Tips on How to Spot Ineffective Sales Copy on Your Website

With an innumerable amount of websites on the Internet and a total that is growing day by day, the competition among small businesses for valuable visitors is fierce. Fortunately, the number of web shoppers and information seekers is going up each year, meaning that the potential customer base is widening for the little guy. That being said, what makes one of those "little guys" stand apart from the millions of others? What causes a visitor to leave one site and make a purchase from the next? Take a glance at the following tips on how to spot ineffective sales copy on your website for a quick glimpse into what intrigues the web shopper, and what sends her on to the next best thing.

Tip #1: Check your copy for the warm-up. Website visitors are usually looking for one thing, be it information or a specific product. They get online, make a quick search, and go directly for what they're aiming at. Nine times out of ten, they want information before they will make a purchase (assuming they are not already using a trusted retailer as a return visitor). Is your web copy ready to warm up that information seeker for a future purchase, or does it merely attempt to turn a first visit into a rare instant buy?

Tip #2: Evaluate your web copy's name-taking abilities. A sign-up link for permission-based, informational follow-ups should always be placed prominently throughout your website in order to capture the names of visitors who might otherwise never return. A form should be placed in the first screen shot of your home page (in other words, visitors should not have to scroll down to view it), as well as throughout the content, shopping cart and "thank you" pages of your site.

Tip #3: Read through your copy for a "product" or "purpose" message. What is your copy saying to the visitor overall? Is it saying, "this product has a purpose that will benefit you?" Or, is it merely saying, "I simply have a product." Ineffective sales copy most often states the latter. Millions of other companies have products, but why does yours directly benefit the visitor that you have targeted and successfully reeled in?

Tip #4: Ask yourself how your website's copy appeals to returning visitors. In other words, what pages and links are in place for those who have received your emailed promotions and follow-ups? What about returning customers? Keep in mind that many visitors who actually make a purchase from a website have visited it more than once. Updating information regularly is key to keeping these visitors intrigued.

Tip #5: Scan your copy for action calls that are not highlighted. Effective action calls, such as requests to make a purchase or leave an email address, must be highlighted for the visitor. A different font, a contrasting color, and a bold type might be used to garner attention. Keep in

mind that readers of web copy must be "warmed" before a sale is made, as mentioned in Tip #1, but that does not eliminate the need for clear, succinct action calls.

Tip #6: Check your copy for the "more info" option. If first time visitors are not given the option to obtain more information throughout your copy and shopping cart, they will be much less likely to actually make a purchase (or ever return once they click away). Before every action call, consider giving your readers the option of gaining more information through a link to another page or by signing up for email announcements. This step creates an instant layer of trust for the buyer, and greatly increases the odds that a sale will eventually be created in turn.

Keep in mind that spotting ineffective web copy on a website may require more than one set of eyes. Consider using feedback forms and surveys throughout your site to gain customer-generated information on why/how they came across your site, what they liked about it, and what could be worked upon to ensure even greater future success.