03.27
If you’ve got a small business website, there’s a good chance you wrote the content yourself. And it’s likely you don’t update the copy (words) on key pages very often.
Here are 6 DIY ways to freshen up your website’s content to make it more readable.
1. Break up content with sub-headings and short paragraphs
When we read a web page, we usually scan through content looking for key information. So if your content is bunched up in big chunks of text, your customers are less likely to get the information they need.
Instead, use short paragraphs based around one idea per paragraph. Paragraphs of just one, two or three sentences are fine for web copywriting.
Then break up your content further with sub-headings to help your users scan the page more easily.
2. Use ‘I’, ‘us’ and ‘you’
When writing avoid referring to yourself and your customers in the third person. Instead, use personal language like ‘I’, ‘us’ and ‘you’.
Read these two examples - who would you rather buy from?
The company is very sorry but can’t send the packages to customers until December 21st.
We’re very sorry but we can’t send the packages to you until December 21st.
3. Use simple words
Review the words you’ve used in your content. Are they are simple as they could be? Have you used jargon or ‘corporate speak’?
This doesn’t only go for words you use to describe your business and services. Make you have used the shortest most simple version of every word.
Consider these examples:
- Demanding vs Hard
- Utilise vs Use
- Approximately vs About
- Discover vs Find
4. Start with your conclusion
People will visit your site for information, to buy your products, or to make an opinion about your services.
So include the most important information on a page near the top. That way it’s no big loss if they don’t read the whole page – they get the most important information right away.
For example, if a page is about the areas your company covers, that information should be in the first paragraph. Any additional information can then follow.
5. Link to other pages
Link to other pages on your site if appropriate. For example, if you talk about delivery options or particular services on your page, link to relevant pages using those words. (The words you use in a link are called ‘anchor text’.)
Just make sure you avoid words like ‘click here’ that don’t describe the content of the page you’re linking to. It’s an SEO copywriting no-no and bad for accessibility.
6. Read out loud
When you’ve finished re-writing your content, read it out loud. You’ll find out straight away if something needs some extra commas or a rewrite.
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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I’m sending this article to a lot of my friends that love to use long and unnecessary words for the sake of showing off or for whatever reason. You know what is the worst? When you refer to someone as ‘one’ (ex: If one has to fall in love with a duck, then one must buy this potion). IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE TYPING FROM THE MIDDLE AGES, GET A LIFE! I love this article. Thank you!