Today’s guest post is from a previous blogger on The Writing Hall, Mr. Shaun Mooney. Shaun describes below how the arrival of a New Year can evoke new habits, especially when writing copy….
CONTENT IS KING 
Writing web copy that works can be hard, especially when writer’s block sets in. Here are a few tips to write savvy marketing copy for the web.
Make it snappy
Esther Freud once said, ‘Editing is everything. Cut until you can cut no more. What is left often springs into life’. Every word in your copy should count, not just for SEO’s sake. For each word your put into your copy that doesn’t get to the point, that is one more word your client’s customer has to read before they get the message you are trying to market. Cut the bloat and get to the point.
Are you talking to me?
During my Creative Writing degree, I learnt some really important things. Creative Writing is often called ‘The Author Course’, and teaches you everything you need to know about how to create your own successful, personal brand. As an author, your personal brand is directly tied to your product. Your product is your book. If on the first page you don’t immediately grab the attention of your audience, they will put your book back on the shelf. The same can happen with websites, with web users simply going elsewhere. Don’t just say, ‘We provide carpet cleaning’. Readers would expect that after clicking through to your client’s website from the search engine results page. Web users click onto web pages expecting a solution. Give it to them in the form of a’hook’. A hook is an attention grabber, and in the case of writing marketing copy, it is presenting a solution to a problem. Asking a question is a great way to do that, as it directly challenges the reader. Providing a solution or example tells the reader they have come to the right place.
‘Red wine stain? Tried everything? At Shaun Mooney Carpet Cleaning we use only the best in industrial strength cleaning products, and guarantee we’ll remove all organic carpet stains’
Me, myself and I
Nobody cares if ‘Shaun Mooney Solicitors provides legal services’. It’s impersonal and doesn’t speak to the reader. Is your client a sole trader? This is great for services like florists or tattooists, as these are really personable services. Are they a family business? How long have they been established? New business leads might gravitate towards a long-established family company over someone that doesn’t refer to their business history.
USPs
Unique selling points. Clients often struggle to think beyond what they do in their day to day job, leaving the marketing side to others. However, there is probably one thing that makes your client’s service stand out from their competitors. When asking your client what they think makes them stand out from their competitors, try to start with things like free quotes or consultations (where appropriate). Maybe they have the exclusive rights to
a patented product? Anything that as a consumer might interest you! USPs should always shine through on the home page, as they are the first thing web users will see. Make them count!
Tone of voice
Everybody has a different voice, and I’m not just talking about your set of pipes. You will know from speaking to clients from all different walks of life and different regions of the UK (even the world) that all business owners have a different way of presenting themselves and their business. Let this show in your copy! If you can touch type or write in short hand, try to catch what your client is saying, verbatim. This establishes your client’s voice in the copy, ensuring you’ll be representing your client’s business in a way they would happy with. When a member of the public enquires via the website for the first time and speaks to your client, they will already be familiar with their ‘voice’ which is really great for brand continuity too. Colloquialisms are acceptable from time to time, but be careful not to overuse them and make sure they are tone appropriate. Regional dialect should again follow the same rule. Unless you are writing specifically for one geography, try to avoid this. (Remember, when you’re writing for the web, you are potentially writing for the world).
Call to action
A call to action should really motivate the web user. One should appear on every single page of a website, constantly reminding the user of your client’s telephone number at all times. However, not all call to actions are made equal. ‘For legal services call 020 0799 998′. This call to action is useless and not just because you wouldn’t get much legal advice from a made up number. It’s weak and has no sense of urgency. The user will know they can call that number for legal services because that is typically what solicitors provide. However, there is no ‘now, now, now!’. Give your user some motivation: ‘For a free consultation about your legal problem, call us today on 020 0799 998′. Again, this comes back to presenting a solution to a problem. “Ooh, a free consultation you say? Yeah, I could give them a call for a free consultation.”
Congratulations, you have just generated a lead for your client!
Shaun Mooney is a copywriter, SEO professional and social media buff. He lives in Reading with his cat, Puck. One day soon, both Shaun and Puck hope to relocate to London.
http://about.me/shaunmooney
Follow Shaun on Twitter: @OhShaun
(picture courtesy of: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=3062)
(Caroline) Shaun, you are so right about clarity in the message one is promoting. I once proof-read a friend’s business plan that was to be presented to a business angel client of mine. I could not get past the first section, some three paragraphs into the plan, because of the extensive jargon used. Having had experience with writing and presenting business plans on behalf of others, I explained that if the panel of angels could not understand the concept at the first reading, they would probably put it to one side. The friend ignored my advice and the client gave it back to me to tell my friend that they did not understand what she was talking about. Frankly, it could have been explained in two concise sentences!