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SEOFixing Bad Web Site Copy
By Custom Copywriting
Expert Author
Article Date: 2005-06-03
Let's face it - a lot of web pages and web sites out there could use a little improvement in the copywriting department!
>From boring prose to bad sentence structure, from poor logic to inadequate copy optimization, I've seen it all. And this is what your customers are reading as they jump on to your site! If they have to sludge through bad writing, they will get a negative feeling about your product or service. Is this the impression that you want them to have? Definitely not.
The bottom line is that bad copy means fewer sales. That's how important it is. Don't discount it. And one other point - an impressive site design can never rescue poor copy.
So what's the process that a copywriter goes through when they are re-writing a site? Good question. There are lots of different methods and approaches, but here's what I look at when I first set my eyes on those broken letters and words:
1. The Copy Itself - What's written?
2. The Copy and how it relates to the design - How does it look on the page?
3. Search Engine Friendly - Is the copy optimized?
The Copy Itself - What's Written?
The first thing that I look at when I'm analyzing a page of copy is the copy itself. In this day and age, there really are two fundamental things that most people do when they are reading copy on a web site: First, they "scan" read - they don't read every word. And second, it's better comprehended when the copy is written the way people speak. Here are the other things to look for when you're analyzing the copy:
The Copy and How it Relates to the Design - How Does it look on the page?
What good would the copy be if it was placed on the page in long lines and block paragraphs?
Not too good.
Recently, I was working on a Home Page re-write for a financial services company who was having a conversion problem. They had no issue getting people to the site. They just couldn't make them buy once they got there.
After taking a look at his site, I was struck with one startling reaction - the copy was placed on the page like it was a college essay with no variation or eye catching design elements integrated. Clearly, it was a web site template and no customization was used at all.
Their competitors Home Pages were very different. They all employed easy to read charts, testimonials, and other design elements. And my client had none of these. Obviously, something had to change, or his conversion rate would continue to suffer. Here are some of the things you want to look for when you consider the copy and how it relates to the design:
http://www.omniture.com/s2/index.html
http://www.6smarketing.com/
http://www.zephoria.com/
o Is the copy broken up into readable/scanable sections? ..or is it simply placed on the page haphazardly without regard for the needs of your customer? Like my example above, you need to ensure the web page can be scanned in 30 seconds or less. Remember, we're dealing with short attention spans.
Search Engine Friendly - Is the Copy Optimized?
Of course, the grand puba of them all - Is the copy optimized? Not the site itself (Although that is critically important), but the copy. And is it optimized the right way? We've all seen those web sites that use a keyword phrase 59 times on one page. Who exactly do they think is going to read that garbage? Exactly. No one.
And Search Engine Optimization is always a moving target. It's a complex process that must be constantly fine tuned and tweaked to keep up with the Search Engine's changes and your competitor's moves. Because you can bet that you have a few who are jockeying for that first page placement for the perfect keyword phrase. When it comes to optimizing your web site copy, here is what you need to look for:
So there you have it! Your Website Copy makeover lesson is concluded. Hopefully, there were a few tricks or tips that you may not have known about. You'll find that if you follow the advice in this article, you will have a better looking, and an easier read site. And eventually, you'll get higher rankings for your selected keyword phrases.
Good Luck!
About the Author:
Do you need Search Engine Optimized (SEO) Web site copy that moves customers to buy? Are you looking to create an effective newsletter/e-zine article or ad for your business? We provide world class copy that helps you to be found on the web. 10 years experience providing superior copy to businesses nationwide. Contact us for a complimentary Website Copy analysis. Subscribe to our Better Business Writing (BBW) Newsletter and receive 2 free reports. http://www.customcopywriting.com/