Tips for Writing Good Web Copy

Determine the tone
Determine the tone of your copy based on the style of your web site.If your web site is oriented toward children, for example, you need to incorporate tone and language that relates to them. If you are speaking to CPAs and other finance professionals, you need a tone and language that will make them feel you are credible.

Referring to your company as “we”
If you are trying to present yourself as a large company consider referring to your company as “we.” For example, write “We at QuadNet International are the leaders in network integration,” even if QuadNet is only four people. If you are representing yourself only, you may still use “we” to look bigger, or you may choose to write in an informal, personal style.

Keep the language simple
Don’t get too technical. Keep the language as simple as possible with easy to understand concepts. Difficult concepts can be illustrated with visual elements such as a diagram.

Keep sentences short, sweet and to the point
Resist the tendency to get long winded. Keep sentences short, sweet and to the point. Separate large sections of text into bite size pieces by using bold, informative headings and sub headings. Support sub headings with paragraphs that are 4 or 5 lines long.

Keep your text on any given page to a minimum. If you have large volumes of text, consider ways to break up the information so that you can generate a new topic and place it on a new page. It’s better to split information into two pages than cram it all on one page. Remember site visitors have very short attention spans and want to find information quickly. Most won’t read large volumes of text.

Direct your visitors to where you want them to go
Use HTML links (also known as hyperlinks or crossover links) within your copy or at the end of a paragraph. These links should be carefully placed to allow a potential customer to click over or “crossover” to another area of the web site. For example, at the bottom of the Services page, create a link that says “Contact us for more information about our services.”

You can also link visitors to pages with more detailed information. For example, if you mention a peppermint cocoa cake on your Home page, make the words “peppermint cocoa cake” a link to information on your Products page. When customers click on the link, they will go to a description of the cake and a shopping cart to buy it.

Other Resources for Writing Good Web Copy

Lit Writing – Free Articles and Special Reports by Ghost Writer Suzanne Storar
http://www.litwriting.com/resources.html

Web Pro News: 10 Tips For Writing Effective Web Copy
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2004/04/22/
tips-for-writing-effective-web-copy

Content is King: Writing Good Web Copy
http://www.atartec.co.il/articles/jan04.shtml

Beth Barany - Creativity Coach for Writers
For those of you interested in overcoming writer's block.
This e-book is a must: 10 Writing Sparks to Ignite Your Creativity
http://www.overcomewritersblock.com/

The Value of a Good CopyWriter

I recently completed a web project where the client was very focused on the designs, but not "copy" or text. When we encouraged the client to work on the copy, they thought "oh, no problem - we'll get this done quickly." It ended up that the design was completed several weeks, er, months before the copy was ever ready.

But copy is so important! Clever, meaningful, well-placed words can make the difference in a purchase...or not. Ever read a print ad for Disney, Nike, or even Tiffany's? Or how about a great travel magazine like Conde Naste? Notice how the words are inviting, pulling you in, and getting you to feel and possibly act on your emotional response. Do you believe those words are written by the CEO? Or even a VP? Not a chance! They are written by some of the best copywriters and/or journalists in the world.

One of the stumbling blocks that entrepreneurs, small business executives and non-profit staff often encounter in creating copy for a web presence is that they are forced to think about the company in a differentiating way. With the possibility of hundreds, if not thousands of people visiting the web site, these statements can make or break the site visitor experience. That is why we highly encourage clients to hire professional copywriters. Below are a few additional reasons.

It Is Hard to Find the Time to Write the Copy Yourself
Many of us have a hard time sitting down to write checks to pay bills. Imagine sitting down and summarizing what you want to say about your business! And if more than one busy person must be involved in this exercise, coordination can become exasperating. By sitting down with a professional copywriter you can provide all of the key information once, maybe twice, and leave "the driving" to them.

A Professional Copywriter Has a Tried and True Process
I recently hired a copywriter to help rewrite my own web copy. Being a frequent journalist and business editor, I initially thought I could write the copy myself but it was just too hard to express my thoughts in the right words. When we met, I was thrilled with not only her process, but the depth of the questions that she asked me! I had to go away and really think about what I wanted to leave site visitors with, and how do I get that meaning across to her. That actually was my first test in whether what I truly wanted to say made sense, and could it clearly be articulated via my web site. By spending this quality time thinking about my vision, processes and brand, and supplying her with materials that supported these thoughts, I was freed from the task of identifying the right words and messaging too! That was her job!

