Remember what used to be the ABC of sales in the 20th century? The old adage Always Be Closing rang in the ears of salespeople across the globe as a guiding mantra for decades.
ABCS of sales, photo credit le-grove.co.uk
This ABC, which suggested that all that mattered was the sale and closing it, was later translated as Always Be Confident, implying a shift from the object to the subject. According to this perspective, there was a slight change of focus from the sale to the salesperson, on whose confidence the sale depended.
Now the sales agent was no longer the disembodied entity that had to close the sale, but an individual whose confidence in his or her own skills increased the likelihood to actually close the sale.
But what happens now?
First of all, it should be noted that the turn of the century brought a shift of balance in the relationship between the elements of the selling triangle: sale – salesperson – customer. From the least important in this equation, the customer became the central piece.
And online selling is a telling example in this sense.
Businesses build Websites to become visible to people surfing the Web, hoping to turn them into potential buyers. To do that, their Websites need to capture visitors’ attention. That’s where content writing comes in.
Make sure you know your alphabet.
The ABCs of Content Writing: Part of an Online Marketing Strategy
Here’s the one we propose. It’s actually a double ABC: Answer and Appeal, Briefness and Buoyancy, Condensation and Consistency.
Let’s see what each pair in this AABBCC actually stands for when it comes to content writing.
Answer and Appeal
Your content writing should be informative, providing answers to visitors’ questions about your product or service. Credibility is directly linked to usefulness, therefore your content should be useful in order to influence the visitor and turn him or her into a potential buyer.
Also, if your content is not only offering answers to questions, but does this in an appealing way by providing relevant details, suggestive examples, and explicit action steps, it’s even better.
Briefness and Buoyancy
To fulfill its purpose, content writing should at the same time follow the rule of briefness and buoyancy. It’s a fact that fleeting attention is the worst enemy of online writing. To convince people to read what you have to say, you need to be as concise as possible while also allowing them to skim and scan your words in search of what’s relevant to them. But brief and succinct does not mean superficial. Briefness should be doubled by buoyancy, by which we mean that the language used to write online content should be simple, fluent and lively, conveying a lightness of spirit, that keeps the readers alert and does not overload their system. And with this, we move to the third pair in our double ABC.
Condensation and Consistency
Your content writing should not be only appealing and brief, but also substantial. You should provide condensed ideas by reducing the content to the gist, in a simple and clear manner. Even if the content is technical or highly specific you need to find ways to render it in laymen’s terms. Condensation does not mean obscurity. It means synthesis, and it requires the ability to render the essential.
To increase the effectiveness of your content writing, you need to be consistent. Customers and prospects appreciate consistency and see it as a sign of reliability. Consistency in Web content quality is fundamental in earning people’s trust and maintaining their interest.
Quality content writing is like great customer service.
If you surprise people by exceeding their expectations, they’re not only more likely to return to you, but also make referrals to others.
By keeping in mind the double ABC of content writing, you can improve the quality of your copy, and as a result increase your traffic and website efficiency.
Web content is much like the Cinderella of the web content writing world.
Photo credit wondersofdisney.disneyfansites.com
Before content mattered as much as it did today, design claimed all the attention.
However, things are starting to change. Great design doesn’t say much if there’s no meaningful content.
Tinseltown: The New Web Content Writing Era
Both Webmasters and business Website owners are beginning to understand that, and as a result reconsider the way they relate to content and content writing.
Tinseltown Websites are now starting to be sanctioned by search engines and readers alike. Google introduced new counterattack defense weapons targeting bad links and duplicate and low-quality content. Readers click away if you don’t grab their attention from the first line.
It’s becoming obvious that good content will eventually prevail over marketing tricks. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore your SEO keyword research or other relevant online marketing strategies. But it does mean that you should focus more on your content writing. And getting people to click the link is all that matters, right?
Wrong. Getting them to click and buy your subscription, product, or service because they really need it. That’s different.
Your business Website is like a storefront, and people passing by window-shopping will be persuaded – or not – to come in by looking at your store window. That is content. Quality Web copy will draw them in, while tedious, illegible content will drive them away.
