One of the ways to turn your website visitors into paying customers is by writing powerful and persuasive website words.   In this article, learn 3 important ways to write website words that inspire people to take action.

Know who you are writing for

Even before you put your fingertips to the keyboard, it’s important to know exactly who you are writing for, or in other words, to know your target market/s. If your market is ‘everyone’, then your website copy (copy = wording) will be general and diluted, rather than specific and powerful.

For example, if you are a mobile hairdresser and you are targeting every single person who will ever need a haircut, then your website copy will end up being quite general. But when you know exactly who you are targeting, say, working mums, you can write copy that speaks directly to your target market’s wants, needs and desires. Your web copy will become specific and powerful, and most importantly, it will inspire people to take action.

An example of writing for everyone

Save time by having your hair cut at home

An example of writing for your target market of working mums

Are you too tired to lug your children to an expensive hairdresser after a hard day of work? 

It’s normal to have a few different target markets, just ensure that you dedicate a specific web page to each one.

Ensure that your copy is scanner friendly

Unlike printed material, people don’t read websites word for word. Instead, their eyes skim across the screen and scan words and phrases that they think will contain useful information. That’s why it’s important to put persuasive words and phrases in specific places and in a scanner friendly way.

In order for your copy to be scanner friendly it needs to include some or all of the following:

• Headings
• Subheadings
• Concise paragraphs
• Bullet points
• Words in bold
• Hyperlinked words (words in blue that lead to another web page when clicked)

When your website visitors are able to scan your copy they:

• Connect with your site
• Understand your message
• Retain the most important messages
• Act on your instructions quickly and easily

By the way, scanner-friendly copy looks very similar to the formatting of the above paragraphs, so use it as a guide if you ever get stuck.

Write about the benefits as well as the features

One of the most common mistakes that people make when writing website copy is that they write more about the features of their products and services, rather than the benefits.  The features are the facts about your products or services, while the benefits are the positive outcomes that come from using your products and services.  For example…

Feature-driven website copy

Our men’s aftershave comes in Sea Breeze scent.

Benefit-driven website copy

‘You’ll drive women crazy with our Sea Breeze men’s aftershave. 

All customers have one burning question when they come to your website, and it is: ‘What’s in it for me?’   The benefits answer this question. So when writing your copy, include a mixture of both the benefits and features, with a strong emphasis on the benefits.

Your web copy can turn visitors into customers

There are many factors that will encourage your website visitors to become paying customers.   By writing website copy that is targeted, scanner-friendly and benefit-driven, you are taking active steps to creating powerful website copy that sells.