Features Versus Benefits
Website visitors don’t buy products or services; they invest in what the products or services will do for them.
Copywriters Need to Know the Customer
To write persuasive web copy, copywriters need to think like customers. It makes it easier to figure out what benefits and features the targeted audience cares about, and build key messages to motivate them to take desired actions.
Websites Need to Accommodate ‘ROPO Customers’
While it’s obvious websites drive online sales, business owners need to recognize the Internet also influences purchases made offline.
In fact, 97% of consumers use the Internet to research products or services in their local area, revealed a Kelsey Group Study, which was released in March 2010. Marketers label these consumers research-online-purchase-offline customers, or ROPO customers.
Listening to Customers Through Social Media
One of the most important steps to take before speaking to your customers through your web copy is learning what they want, and what opinions they have about you and your competition.
But what if you don’t have the budget to pay for expensive research data or conduct focus groups? Targeted market surveys can cost up to $10,000 to reach a sample of just 1,000 people.
The advent of social media over the past decade has resulted in more and more people voluntarily sharing the valuable information market researchers pay for on sites like Facebook and Twitter. eMarketer predicts that the number of Twitter users alone will skyrocket this year to over 18 million, and March 4, 2010 marked the 10 billionth Twitter status update. That’s 10 billion times people have posted information online for all to see about what they are doing, thinking, and buying.
Using Fear to Persuade
The article Web copy motivators notes fear is a powerful influential factor on and off the Web. But, as Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive
Research has demonstrated that fear-arousing communications usually stimulate the audience to take action to reduce the threat. However, Author Robert Cialdini explained, “When the fear producing message describes danger but the audience is not told a clear, specific, effective means of reducing the danger, they may deal with the fear by ‘blocking out’ the message or denying it applies to them.”
As a result, they may be paralyzed into taking no action at all.
Web Copy Motivators
Different visitors invest in products and services for different reasons. Hitting these ‘trigger points’ translates to higher conversion rates.
It’s integral to consider who you are communicating to, and why you’re communicating to them.
To sell effectively, you need to pinpoint why visitors buy things. Here are a few possible motivators.
Copywriters Need to Push Benefits
Having critiqued several poorly written websites recently, it’s amazing how many copywriters continually fail to emphasize benefits. Benefits engage. They get people to act. Meanwhile, copywriters remain prone to pushing features.
As part of the web copywriting process, copywriters should list all the features of the company and its products or services, and then take the time to revert them into benefits for the customer.
A simple method that our website copywriters employ: look at each feature and ask yourself, “So what?”
Copywriters need to put themselves into the customers’ shoes. Why should I care about this feature? What will it do for me?
Don’t just state your product is durable (a feature). Explain to visitors it will last twice as long and keep them safe (benefits).
For more on web copywriting, check out: Web Writing: The Good, Bad and Ugly.
The Best Copywriters Understand Keywords
The best web content copywriters understand keywords, which are the foundation to a successful website.
Keywords drive desired traffic to websites, and can help engage and convert visitors into customers. Unfortunately, when businesses hire uninformed web content copywriters, many opportunities are missed.
There are basically three types of keywords a business can target:
1. Keywords for browsing
These are generic terms that people often use when they start the search process. While it’s difficult to attain top 10 positions on search engines for terms such as web design, it can gain a business broad exposure on an international scope. But don’t expect high conversion rates, as most of these people have just started their search, and might just be looking for free tips and ideas.
2. Keywords for comparing
Now the person searching has some insight and is starting to look at particular products or services. For instance, a person might type in website designer and start browsing portfolios, rates, specialties, processes, and so on. They’re likely at least semi-serious prospects.
3. Keywords for buying
At this stage, the person has a good idea of what he wants to purchase, so he might type in web designer New York, or ecommerce web designer, or even ecommerce web designer in New York. He’s specific, and more than likely ready to invest.
But, remember, while keywords can bring prospects to your website, you have to deliver your message with impact. Otherwise visitors will be quick to leave your site, and find your competition.
How to KISS When Your Web Copy Isn’t Short and Simple
Most of us are aware of the golden rule for plain writing on the Web: Keep It Short and Simple.
But there’s no getting around it — at some point you are likely to have a long piece of complex material that you have to put up on your website.
It might be a ‘terms and conditions’ page for a contractual agreement. A set of instructions for a new product. A detailed explanation of a business policy. Whatever it is, you want your customers to read it because it will improve your business.
You can’t force them to read it, but you can encourage them to read it. You can make it inviting. Enticing. Kissable. Here’s how.
“Webcopyplus was incredibly organized and proficient in optimizing our website, which allowed us focus on our core business. Their website copywriters are true professionals, and we're extremely pleased with the results.”