5 Key Features of High Quality, Convincing Content Writing
1. Make sure that what you say is meaningful and serves a purpose
The customer’s purpose, more exactly. To achieve that, you need to know who you are talking to. Ask yourself: How well do I know my target audience? Can you make a profile of your typical customer? If not, it’s time to do your homework. After identifying the profile of your regular consumers, their purchasing behavior, and their psychology, you need to find ways to connect with them through your content by answering their specific needs.
2. Say it in simple, but not simplistic, words
Provide relevant information in conversational language. If you want visitors to read your content, stick to the core, don’t beat around the bush. Remove all irrelevant details that don’t pertain directly to your topic.
3. Be transparent about your offering and don’t overstate the benefits
You have more chances of winning your customers’ loyalty if you disclose the genuine value of your product or service than if you speculate the argument of low price and fail to deliver on your promise. People don’t want cheap low-quality products; they want quality products at a fair price.
4. Provide clear explanations and telling examples, but in a concise manner
While you’re trying to get new customers, make sure that you don’t neglect your old ones. Loyalty is hard to find, so create Web content that is targeted at existing consumers, which keeps them engaged and makes them want to return to your Website. Serving repeat visitors is more important than running after new ones, so don’t place existing customers at the end of your checklist when writing content for your Website.
5. Keep it fresh if you want people to return
It’s like going to the marketplace; you go there to find fresh produce. With that in mind, post new material and update your content regularly, otherwise visitors will look somewhere else for new and dynamic info on the topic they’re interested in.
Remember: only really useful content will survive, so try to think of the long term and invest time and effort in your content writing now to reap the benefits in the not-too-distant future.
When it comes to web content writing and editing, it pays to play by the rules.
While there’s absolutely room for creativity and interpretation in the world of online content, there are also just things you’re better off not doing, and things that you should make certain you do.
By understanding the ins and outs (dos and don’ts) of this industry, you’ll set yourself up to be more productive and fruitful.
With that in mind, check out these web content writing rules to live by.
Web Content Writing and Editing: 4 Key Dos and Don’ts
Just like learning to waltz requires memorizing a series of steps, learning to be an effective online copywriting requires understanding the rules of the game.
In light of that, here are our four top content writing rules for copywriting creatives in the modern world:
The 4 Big Don’ts of Online Content
In online content, learning what not to do is almost as important as learning what to do. With that in mind, here are four things you always want to avoid in your copywriting.
1. Dull, dry, icky content that could have come from anywhere
This covers both how we arrange content on a Web page, and what that page contains or how the information is rendered.
First, let’s discuss the actual content you’re writing. Any content you publish should be several things: unique, relevant, well-written, and exciting.
If these things sound like a tall order, it’s because they are. This is why so many content writers (unfortunately) go to the dark side and start churning out boring content that doesn’t do anything for their brand or their readers.
While this content certainly checks a box and gives the writer something to publish, it misses the larger goal of content as a whole, which is to inspire, educate, and provide meaning. With this in mind, writers must avoid this first pitfall like the black plague.
If you don’t have the time to put out high-quality content, you have exactly two choices: you can cut down on the content you’re publishing, or you can hire a writer (or a team of writers) to help you.
The best decision is the second one, and you’ll notice that “start publishing crappy content” is not an option at all.
Boring, poor-quality content is the bane of the online world, and it will harm your online presence much, much more than it helps it. To get the most traction from your content, you’ll also need to ensure that you’re arranging it on a page in a way that avoids being dull, dry, or icky, and lands solidly in the realm of creative, unique, and exciting.
2. Rambling without a point, or being overly verbose
While most writer jokes in the world center on an overly-intellectualized person making a simple concept difficult, the reality is the job of a writer is exactly the opposite. To be effective, you must abide by the golden web content writing rule: keep it simple.
Simple content performs better, and it’s a more efficient way to reach your audience.
With this in mind, sift through your content to cut out unneeded words, trim the fat, and get to the point. Your readers will thank you and your content will perform better.
