Your web site content sucks. Here are 3 reasons why.
content, web copy, writing August 12th, 2009
I’m a creative communications opinionator. I tell people what I think of their marcom, newsletters, press releases and web content based on my 23 years of professional experience in featuring writing, PR and interactive copywriting.
Which is why I was thrilled to be asked my opinion for this year’s Web Marketing Association WebAwards. I gave a critical eye and honest opinion of more than two dozen interactive sites.
Some were for well-known brands. Some were not. But throughout the judging process I saw the good, the bad and the ugly.
So where did the bad and the ugly go wrong? Many in design and navigation, but most with content.
Although I’ve blogged about content mistakes before, let’s look at the top three things that make web content suck – and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1 – Not Being Conversational
Although brochureware sites are oh-so-1997, some companies still employ the technique. Or, worse, they write as though they are some kind of 1970s esoteric marketer:
“Welcome to our virtual oasis on the worldwide web, where you are free to browse at your leisure from the comfort of your home or office.”
Who talks like that? Nobody.
The whole idea behind “conversational” is that it’s an informal exchange of dialogue. You say something. They say something. See how it works?
Of course, your site visitor won’t talk back (well, they may on Twitter or Facebook) but you can act as if you’re having a real conversation. You can approach your content as though you’re talking to real people about things that matter to them.
Mistake #2 – Being Too Wordy
This isn’t a long vs. short copy question. No, too wordy, simply means using more words than you have to in order to say something.
My husband is famous for being, um, shall we say a bit windy? He’ll say something. Then say it again. And again. And yet again.
Unfortunately, the punch of what he originally said (which is usually quite smart) gets lost in the retelling.
Say what needs to be said. Then stop. This goes for the home page as well as the FAQs.
Mistake #3 – Not Being Relevant
I already wrote a six-part series on relevant content, so let me remind you that great web content (i.e., non-sucky web content) has to mean something to the reader.
Web content should answer all the questions a site visitor could have – and then some. I call these the unarticulated needs.
Lose the fluff and tell the reader what they want to know.
How does your copy fare? For more tips on getting great copy, take my quiz, the Get Great Copy Reality Check.
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