To put it simply, do you write web pages for people who simply glance at it or do you write for those who sit down and read what you have word by word?
I have to admit, much of the time I fall into the skimmer category when reading websites. Considering the sheer magnitude of the Internet, it’s best from a time perspective to scan over an article’s important points. If it seems there is value in reading word for word, only then do I really get into it.
In short, you have to write your web pages for skimmers and scanners. Numerous heat map studies show that the majority of web surfers simply read the first few lines of a page’s copy.
When writing copy, you should ask yourself “If visitors read just the first few words of each copy element on the page, will they find the page relevant and interesting?” For most, the answer is no since they generally include a lot of ‘fluff’ in their headlines and intro copy.
Consider the following example from veteran copywriter Nick Usborne:
“Discover a powerful tool to help you get organized. XYZ Software helps you get more done”
Skimmers will most likely miss the point with this…it’s too long with too much fluff. To communicate the message better, use “Get more done with XYZ Software” instead.
No need to fret if you can’t communicate what you need to in five or six words…break it up instead. Add captions under pictures, use sub-headings and other means of breaking up your message. Reserve your main heading for your main point, like the example above.
Tags: B2B marketing, B2C marketing, Online Marketing, SEO copywriting
