COPYWRITING FOR WEBSITES

Transcription

1 COPYWRITING FOR WEBSITES Messaging can make r break yur nline business. In this curse, yu ll learn the keys t great website cpywriting, and why it s essential t grwing an nline business. Nte: the BONUS parts f each assignment are ptinal, but they will definitely help yu in creating yur website cpy. Sessin 1: WHY WEBSITE COPY IS CRUCIAL FOR YOUR BUSINESS There s n denying the impact f the internet n business in general. In this first Sessin, we ll take a clser lk at the specific impact messaging can have n a business bttm line. We ll als tuch n the types f web cpy yu shuld be aware f, s yu can identify which style best fits yur gals. PART 1A: THE IMPORTANCE OF WEBSITE MESSAGING CURRENT STATS ON THE IMPACT OF MESSAGING BREAKING DOWN THE REAL VALUE OF MESSAGING credibility -- establishing a viable reputatin nline brand identity -- using yur site t distinguish yurself frm the cmpetitin and psitin yurself as an authrity reach -- attracting new prspects yu wuldn t therwise have access t engagement -- cnnecting with yur audience; establishing the knw, like, and trust factr educatin -- infrming visitrs abut yur value prpsitin, yur stry, and the benefits f wrking with yu brand building -- creating cmmunity and building a lng-term relatinship with yur audience advertising/sales -- the rle messaging plays in yur marketing lead generatin -- hw messaging can be used t capture new leads and guide visitrs thrugh yur sales funnels; using messaging t test user experience, interest, engagement, activity, and purchasing behavir PART 1B: TYPES AND STYLES OF WEBSITE COPYWRITING OVERVIEW: Web cpy vs blgs and scial media TYPES f website cpy based n: structural elements/gal: static pages; landing page/sales page; ads; intr; bdy cpy; headlines; subheadings; CTAs

2 audience: B2B vs B2C; targeting yur demgraphic apprach/brand vice: infrmatinal; cnversatinal; stried; envisined; direct respnse; etc. site style: blg; magazine; ecmmerce; infrmatinal; scrlling; prtfli; etc. Sessin 2: CREATING A POWERFUL + PURPOSEFUL USER EXPERIENCE The gal f every site whether five pages r fifteen hundred is t create an experience that s psitive and purpseful fr the user s that yu can ultimately get them t take actin. In Sessin 2, we ll cver the keys t creating the framewrk fr a user-friendly website. PART 2A: USER EXPERIENCE DEFINED THE INSTANT GRATIFICATION WINDOW Yu have mere secnds t cnvey: what yur site is abut what they can get ut f it what actin they shuld take next TO BE USER FRIENDLY, YOUR SITE MUST be visually balanced (nt referring t style as much as spacing) present yur value prpsitin right away be memrable: capture attentin and maintain interest be easy, efficient, and effective t navigate intentinal visits -- they knw what they want and need t find it fast explratry visits -- they dn t knw what they want, s yu need t shw them why they need what yu have and hw they can get it the way prvide clear value t yur readers be prfessinal: as few errrs as pssible PART 2B: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF YOUR SITE KNOW YOUR GOALS What purpse will yur site and cntent serve? What s yur intended sales funnel? What rle will yur site play in that? Will yu be selling prducts? Prmting events r services? What is yur primary CTA? What kind f functinality d yu need? ( capture; frms; etc.) What kind f site is best fr yu? KNOW YOUR USER Wh is yur ideal client (IC)? What d they want mst? What is their painpint? Hw can yu slve their prblem? What d yu want them t d? PART 2C: YOUR SITE MAP

3 STANDARD PAGES: Making the mst f yur message n each page HOMEPAGE ABOUT SERVICES BLOG CONTACT OTHER PAGES: FAQ, Terms and cnditins, testimnials MUST HAVES must be respnsive fr mbile and different screens must be ptimized fr ggle analytics a custm url + third party hsting security (prtectin; make sure yu wn yur cntent) flexibility: must be easy t update with new cntent and plugins/widgets visuals t break up the cpy and supprt yur branding CTAs: clear, pwerful messaging leading reader t an actin Sessin 3: GENERATING COMPELLING CONTENT Nw that we knw why we re writing and wh wh we re writing fr, we ll dive deeper int the user experience t create messaging that cnnects and cnverts. PART 3A: BEST PRACTICES FOR VALUE-DRIVEN COPY IT S NOT ABOUT YOU present yur value but always write with the reader in mind present benefits ver features present ffers as pprtunities leave them feeling understd (address their cncerns) EFFICIENT = EFFECTIVE less is mre; avid versharing be clear and cncise in yur delivery avid redundancy and excess BE INTENTIONAL + ACTIONABLE knw what purpse every sentence serves use verbs and actin-riented language avid cnfusin at all csts (dn t make t many ffers; dn t leave them wndering what t d, what yu re abut, r hw yu can help them) always lead them t sme actin BE REAL speak their language: avid using technical jargn speak directly t yur audience: persnal prnuns can be helpful be n brand (chse a style that reflects yur brand vice) PART 3B: PREPPING YOUR HOMEPAGE ABOVE THE FOLD: HOOK + VALUE PROP

4 headline: lead with a prmise r declaratin f benefits subheading + descriptr sentence (ptinal) CTA BODY: THE INVERTED PYRAMID readers can easily skim fr the main pints f yur message present the mst imprtant details first intr paragraph: (6 W s) make yur case with specific evidence use internal hyperlinks t lead t mre extensive infrmatin deliver n the prmise and ffer next steps (CTA: purchase; dwnladable freebie; capture; etc.) PART 3C: READABILITY Just as a beautiful website can be ineffective withut strng messaging, the pwer f ur wrds can be dulled withut prper frmatting and flw. FORMATTING + LAYOUT: visual balance + branding use headlines + subheadings structure bdy cpy (DIGESTIBLE BITES) bullets fnts + clrs text + visuals current design trends LEADING THE READER create a strng flw f ideas use subheadings fr new ideas edit excess always lead t a cnclusin Sessin 4: GETTING NOTICED In this final Sessin, we ll demystify SEO by fcusing n the best practices yu shuld be using t maximize searchability and avid getting penalized. Write fr the human and yu ll write fr the search engine. -Demian Farnwrth 4A: THE SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE SECRETS TO SEARCH ENGINE SUCCESS BEST PRACTICES keywrds + the new Ggle algrithm prvide cnsistent, valuable cntent always use riginal cntent have a custm dmain make sure all yur back end site tags and meta descriptins are utilized

5 make sure all yur frnt end links (including visuals) are tagged prperly A LOOK AT GOOGLE ANALYTICS PERFORMING A BASIC KEYWORD SEARCH TESTING WHY IT S IMPORTANT APPS + PLATFORMS 4C: EXTERNAL MARKETING TO INCREASE YOUR SITE TRAFFIC SOCIAL Hw t increase traffic, rankings, and brand lyalists MARKETING The imprtance f list building fr yur sales funnel Leading them back t yur site LINK BACKS FROM OTHER SITES guest psts ads