Tweet

What makes a great website

Guest post by: Catriona Pollard

Article Overview: What are the essential traits of a great web site? After you visit a site and you browse through it for a while, what makes you stay? Great design helps. Amazing graphics are eye catching. But the fundamental trait that makes a website work is the content. The content or copy of your website is critical. This is where you hold the attention of your audience and your word choice and grammar are critical. Misspellings and poor grammar are a quick turn off. If your content isn't easy to read people will go to other site to get information and buy. Copy writing is often one of those jobs that people think they can do themselves but probably shouldn't. We often help clients with their web copy to assist them in the creation of a professionally written website.

What makes a great website

What are the essential traits of a great web site? After you visit a site and you browse through it for a while, what makes you stay? Great design helps. Amazing graphics are eye catching. But the fundamental trait that makes a website work is the content.

The content or copy of your website is critical. This is where you hold the attention of your audience and your word choice and grammar are critical. Misspellings and poor grammar are a quick turn off. If your content isn't easy to read people will go to other site to get information and buy.

Copy writing is often one of those jobs that people think they can do themselves but probably shouldn't. We often help clients with their web copy to assist them in the creation of a professionally written website.

Tips on writing effective website copy

Keep it short

While choosing the right words are important, keeping them to a minimum is equally important. The length of your copy online should be about half that of the print version. Re-work your original, including succinct sentences and short paragraphs. Dot points are often a great way to achieve this.

Chose your words carefully

Try to avoid words that are too descriptive, colloquial or flowery. Descriptive words often don't tell readers much and are a waste of words.

Understand your audience and write for them. Just because you have a well versed vocabulary doesn't mean your audience does. At the same time by choosing colloquial language you often dumb down your website and limit credibility.

Organisation is the key

Organise your content and information. Start simple and then get to the details. Your homepage is designed to welcome your readers and include your key words. It is designed to tell readers what's in it for them. Your inner pages can go into more detail.

Make sure each page is friendly, organised and uncluttered. Information is great, but make sure it is readable and easy on the eye.

Use subheadings

People often get lost or bored reading online so include subheadings to catch their attention and allow for scanning. Ensure paragraphs are short by cutting out any unnecessary copy. Make sure the font is reader friendly and bold all headings and subheadings.

Check and re check spelling and grammar

Check and re check your content to make sure it is correct. If you are unsure whether there should be a comma, a colon or a semi colon it is a good idea to consult a grammar guide. Good grammar and spelling ensures your professionalism and increases your credibility.

Avoid exclamation marks!

If you are one of those people that put an exclamation mark after every sentence - stop! They make people edgy and they are annoying! Exclamation marks don't make your sales pitch any more effective!

About the Author

Catriona Pollard is director of CP Communications which provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that achieve positive media coverage, increased brand awareness and improved sales results.

Related Articles
  Create a Great Website and Profit Online from Home
  How to create a great website
  Home Business Websites: Why You Need To Host Your Own
  The Foundation of Website Design
  Is Your Website Doing Its Job?
  Is Your Website Destroying Your Online Business’ Potential?
  Redesigning Websites is a Need Of Time
  Redesigning websites is a need of time
  The Best Way to Build a Website
  Identifying Your Websites Target Audience
  Tables or Table-Less Design in Website Development
  Top 6 Mistakes in Web Development
  Easy Way to Make a Website
  4 Cool Website Design Ideas
  Why Page Titles are Critically Important to Your Website
  Website Design for your Customers - It's not what you want
  Does your website content grab visitors' attention?
  Website Design for your Customers
  Why Use Feedburner for Feeds
  Article Marketing and Content Cheapskates

Article Tags: Catriona Pollard, copy, CP Communications, great website, PR tips, public relations, Public Relations Sydney, website



Related Forum Posts
Re: From $0.30 to $300 / Day on Google AdSense Part 1 - How To M - Thanks for the feedback Jeff! Testing is a recurring theme here at SES Toronto. Website owners are trying to get the most out of every dollar and minute that they spend on their business. People here are considering themselves business owners instead of website owners much more than in the past which is great to see. I think the economy has forced people to buckle down and focus in on what makes money and making your website an actual business.
Re: Clarity Trumps Persuasion - It makes sense. 7 seconds to get your message across to visitors to your website. If people contact you and tell you they don't know what you are offering on your website - take them seriously! Marketing Experiments certainly deliver good quality. I'd consider taking one of their courses.
Re: Teens make $$ on Squidoo - I agree with Christew that Squidoo is a good place to promote your existing website rather than to aim to make $500 per month. One lens per keyword, pointing to the page on your website that makes use of the same keyword. Of course, you can also link each lens to your sales pages and so forth, but the main purpose should be to funnel targeted traffic to your website.
Re: New Famous Entrepreneur - Craig Newmark - Craigslist has got both positive and negative feedbacks although I admit I've used Craigslist as also one of my good references for finding listings, jobs, etc that'll benefit my business. Well, Craig has done a great job setting up this website and it was the people around who makes the bad impressions. I hope that won't hurt the whole Craigslist reputation though.
Re: Website Optimization - Using Google Optimizer - Wow, it's a great solution for website optimization ... i think for more better to optimizing website is needed SEO techniques, cause it was very effective to increase traffic and PR for website ...do manually SEO, and try to focus and continues... Thanks for shared this


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Resolving A Conflict Between Two Sales Staffs

Self Employed Business Ideas

Life, Conflict and Work

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.