When you’re trying to establish yourself as a successful web designer, the more skills you have the better. It’s great if you can design clean, attractive websites that appeal to consumers. Your job prospects will be even better, however, if you can design phenomenal websites, write compelling SEO web copy to increase the search engine ranking of websites, and promote the websites you design using social media. In our global economy, good designers are a dime a dozen. Good designers who can create and promote profitable websites from the ground up, on the other hand, are rare.
If you want to become a more versatile designer and increase your marketability, you may be thinking about dabbling in web copy writing. Learning how to write well for an online audience can be a challenge, but it’ll pay off. Here are a few tips for you to keep in mind as you embark on your new and exciting journey as a web writer:
1. Be Concise
For many of us, the last time we wrote anything lengthy was in English class, but this type of writing is anything but concise. As a web writer, however, keeping it short will work in your favor. Web users don’t want to read a wall of text. They want to get the information they need, and they want that information to be useful.
If you find yourself rambling on to try to get your point across, strive to shorten what you’re writing and really get to the meat of what you’re trying to say. Additionally, it’s a good idea to break long paragraphs up into chunks and use headings throughout your copy to make it easier to scan.
2. Be Interesting
Some people will tell you SEO should be your primary concern when you’re writing on the web. Don’t listen to them. SEO is important, but creating good content that actually interests and engages people is more important. This is especially true in the aftermath of the Google’s recent Panda and Penguin algorithm updates. Over-optimized sites are penalized, but sites that provide a good user experience are rewarded.
Writing content that is informative, entertaining, and thoughtful will score you the points you need as a web writer. So don’t rush through what you’re writing and don’t hesitate to research topics thoroughly to help make what you write more informative. Shallow content that doesn’t bring anything new to the table won’t retain the attention of your web audience.
3. Be Yourself
A big mistake many novice writers make is writing too formally. When you’re writing for a web audience, you want to make your copy as accessible as possible. This means using simple, clear language without the frills. It means writing in an appealing, casual style. Oftentimes, the best writers write in their own, personal voices. They write as if they’re talking to a close friend, without worrying about impressing their audience or trying to sound smart. They keep it simple and write to the best of their natural abilities. So, strive to be yourself as a writer.
The more you write, the better you’ll get at writing. Consider the tips above as you refine your skills as a web writer, and enjoy all the new career opportunities that fall into your lap as a more skilled web designer!
Nov 22, 2012 - 07:43 PM
3 Simple Tips for Web Designers to Write Better Copy http://t.co/DUb3fq5j
Nov 23, 2012 - 12:23 AM
3 Simple Tips for Web Designers to Write Better Copy http://t.co/O2V2sgcz (WebDesignMash)
Nov 23, 2012 - 12:23 AM
3 Simple Tips for Web Designers to Write Better Copy http://t.co/8H1EGnr1
Nov 23, 2012 - 12:24 AM
3 Simple Tips for Web Designers to Write Better Copy http://t.co/8H1EGnr1
Nov 23, 2012 - 12:43 AM
3 Simple Tips for Web Designers to Write Better Copy http://t.co/DUb3fq5j
Nov 23, 2012 - 01:44 AM
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Nov 23, 2012 - 03:29 AM
3 Simple Tips for Web Designers to Write Better Copy http://t.co/Y5pJXPnV via @zite
Nov 23, 2012 - 06:44 AM
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Nov 23, 2012 - 05:37 PM
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Nov 23, 2012 - 10:37 PM
3 Simple Tips for Web Designers to Write Better Copy – http://t.co/JGmXB36I
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Nov 23, 2012 - 11:07 PM
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Jan 08, 2013 - 09:47 AM
Rachel, thanks for the tips 🙂 It’s really inportant to be yourself when writing an article