A Professional Copywriter Can Unify the Tone of Your Messaging and Help Build Your Brand
If you are operating your business AND writing the copy too, you are probably writing only as time allows. The result may be jumbled concepts and varying tone in your messaging. Hiring a copywriter will guarantee that the tone of your messaging will be consistent and clear which goes a long way in reinforcing your brand.

Professional copywriters can range in prices from $60/hour on up. While design is a crucial aspect of your web presence, do not dismiss the importance of using the right words and messages to support that design. Your investment will go a long way!

How to Choose a Domain Name for your Web Site

Selecting a domain name for your web site is often the first difficult task for a company. Many small business owners stress over getting the right name and are disheartened if they discover another company has the name they desire. Fear not! Below are some options available to finding a domain name that will work for you.

Make Up a Name
Typically, a domain name can be as long as 63 characters. Just remember, however, that your customers have to be able to remember it! Consider making up a word that describes what youdo. Although the word may not appear in Webster’sDictionary, it can still have meaning to your clients, and it may provide you with a domain name that is not registered. For example, a day spa owner offeringservices for hair and body came up with the name“Thairapeutics.” An original name such as this provides differentiation.

Buy a Name
Many domain name registrars are now “reselling” names. This is a way of “re-using” domain names that are (or were) registered but never used. Be awarethat the more popular the name the more costly it could be. At other times, however, buying a name can be a reasonable investment. For example, the owners of software for a scientific calculator wanted the domain name “CalcSoft.com” When they saw that the name was for sale, they learned the price was $300—a relatively low investment in exchange for a name that could help brand their business.

Consider a Phrase vs. Just a Word
Sometimes having a phrase that describes your business is easier to register than your company name. More business owners and non-profits are choosing to do this. For example, one company chose the name “The Greater Possibility” to state that they help their coaching and business clients find greater possibilities than they would on their own. Other examples include “Just Pet Me,” for a pet spa, and “The Footstool Company”—pretty apparent what they sell. A simple phrase is a clever way to create a unique domain name and one that your clientele can remember when trying to reach you on the Web.

Consider a name that will increase your Search Engine ranking
You can choose a domain name that will help your web site gain a high ranking on Internet search engines. Try choosing a keyword or multiple keywords that you know people will be searching for such as words related to your business and a geographical location.
For example, consider the key phrase “Berkeley Therapist,” which uses a location and a profession. If you did a Google search for “Berkeley Therapist” you would find http://www.berkeleytherapist.net/. Domain names with dashes (berkeley-therapist.net) sometimes gain higher rankings in the search engines.

Tools such as Word Tracker http://www.wordtracker.com/ and Overture’s Inventory http://inventory.overture.com/ reveal the most popular keywords in Internet searches. Simply type in the keyword of interest and you will see immediately if it is a popular search term or not.

On that note Happy Domain Name Hunting!

Buying Stock Photography – What is the difference between Rights Managed and Royalty Free, and 72 dpi versus 300 dpi?

Buying Stock Photography
Stock photographs are images taken by either amateur or professional photographers of people, animals, business settings, etc. Sometimes the stock images are a little generic; however, while they may not be exactly what you want, they often may fill the bill at a much cheaper price. Examples of sites where you can find stock photography are listed below.

What is the Difference Between Rights Managed and Royalty Free
Be sure to read the details and purchase Royalty-Free images vs. Rights-Managed images. Rights-Managed images are protected under a license that stipulates specific terms of use (single purpose). Royalty-Free licenses allow you to purchase the image for use as long and as often as you need. The greatest difference between the two licenses is the price, and, undoubtedly, Royalty-Free is cheaper.

If you are going to purchase images from a stock photography web site, purchase images that are 72 dots per inch (dpi) in resolution if you are going to use them for the web site only. If you are going to use them for print as well as the web then purchase images at 300 dpi minimum.

What is the difference between 72 and 300 dpi?
DPI is a form of measurement that defines the clarity of an image being printed. It is measured by the number of dots that fit into one square inch. The higher the dpi, the smaller the dots, the sharper the image. The lower the dpi, the bigger the dots, and the less clear the image. The standard for web is 72 dpi; however, the standard for print is 300 dpi. In other words, if you were to print a 72 dpi web image, it would come out looking really poor, yet on the web it would look really good.

This is due to the fact that paper is measured in inches. Therefore, the number of dots per inch highly affects the quality of an image when it is being printed. On the other hand, monitors measure in pixels which makes very little difference in the quality of a digital image.

