So in the last post I talked about my recent website research project and all the bad websites I ran into throughout the process. And it got me thinking.

What websites really need is better copy. And I don’t say that because I’m a writer.

The sad truth is that – in very general terms – the quality of web writing and copy is mediocre at best. I’m not calling for elegant prose. What I’m saying is that what your website reveals – in clear, well-placed words – influences what people think of you, your product, your company.

Here are the top five ways to tell you’re NOT ready for prime time web writing.

1. Your ego knows no bounds.
   Leave your arrogance at the door and talk about the needs of your target audience instead, or leave your audience saying “so what” and moving on to the next site.




2. You always wished you had written War and Peace.
   Good web copy should be short and snappy. If, for some reason, you feel compelled to write tons of words on a single topic, it better be compelling! A good rule of thumb is: make your point, then stop.
3. You were the first one eliminated in the 3rd grade spelling bee.
   If your spelling and grammar leave something to be desired, it may be that writing for the web isn’t for you. It’s tough, calls for a lot of experience and if done carelessly or incorrectly creates a very bad impression. Ensure that your web content is free of spelling and grammatical errors and is punctuated correctly. And never upload it without proofreading.
4. You have many strong points…writing headlines isn’t one of them.
   Headings are critical to web writers – and readers. The rules: keep them short, keep them clear and don’t worry about being clever. In fact, don’t even try. Web headlines aren’t about a quick wit; they’re about placing the most important keywords for your content.
5. You place good design or “bells and whistles” far ahead of content.
   When you come right down to it, content is everything. It not only makes your company look great, it sells and – when given the care and importance it deserves – it can establish (or squash!) your brand.

In the last post, Back to school brings me back to basics, I discussed the importance of putting aside some time to re-read and re-learn past teachings in our particular areas of expertise. And since my area is copywriting and marketing, I tend to focus on the core fundamentals of writing to sell.

The interesting thing about the fundamentals of writing to sell is that they sometimes conflict with the standard fundamentals of writing (the grammar and punctuation rules) that we have all learned throughout the years.

When writing to sell, it is often ok to break some of the grammar rules we have all come to know and love. I am not talking about typos or jarring mistakes or anything that confuses the message as these are always no-nos.

Some examples of this acceptable rule-bending I am referring to are:

1. Opting for a sentence fragment vs. a full sentence, maybe in the form of a question in a headline or a subhead. This is a big one – I use a lot of fragments and Microsoft Word will almsot always flag these. Be bold and know you are generally fine doing this.
2. Opting to use slang or industry jargon when it makes more sense than a formal explanation. Along with this goes the “write like you would talk” advice that almost always trumps the “write like you are spekaing formal English” advice.
3. Going with different punctuations like the ….(ellipsis) or ending sentences with prepositions.

I always find it is more important to be consistent in style than to always be by-the-book right.

The key to creating content (copy) for your website, blog and press materials is to consider your audience.

You must give your readers fresh, useful, newsworthy information that they’ll use.

• Determine what topics will interest them.
• Make a list of online and offline publications that will help you stay up-to-date and be sure to read them regularly.
• Become an expert on all things relating to the services or products you are selling and the people who need them.
• Pay attention to the questions your clients and prospects are asking you. Chances are, your answers will be of interest to your audience.
• Check out blogs, forums and other online networking sites. What are people talking about?
• Take general news and tie it into the specific needs and wants of your market.

Technorati Tags: website content, blog content, press materials, business press release content, article content, writing business content, Allison Nazarian