Writing Web Copy in 2019: How to Do it Successfully.

Web copy is where sales, marketing, and customer service meet. So, delivering quality content that successfully entices new leads, leads to conversions, and builds customer relationships seems like a tall order. You can write some excellent and successful web copy this year with these steps.

Step One: Prioritize Your Content

All great content starts with good planning. Outline all of your content before you start writing to ensure that your material stays relevant and that it provides information in an order that makes sense to the reader. Regardless of what you’re writing web copy for, you need to have all of your details in one place and make sure that everything addresses the needs of your audience.

Before anything else, answer your readers’ questions. If your web copy is for a product or service, try to direct them to where they can get what they need within the first paragraph or two of content. This means that calls-to-action should be at the beginning of the content and the end. Then, provide information to your reader in grades of depth. For instance, give the most basic information first. Each paragraph after that can offer more nuanced information or answer specific questions. Finally, deliver your last call-to-action.

Step Two: Tackle the Basics

High-quality content relies on the basics such as formatting, accuracy, and grammar. Accuracy and grammar all rely on your skills as a researcher and a writer. You can, and likely will improve both your research abilities and your technical writing as you create more web copy and work with your clients or editor.

Regarding formatting, there are a variety of methods that work well. To find which formats work best for your client you should always consider writing for scanners and giving people answers.

Write for Scanners Not Readers

When you start writing your web copy, consider that most people visiting the page will only read the headers and maybe the one section that they feel is relevant to them. The feeling part is important, and the way to appeal to this is with emotionally charged headers. Cater to how you imagine your reader feels about the subject. Are they shopping for an item that is exciting or frustrating? Are the readers looking to schedule a service or call back?

People will not read every word you write, although you should still create excellent content. Craft your content in a way that makes it easy for scanners to find what’s important to them while ensuring that every section is of exceptional quality.

Give People Answers

Nothing is more frustrating than scanning, searching, and avidly reading a webpage only to have to go back to Google and start your search again. Your web copy should answer all, or at least most of a possible customers questions. Although your content should grab the attention of a potential customer and lead to a sale, you can only accomplish those two things with quality customer service.

When writing your web copy, investigate the common questions that consumers have about the product or service. Then aim to incorporate those answers in with the information you have to create your web copy.

Step Three: Be Conversational

People don’t want the used-car-salesman act, and they can sniff out infomercial inspiration faster than you can say, Billy Mays. Consumer’s want someone friendly to tell them about a product or service. Not their best friend who is going to say that something is the greatest thing ever, but someone informed who isn’t trying to swindle them.

The only way to achieve that balance between friend and salesperson is writing conversationally. Most people write differently than they speak. You can write in a way that is grammatically correct and be conversational.

Tips on writing conversationally include asking questions, using a second person approach, and to inject a little personality. A special note on this, you’ll want to ensure that your personal touches are appropriate for the material. Use metaphors but avoid idioms and anecdotes. Web copy can have personality, but it’s important to know that it’s not about you.

Step Four: Editing and Considering AI

Don’t worry, it’s not doom for copywriters in 2019, but the recent AI working in the field of content does change how you will work if you want to achieve success. The things to consider is that AI has stepped in more as a creative assistant than an outright writer, which means that AI is a tool for editing. Try using tools such as Grammarly or Quill that both use Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to help edit your content.  There are many other tools available too that can help you edit, strategize, and even establish brand standards if you’re working with consistent clients or writing web copy for your own brand.