Stock Photography Web Sites

BigStockPhoto
http://www.bigstockphoto.com
Comstock Images
http://www.comstock.com
Corbis
http://www.corbis.com
ClipArt.com
http://www.clipart.com
Getty Images
http://www.gettyimages.com
InMagine
http:///www.inmagine.com
IstockPhoto
http://www.istockphoto.com
Jupiter Images
http://www.jupiterimages.com
Master File
http://www.masterfile.com
Photos.com
http://www.photos.com
Picture Quest
http://www.picturequest.com
Veer
http://www.veer.com

NOTE: If you are looking for a good deal check out http://www.istockphoto.com/ and http://www.bigstockphoto.com/. These stock photo web sites sell royalty free stock photos, video and graphics on a credit system. Some credits are as low as $1 each, with a minimum purchase of $12. You can buy as many credits as you need, the more credits you buy the less expensive the stock. Credits are valid for at least one full year from the date of purchase.

10 Good Reasons Why I Should Hire a Professional Designer

Your web site is the Internet face of your organization. You want to make it as professional and appealing to your target audience as possible. Given the option to create the site yourself or hire a designer raises the question, "give me 10 good reasons why I should hire a professional designer"?

1. Saving you time - Hiring a professional gives you the benefit of hiring an expert who knows successful, efficient ways to create a web site quickly.
2. Making it unique - There are about millions, even billions of web sites on Internet. How are you going to make yours stand out? A professional designer is able to create a web site that is unique to your business, pleasant on the eye, have clear and easy navigation, load efficiently, and work properly in all the major browsers.
3. Making it easy to use - A professional web designer will keep your visitors in mind by making it easy for them to navigate and travel around the web site without getting confused.
4. Getting ahead of your competition - Having a professionally designed web site gives visitor’s confidence in your products and services. Competition is fierce of the Internet and first impressions are very important, your web site should shake hands and smile at your site visitors.
5. Communicating your message - A professional web designer is experienced in knowing how to communicate your message. Be it through the use of colors, fonts, graphics etc., a professional web site should convey a clear consistent, compelling message that represents your business.
6. Making it Search Engine friendly - One of the most important factors about a web site is its presence in the search engines. A professional designer will know how to design your site so that it is Search Engine Friendly.
7. The difference between home made and professional - There is a huge difference between a home made web site and a professional web site. Having a professional web site will provide you with a sense of security about your products and services that no home made web site can do. Who knows that extra sense of security will help you sleep better at night
8. Making you the expert - A professional designer will know how to make you look like the expert in your field by suggesting resources, source material, news articles and content that will make your company look knowledgeable in its field of business.
9. Making you trustworthy - A good web designer will be able to find ways to convey your trustworthiness through the use of images or text. This lets site visitors know there is a real human on the other side that is worth doing business with.
10. Greater credibility - Having a professionally designed web site will enable your small business to compete with larger companies. A professional designer will be able to make a smaller company look like a larger company; therefore, giving small companies as much credibility as the large companies.

How to Create Effective Landing Pages

A “landing page” these days is becoming more and more an effective marketing tool. It is a special page that visitors are directed to when they click on a link. The page usually highlights a product or service with the sole aim of getting visitors to either buy the product (right there and then) or take some action that will lead to a sale. Last week, while developing a “landing page” for one of my clients I started to wonder, how I could make the “landing page” more compelling from a selling point of view, as well as from a design point of view. I came across this article written by Bryan Eisenberg, as Bryan explains “landing pages are the most logical place to begin your solid commitment to better conversation rates”. In a nutshell what this means is turning your site visitor into a sale. If you are interested in converting a visitor into a sale read on…

ClickX Experts – Advice & Opinions, By & for Marketers
Create Landing Pages That Convert
By Bryan Eisenberg
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3490481

Next time I shall be discussing "10 Good Reasons Why I Should Hire a Professional Designer"

The Future of FrontPage

After nine years of being an award-winning Web authoring tool, FrontPage is being discontinue and has been replaced with some new web authoring tools, Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer and Microsoft Expression Web. Based on FrontPage technology these new tools are now available to the public.

To determine which tool is for you I highly recommend reading the following articles:

Microsoft - “The Future of FrontPage”
An article that explores the why, when, what and which questions related to these new authoring tools.

Harbet.net – “SharePoint Designer and Expression Web”
A weblog that discusses the difference between the two web authoring tools.

Next time I shall be discussing How to Create Effective Landing Pages?