How to write GREAT web copy!

What does 8 years of college/ university, 7 years of practical experience, and over $300,000 buy you? The 5 simple steps to writing great web copy that people will actually read.

Here's what I've come up with:

1. Keep it simple

Ok, most people already realize that they should boil down their copy to leave a condensed, concise version for the web. No one likes staring at a screen for too long. The biggest mistake people make is opening their article (or whatever it is you're writing) with an overly complex opening. Open small, leave the explanations for under subheadings; that way people can pick and choose which pieces of information they want to read.

2. Answer a question with your headline

Most people are online looking for answers to questions, or browsing through pages waiting for some answer to a question they think is interesting. The easiest way to peak someone's interest is by answering a question in your headline.

EXAMPLES:
How to write great web copy
10 books you should read before you die
What you should know about raising kids
The best time to plant tomatoes

3. Use subheads

As I alluded to before, subheadings are here to be used ... so use them. They are great for organizing information into bite-sized chunks. People love to read bite-sized bits of information. They also allow readers to skip past information that they already know. Write compelling, provocative subheadings, but don't make them more than one line long. Over 45% of readers will not read more than one line in a subheading, so keep it short or you may lose almost half of your message.

4. Use highlights

The best way to keep people reading is by making a promise of something good to come. The easiest way to make a promise of something good is by making an important word, line, or section highlighted. You can bold it, make it a different color, underline it, pull out a quote, or many many other things. The coolest thing about web copy is that there are so many ways to do everything.

HINT: You can also highlight a particular point by separating the text from the rest of the copy under a "secret subhead". Use something like "HINT", "WARNING", "CAUTION", "NOTE", or simply an " * " to indicate an important piece of information.


5. Make it relevant

Some people love to throw photo's, video, PDF's, and all sorts of media into their pages for visual stimulation. I know this article is supposed to be about web copy, but I needed to tell you that too much clutter within your copy could be detrimental. The point of your page is to convey a message by writing your opinion, the facts, or whatever you want on a particular subject. The point of media on your page is to support your words, not interfere with them. My suggestion is to use images, video, flash, and everything else, very sparingly. If you are referring directly to something in your text, try adding a link to the media rather than embedding it.

In the end, it's up to you how you want to write. These are some great guidelines that I've come up with, that I don't always follow. At the end of your page make sure you close it properly: if you're selling something, add a call to action; if you've written an opinion piece, add a question readers can answer by leaving comments; if you're asking for information, make sure you leave multiple channels for contact.

I would love to hear what you think. Feel free to comment, or visit my home page at www.jordanjulien.com