By Jay Neaves

Web Copywriting

Creating effective persuasive web content for your website or blog is about striking the right balance. Your web copywriting needs to serve a variety of purposes and not all web content is created equal. Professional writers are finding that the leading reason successful website owners outsource their web content to professional writing services, is that a highly skilled professional writers can create web content that is effective in terms of authority, search engine optimization (SEO) and most importantly persuasion. Mastering the art of persuasive writing can take a long time even for professional writers. Contrary to popular belief, it is not hugely difficult to write effective persuasive content, however, it is by far, the easiest form of web content to get terribly wrong. Common reasons why so many website owners get persuasive writing wrong are a lack of structure to their content and a failure to understand the basic principles of persuasive writing

Poorly structured content has two negative effects. Firstly, it leaves the reader struggling to find the key information that affects them. You may be trying very hard to present your argument convincingly but the reader is looking for how it relates to their needs wants or problems. Secondly, it hinders the readers ability to view you as an authority in your field. In order for your web content to be effective and persuasive, the reader has to feel they are reading the work of an expert who can clearly and coherently present the relevant information and provide a solution to their problem. Clear structure is achieved in two ways, the knowledge of key writing principles and applying that knowledge to devise a detailed plan for your content. While planning in this way may seem like a time consuming exercise, it prevents you from losing focus or deviating from what you need to say and ensures your web content accomplishes your goal. So what are the key principles of effective persuasive web copywriting content?

The first principle of any writing task is to have a “purpose”. Without considering what the purpose of your web content is, there is little chance you will achieve the desired outcome. Like all persuasive text, persuasive web content or sales copy has a very distinct purpose. That purpose is to convince the reader to think, or behave in the way you want them to. Step one in your plan is to establish and write a clear statement on exactly what you want your reader to think, believe, agree with or do. be as specific as you can and try to avoid any general statements, such as, ‘buy my product’.

The second principle that must be considered is the “key point” you are trying to make. To write effective, persuasive content, you need to know exactly what your point is because if you don’t know, your reader certainly won’t! Essentially, your key point will need to be abundantly clear throughout your piece of web copywriting, so be absolutely sure you know what it is. Any deviation or digression from that point will just confuse the reader. Step two in your plan is to write a clear statement on what your key point(s) are. This could be the unique selling points (USP) of your product or how your product can solve the readers wants, needs or problems.

The third principle is “audience”. It is vitally important that you know who your audience are and what their wants and needs are. Effective, persuasive web content relies on the ability of the writer to connect with the reader through mutual understanding. If you understand your target audience, you can write web content that appeals directly to that audience. This is arguably the single most important factor in terms of converting your reader to your way of thinking. There are two issues you need to cover in your plans relating to audience. Who your target audience are including their interests and/or demographics and what their wants, needs or problems are.

To put this into context, imagine your website sells Ford cars and the purpose of your web copywriting is to convince and persuade people to buy Ford cars. Perhaps your key point could be that they are very affordable. Who would be your target audience? Anyone who wants or needs a new car or people who need a new car but have a limited income? Furthermore, what can you ascertain or assume about people with a limited income? Understanding who you need to write your web content for is half the battle to effective persuasive copy. After all, even the best professional writer could not write web content that will convince a millionaire to buy a Ford when they want a Ferrari! Many professional writers go so far as to create a profile for the target audience within the planning stage.

The final principle you will need to consider is “Voice”. For some this may seem like an obscure term to use, considering the communication is written and non-verbal, but selecting the correct “voice” or style and tone for your web content is very important. The style and tone of your web content will largely depend on who your target audience are. However, two good rules of thumb are that people do not respond well to being directly told what to do or think and that no one likes a bully. If you have taken the advisable step of creating a profile for your target customer, what style or tone are they most likely to respond to? Would they respond better to simple, straightforward language or detailed, complex language? Will they appreciate a witty and friendly tone or a more serious authoritarian approach? These are important factors to consider when for the planning your content. Writing effective, persuasive web content requires knowledge, preparation and skill. Even professional writers can find it difficult without formulating a detailed plan. Persuasive web content must;

a) have a known purpose to serve

b) clearly and concisely make the key point(s)

c) have a specific, targeted audience

d) be written in a clear style and tone that the audience respond favourably to.

Getting your web copywriting wrong can be hugely detrimental to your business, particularly in terms of conversion. Understanding the key principles of persuasive writing and making a detailed plan will significantly increase your chances of writing effective, persuasive web content. However, if it all seems too time consuming or too much like hard work, you can always outsource to a professional writer or writing service, like The Professional Writing Service, and let us do all the planning and writing for you!

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