What’s Different About Copywriting For The Web?

December 5, 2008 · Filed Under Writing Copy

Early this morning, around 8, I posted at Twitter that I was writing this post. I really did have good intentions. Nine hours later here it is. I know what your thinking “It took you nine hours to write this? Why the hell would I want to listen to you about copywriting?” Excellent questions!

Actually it took me about ten minutes to write this. The other eight hours and fifty minutes were spent getting my server back online.

Okay lets talk about copywriting for the web and why it’s different.

The most important reasons as to why copywriting for the web is different is that the mindset of those who are going to be reading it is different.
More often than not, most web pages will be found via a search engine or a social network. This is very significant, as it means that the person reading your site has been looking either for you or someone like you. So that puts them in control. This is because they will be focused on finding a particular product, service or piece of information.

So anyone visiting your site for the first time and has found it via a search engine will have a few questions in mind. “Have I come to the right place?” also “Will I find what I’m looking for at this page or site?” Finally, they would be asking themselves “Does this tell me what I want to know ?”

In order for this to happen, your writing needs to provide answers so that the visitor knows exactly what they are looking for. What is important when writing any copy for the web is that you reassure any visitors that they are in the right place, and that they should continue to read on.

How do you get your visitors to read on? It’s actually pretty easy, tell them a story. The bland and factual don’t stir people. Yes, you need to present the facts unless your writing pure non-fiction. The way you present the facts is critical for today’s web searcher. Stories capture peoples’ imaginations. Imagination propels their emotions. People buy based on emotion.

As it turns out Jack Chartrand over at Copyblogger stole my thunder today. Bless him. Jack is one of the best web copywriters out there. I’ve been a subscriber to his feed for quite awhile because he never disappoints. Go read Jack’s post on “Why You Need To Transform Website Into A Story.” I’ll beat him to the punch next time, maybe!

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