Suze Bragg

5 tips for writing good content for your Web site
September 15, 2008

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There’s no easy way around it. You can’t create a Web site and expect people to find it, nor can you update it only once or twice a year. A Web site is one of your best marketing vehicles, and good content keeps customers returning to learn more. No good content = no good customers.

There are over 17,000 sites Google lists that offer suggestions on writing good content. Some offered great advice, on others…not so much. I found some great steps on the netmechanic.com blog for webmasters, as well as on websitetips.com, that I thought I’d pass along.

1. Think before you write. When describing jewelry, look up synonyms for brilliance, brilliant and beautiful. For furniture, sleek, modern, comfortable and traditional are words that I see mentioned often. They evoke images in my head: a NY loft filled with beautiful model types sipping champagne in fluted glasses, or Mom’s living room with the chairs that engulf me as I snuggle in to read a book. Think of actions first, and then write the copy around it. Highlight, explain and persuade.

2. Use language that your audience can relate with. As a geek, I love reading www.seochat.com. My friends’ eyes would gaze over and they’d be lost in three seconds if I asked them to read it. Why?They’re business owners, designers and artists, many who make their living by touch, smell and feel, not to mention emotions. They like active language that engages them, not stuffy technical stats.

3. Be careful with humor.  Know your audience. Know them well.

4. Discuss relevant features and benefits.  If you sell furniture, your audience wants to know the dimensions, colors and options associated with it. Does it repel pet hair and kids’ gooey hands?  How about clothing?  Shesheme.com gives the reader style advice and why they’d want to wear it. Art.com gives great descriptions too.

5. Proofread.

For more ideas and insights, check out these sites:

Websitetips.com

Itwebexperts.com

About.com

How To Write For The Internet

Posted by Suze Bragg on September 15, 2008 | Comments (0)