5 Steps To Effective Web Copywriting

Writing for the web, or web copywriting as it is known, is very different from other writing forms. The reason for this is that the way people read online is very different. Unlike reading a book or magazine, reading online is not an orderly and linear process, rather readers want aesthetically appealing pages that they can scan for key words or points. Therefore, web copywriting needs a different, almost fragmented approach that enables the reader to pick out the key information they are looking for and progress to the next step.
Meaningful and Descriptive Titles
The first step to effective web copywriting is to use a descriptive and meaningful title. When landing on the page, the reader wants to be able to immediately identify what the page is about and what it is going to offer them. Titles should be short, simple and inform the reader of what they can expect.
Informative First Paragraph
A typical online reader will not read the entire page. Rather, they will read or scan the opening paragraph to establish if the page offers them what they are looking for. Effective web copywriting requires a strong opening paragraph, made up of short sentences that outline exactly what is to follow further down the page. This encourages the reader to continue reading and avoids bombarding them with needless information.
Using Subtitles
Internet audiences want to access the information they want or need quickly and effectively. Subtitles are a great way of breaking up large chunks of text that may appear to be too time consuming to read. On an aesthetic level, using subtitles in your web copywriting increases the white space on the page, while on a practical level they enable the reader to drill down on the key information they are looking for.
Using Bullet Points
The use of bullet points in web copywriting is an effective way to convey large amounts of information very quickly. One of the main areas that web copywriters go wrong is creating web content that is unnecessarily wordy and bores the reader. Being concise and to the point is absolutely vital if your online copywriting is to be successful.
Providing a Clear Next Step
To maximise the effectiveness of your web copywriting, it should always provide the reader with a clear next step. Often, this is a link to further information or where they need to go to purchase a product or service. Dead end web content serves no purpose. Always ensure that you give the reader clear direction of where they should go next.