Seven Ways to Improve the Copy on Your Web Site: Presenting Your Business Clearly

The Internet has changed the way the world does business. What was once a unique and small community has grown into a global marketplace. Just about every business that is serious about succeeding needs a web presence.

Using the web gives even the smallest home-based business a chance to reach a worldwide customer base. But every benefit has a drawback. Many people put up their corporate shingle on the internet without much thought to organization or content. They have the "If we build it, they will come" mentality. The difference between a well-written corporate website and one that is poorly written is extremely vivid. The first one will do well in search engine rankings, attract new customers and earn the company a more positive reputation. A poorly written Web site, on the other hand can do irreparable damage.

One of my biggest pet peeves when I visit a corporate Web site is not being able to figure out what a company does just by reading the content on the home page. Some sites are filled with very well-written mission/philosophy statements, very crafty prose enticing you to buy their product and/or service, and even showing off great graphic design! But even after all that I still have to ask: What is it that you do?

A more common scenario is the Web site gives you a vague idea of what the company is all about, but you're still left with more questions than answers.

Why do corporations, and even small businesses, make their web copy so vague and fluffy? I tend to think they're trying too hard to create a specific impression on the potential customer/client. As a result, they get so caught up in the "philosophy" of their business, they forget who they're writing the web copy for and the main purpose of a website: To inform.

There are some very simple rules for crafting business-oriented web copy, and it's no surprise these rules can be applied to most writing projects as well:

1.Keep it simple. Yes, simple is better. Less is more. However you want to phrase it, the idea is still the same. Keep your sentences brief and your paragraphs short. Get straight to the point. You're not attempting to write a sequel to "War and Peace" you're just trying to sell (fill in your product/service here).

2. Avoid jargon. This is an easy trap to fall into, especially if your business is in the high-tech and pharmaceutical industries. If you're target reader is others "inside" your industry, then jargon is fine. However, if you want your website to reach the attention of the general public, keep 99% of your web copy in layman's terms.

3. The copy on your home page should give the reader a clear and simple idea of what you do. Don't think you have to give your entire corporate history on the front page. You don't. Divide things up into logical sections (About, Contact Us, Products, Services, Our Employees, etc). If average Joe Reader doesn't understand what your business does after reading the home page, then something is wrong.

4. Make it easy for potential customers to contact you. This is a big frustration of mine, when a company buries it's "Contact Us" information somewhere in the black depths of their site. This holds especially true if quality customer service is part of your advertising pitch. This can be broadened into a more general rule: Deliver what you promise!

5. Offer a free newsletter. Give visitors to your website the option to subscribe to your newsletter. You can chose to publish it weekly or monthly. Each newsletter should give the reader a taste of what is going on within your company (new products, services, employee spotlights, etc), and even helpful industry news would make valuable content.

6. Well-written articles and press releases can boast your company image. Have a collection of quality articles for customers, potential investors and other to use to learn more about your company. These articles should avoid sounding like one big advertisement for your company, instead, should have the goal of informing the reader.

7. Use attention-grabbing headlines. A lot of people skim content on the web and don't read every word on a web page. A good headline will help surfers find what they are looking for and hopefully catch their interest.

This is by no means a definitive list for writing web copy. But these are a few basic ideas to keep in mind when crafting the content for your own Web site. If you really doubt your own writing skills or just can't get that copy to sound right, then hire a professional copywriter who can get the job done right. After all, it's your business on the line, so what kind of impression do you want to leave when someone visits your website?