web copywriting, says Maria Veloso, director of Web Copywriting University . We are all bombarded by ad images daily, and the last thing we want to see on a site is another ad.
Yet many small business Web sites seem specifically designed to look like billboards. Avoid this trap. “People go online for information,” Veloso says. “That’s why they call it the information superhighway.”
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