Make Your Copy Dance

December 22, 2008 · Filed Under Writing Copy

Make your Copy Dance

Keep your writing clear, lively and vivid. Write in a light, unassuming tone of voice. If what you write is boring and/or overbearing, it will affect the reader in the same manner. And, what you are trying to convey simply will not get through to them.

Use words that spark visions and imagination. Instead of writing “The day was cloudy.” write “The sky hangs over the gray landscape like a well-worn, wet blanket. Your shadow will need to wait for another day to be cast.”

Use a consistent voice throughout your copy. By doing this, visitors will quickly recognize it and become familiar with it. The more familiar a style and author is to them, the more effective it will be in getting your message out.

Write in the present tense. Use the past tense only when absolutely necessary. When using the present tense it conveys to the reader that the subject is current, relevant and needs to be acted on now.

Being controversial is a great way to capture and keep people’s attention. By presenting your information and ideas in this manner, you stand apart from 98% of the crowd. Use the method that news programs on cable television do; “I’m smarter and richer than you?”. Notice the question mark at the end. They have turned a declarative statement into question and it grabs attention.

Use A Thesaurus

It is ever so easy to become a little sloppy with the vocabulary on your website, as well as the look. It so easy to become inconsistent in the terms and phrases that you use when describing a particular product, service, tool or feature on your site. If you’re not certain about a word use an online thesaurus

It is vital that you go through your site regularly and make sure that the words and phrases are consistent. Also, that they are clearly communicating what you are trying to express to those visiting your site.

Therefore, you should always be aware of the spelling, grammar and formatting of any copywriting that you produce. Many sales efforts have amounted to nothing just because of a simple spelling or grammatical error in the copywriting. So spend time using a spell checker to ensure that everything is correct. It will save a lot of time later on. If you need a spell checker you can find one at SpellChecker

Try to avoid using lots of capital letters and exclamations marks in your work. It’s simply unprofessional. It may also be construed as ‘SHOUTING’. Use bold text and color in order to highlight any important points you wish to make.

Another important thing to have is an understanding of the written language. Creating website copy is different from that used when writing an article in a newsletter, or composing a custom essay or book report or research paper. The language that you use must be very deliberate. You need to understand the language and how it influences people’s buying behaviors.

It is important that you know which words are strong, and which words are weak, and which words should be avoided at all costs. Weak words are those that convey a wishy-washy attitude; usually, sometimes, maybe and perhaps are weak and non-decisive. Strong action words; get, now, secret, expert.

Follow these rules to make your page appealing:

By formatting the text on a page, you can break up large chunks of information. Wherever possible, use bulleting, numbering, emboldened text, colored text etc., in order to make important information stand out.
Break up your paragraphs into easily digestible pieces of information. This will help to make your content stand out more. It will also help to make those important facts or sections stand out more.
At all times, refrain from adding two spaces after each full stop. Not only will you save time, you will also save space.
At the end of each paragraph, make sure that you press the return key twice and do the same after each section title.

If you need to write long technical copy, use the following formatting rules:

Keep the column width reasonably narrow. The human eye finds it more difficult to track from the end of one line to the beginning of the next if the column is too wide.
Use plenty of sub-headings. This helps those who would rather just scan a page before they commit to actually reading the whole thing. The sub-headings should lead your visitor through the key points.
Indent any key elements in your copy. This will help to add emphasis where it is needed. It also helps to break up an otherwise scary block of text. The longer the copy on the page, the more important it is for you to use sub-headings and indents.

As you can see, with this article, the formatting makes it easy to read by presenting the main ideas in bold red text and the individual topics in a numbered or bulleted list.

Print this post and keep it close to your computer and practice on the items covered.

It is not this bad! Read it again. Please! B- to C+ ? You are terrific! I will click some ads for you. (1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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