This is the third in a series of postings about writing copy for Web sites. I promised to provide guidelines for writing tight and concise copy. Here they are:
Define your Goals before you write. Every site, or every area of a site, should have one of the following goals:
Generate responses:
- sales
- leads
- contacts
- subscribers/repeat visitors
Provide information:
- technical/other support
- industry expertise
For example, the goal of an HR site might be both to generate contacts (motivate people to apply for work) and to provide information on insurance, pensions, and other company policies.
Before you begin to write, determine the goal of your writing and make sure every word of copy supports it. If you are trying to generate a response, your writing should lead the user toward an action. If you are providing information, all writing must be crystal clear to ensure you are providing the best possible information.
Write Tight and Concise Copy:
- Delete repeated ideas in a paragraph. Fold them into one
- Omit uses of passive voice where possible
- Remove dependent clauses, shorten long sentences: divide them into 2-3 sentences
- Eliminate every unnecessary word
- “probably,” “actually,” “in fact,” are some examples
- rewrite sentences to use fewer words
- Go on a “which” hunt: rewrite the sentence or replace “which” with “that”
- Even if you are writing copy on an information-based page, (e.g. something that’s longer than 600 words), write it so that users can skim it. Organize it with subheadings and bullets, use bold type to show important words
Tags: Add new tag, concise copy, web content, web copywriting, Web site copy, Website copy, which hunt
