5 great ways to improve your online copy

FIVE EASY WAYS TO IMPROVE ONLINE COPY

Presented by Mel HensonScreen Pages – 7th July 2011

Traditional copywriting

YOUR PRODUCT

YOUR CUSTOMERS

COPY

Salesmanship in words

Why is online different?

• Decision making process • Skimming v reading• Space restrictions• New things eg: – Link copy– Category overviews

• Search engine optimisation

NO 1 WRITE FOR ONE PERSON

The ‘crowd’• You all...• Our customers...• For those of you....

The individual• You • Your

Use the word ‘You’ more than ‘Us’(Our business) will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in September 2007. When

we launched our business, mail order was still evolving, the internet was merely talked about, on-line shopping had hardly begun and Google had not even been thought of.

10 years ago, we set ourselves the objective of creating quality jewellery that was stylish and incorporated classically timeless designs. We wanted to offer products that women could afford to buy for themselves.

We also set ourselves the goal of providing a level of service that went beyond our customers’ expectations.

I hope we have succeeded! These are still our aspirations today.In 1997 our collection amounted to perhaps 30 or 40 at the most. Today we

regularly have nearer 400, and we are creating new ones every week.

A huge thank you to all our customers who have supported us over the last ten years. You have been very loyal, and we are enormously flattered by your continuing trust and support as well as by the many compliments we receive

304 words

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

You

We

No 2 WRITE ACTIVELY – NOT PASSIVELY

Passive• This spray cleans....• This radio is so clear• This stain remover is easy to

use

Active• End the chore of....• Discover the clarity of...• Remove stains with ease

Assume they’re going to buy

Passive...• If you buy....

• You could be enjoying....

• Should you decide to...

Active....

• When you buy....

• Enjoy the....

• Now you can look forward to...

Active sentence-starters

• Keep your....• Organise your...• Reveal your....• End that....• Prevent ...• Stay ahead...• Freshen up....• Restore your...• Say goodbye to...

Demco Europe Limited – helping library and education professionals to provide the best service to their customers and students in the UK, across Europe, and internationally.

By offering specialist supplies, furniture and innovative design for libraries, study spaces, and learning resource centres, the Demco Europe family of established brands aim to inspire learning within our communities.

Inspire learning in your community.

When you need innovative design, furniture and resources for your library, trust Demco Europe Ltd - one of the world’s leading specialist suppliers to universities, colleges, schools and learning centres.

Present tense is active – future is passiveWill....

• Kids will love the fruity taste....

• These silk-lined gloves will keep your hands warm...

No will...

• Kids love the fruity taste....

• Your hands are always warm thanks to a pure silk lining..

No 3 USE MAGIC WORDS

NEW

Easy

Fast

Guar- anteed

Happy

Safe

HURRY

NOW

Quick

Use sparingly....

No 5 WRITE FOR HUMANS (not spiders)

Category overviews

SPIDERS• Welcome to the bakeware

section of our website, where there’s a fantastic selection of muffin pans, tart dishes, loaf tins, madeleine moulds and lots more for baking all kinds of cakes and pies.

HUMANS• Buying bakeware is a piece

of cake with our great selection. From muffin pans and tart dishes to loaf tins and madeleine moulds you’ll find all you need for baking cakes, pies and more.

Copy is only one part of SEO

• URL• Title• Site structure• 301 redirects• Breadcrumbs• Navigation• Bullet points• External links• Internal links• Canonicalisation

SEO

Other elements Copy

Isn’t he adorable? Probably a bit more loveable than his famous namesake Hampton Court Palace’s notorious resident, King Henry VIII. He comes with full royal regalia including handsome trimmed Tudor cap and cape. Suitable for little princes and princesses aged three years and above. Measures 28cm.

THE SECRET FORMULA

AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

Attention

Interest

Desire

Action

• A Isn’t he adorable?

• I Probably a bit more loveable than his famous namesake Hampton Court Palace’s notorious resident, King Henry VIII.

• D He comes with full royal regalia including handsome trimmed Tudor cap and cape.

• A Suitable for little princes and princesses aged three years and above. Measures 28cm.

5 EASY WAYS TO IMPROVE ONLINE COPY

1. Write for one person2. Active, not passive3. Use magic words –

sparingly4. Be creative with links5. Write for humans, not

spiders

www.wordsthatsell.co.uk

Presented by Mel Henson author of Flicks & ClicksFollow twitter @flicksandclicks

4. TALK BENEFITS NOT FEATURES

Feature• Biker’s glove with a sticky

palm

NEW STICKY PALM GLOVE GIVES BETTER GRIP

Benefit• Better grip, more control,

win more races

THE GLOVE THAT HELPS YOU WIN

Copy is a tiny factor in SEO

The old and the new

Traditional (Print) Copy• Ads• Letters• Catalogue product copy• Coupons & order forms

New (online) Copy• URL’s• Title tags• Link copy• Landing page• Category overview• Google Adwords• Advice copy (eg: Buyers’

Guides)• Checkout