What’s more, you’ll need to avoid common pitfalls. Remember that the best online content is original and creative, so try to avoid clichés, worn-out language, obvious statements, and irrelevant examples.
In the battle for page rank, the winners are the ones who can be authentic and simple in one easy package. Chunky, clunky, stuffed-too-full pieces need not apply.
3. Plagiarized content (or any duplicate content)
While most people imagine duplicate content as copying and pasting someone else’s website, it can be much more nuanced than that. Often, plagiarized content comes in the form of duplicated meta descriptions or improperly cited facts. Whatever you do, avoid both of these things in your online content. In addition to improving your Google rank, this will also make your content more authoritative and relevant to your users.
4. Content that is filled with mistakes
While all writers make mistakes, it’s essential that you catch them before your audience does. Spelling and grammar mistakes can destroy the functionality of your content. With this in mind, run your content through a spelling and grammar checker like Grammarly, and always give it several proof-reads before you send it off to be published.
What are the Dos of Content Writing?
Now that we’ve covered what not to do let’s talk about what you should be doing. Follow the tips below:
1. Make your point clear in every piece you write
Today, the average reader’s attention span is shorter than a goldfish’s, so you don’t have much time to make your point.
Because of this, it’s essential to be upfront about why you’re writing the piece, and what it will offer the reader. If the user can’t immediately determine this, there’s a good chance they’ll leave for a piece that’s a bit more straightforward.
Open your pieces with an attention-grabbing sentence, and then get to work explaining your purpose. Your reader will thank you.
2. Stay on topic in your material
Nobody like a rambler and your content will lose readers if it wanders too far from the point. With this in mind, pick only one idea only to discuss, illustrate, or elaborate on in your article or blog post. Once you’ve done this, back it up and flesh it out accordingly, but stick to it.
This helps your readers locate what they’re looking for, and allows you to deliver more focused content from beginning to end.
3. Experiment with different content types
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, and many content creators and writers find what they love and stick with it.
Unfortunately, this renders you a stranger to dozens of unique and highly profitable forms of content that could be benefiting your company. Things like infographics, videos, memes, SlideShare presentations, and podcasts can all enhance your overall content strategy, and it’s worthwhile to check them out.
Even if you don’t feel like going whole-hog right off the bat, experimenting with different types of content can work wonders to help you reach your audience and provide a unique content experience.
With that in mind, look into ways to repurpose your existing content, or to experiment with different content formats. Take a long-form blog post and turn the facts within it into an infographic, for example, or create a unique visual to correspond with a social update.
The choice is yours, but there’s no doubt that altering your content formats can help boost your marketing strategy.
4. Do your research (keywords, competition, etc.)
While online writing doesn’t have to be a “winner take all” market, it certainly helps to do your research. By studying things like keywords, topics, trending content, and your competition, you can gain a better idea of what the content industry looks like, and how you can set yourself up to perform well within it.
While research used to be difficult due to a lack of resources and tools, it’s never been easier than it is right now. Tools like KWFinder can help you locate the best keywords for your content, while tools like BuzzSumo can help you figure out what types of content are trending for a particular keyword and why.
By using these tools in your content creation process, you not only allow yourself to gain a clearer picture of the market – but you also improve your content immediately, and give yourself the skills to keep the improvement going in future pieces.
Content creation is tough, and not using the tools that are available to you could easily be classified as one of the critical “don’ts” of the industry.
With that in mind, locate the research tools that help you understand your climate more efficiently, and then put them to use!
Web Content Writing Rules: Where All Good Content Starts & Ends
Everything that functions smoothly must have rules, and content writing is no different.
By providing some parameters for online writers and helping you figure out what areas to explore and which to avoid, web content writing rules provide an important basis for copywriters everywhere and, when observed, can help transform online content in a hurry.
So whether you’re a professional copywriter looking to enhance your skills, or a business that wants to ensure playing by the rules as they exist today, these smart web content writing rules can help you stay in the lines and on the sunny side of the street.
No time to create content that plays by the rules? No problem. At Express Writers, we have a team of highly skilled copywriters who are waiting to create the web content your company needs to succeed. Get in touch today!
