Create Powerful Web Copy For Your Website

January 10, 2023 in Content Writing, Uncategorized by admin

Web Content Vs. Web Copy

Many think web content is the same as web copy. But this is far from the truth.

So first, let’s look at what is web content and what is web copy and understand the differences between them.

What is web content in Sri Lanka?

Web content refers to the text, images, videos, and other forms of media that are used in websites. It is the information that is presented to visitors when they navigate to a website.

Web content can include a wide range of formats, such as text, images, videos, audio, infographics, animations, and more.

Web content can be divided into two main categories: static and dynamic.

Static web content refers to content that doesn’t change frequently and is typically created by web designers and developers.

This content can include the layout, design, and structure of a website, as well as written content such as product descriptions, about us pages, and more.

Dynamic web content, on the other hand, refers to content that frequently changes, such as news articles, blog posts, and social media updates.

This type of content is typically created and managed by web content editors or marketers.

What is a web copy in Sri Lanka?

In simple terms, web copy refers to the written text on a website. It covers all the text that is visible to the visitors to read when they navigate your website.

This includes all types of written content that can be found on a website, such as product descriptions, about us pages, blog posts, articles, and more.

Ab web copy plays an important role in shaping visitors’ perceptions of your website, products or services, and brand.

Thus a good web copy must be compelling, persuasive, easy to understand, and engaging. Apart from that, SEO optimization also plays a huge part in making an effective copy.

So now you know that web copy is only one type of web content, and they are not the same thing.

Why is web copy important?

A sound web copy is crucial for any website due to many reasons.

It is the primary means of communication between your website and your web visitors. A good web copy is also what informs, educates, and engages users while building trust and establishing your brand’s credibility.

Effective web content can help a website achieve a variety of goals, such as:

Providing information about products or services
Educating users about a particular subject or industry
Generating leads or sales
Building a community of engaged users
Improving search engine rankings
Establishing a brand’s identity and voice

Web content also plays a crucial role in the user experience (UX) of a website. Well-written and well-organized content can make it easy for users to find what they’re looking for.

And it can also help to guide them through the user journey.

On the other hand, poorly written or poorly organized content can make it difficult for users to understand the website’s message or navigate its pages, which can lead to poor UX and ultimately result in a high bounce rate.

What you should know before writing a web copy in Sri Lanka?

Writing web copy is an important part of creating a successful website, but there are a few things you should know before you start writing:

Your audience: Before you start writing, take the time to understand who your audience is, what their needs and goals are, and what type of language they use. This will help you to create a web copy that speaks directly to your audience and addresses their specific concerns.
Your brand: Your web copy should reflect the overall tone of your brand and the expectations of your audience. Make sure you understand the unique voice and tone of your brand and use it consistently throughout your web copy.
Your goals: Before you start writing, identify what you want your web copy to achieve. Is it to generate leads, increase sales, or build trust and credibility? Having a clear goal in mind will help guide your writing process.
Keywords and SEO: Relevant keywords and good SEO help to improve your search engine rankings and make it easier for your target audience to find your website. So make sure your familiarize yourself with keywords and SEO a bit.
Legal requirements: If your website is selling goods or services, you will need to make sure your website complies with legal requirements, such as providing accurate product descriptions, terms and conditions, privacy policy, and any other relevant legal information.
User experience design: Writing web copy is part of the user experience design, so it’s essential to have a good understanding of how users interact with a website and what are the best practices for creating a good user experience.
The Process: Web copywriting is an iterative process. Be prepared to revise and edit your copy as needed based on feedback, testing, and other data.

How to write a good web copy in Sri Lanka?

You can spend all the money in the world to develop a killer design for your website. But if you have a poorly written web copy on your website, all that money would go down the drain.

So let’s look at 5 important tips that would help you create an effective web copy that can transform your website into a lead generator.

Be clear and concise: Web copy should be easy to read and understand, so avoid using complex language or jargon. Use short sentences and paragraphs, and break up the text with headings and bullet points.
Use persuasive language: Web copy should be written to persuade and convince visitors to take a desired action, whether it’s making a purchase, filling out a contact form, or signing up for a newsletter. Use persuasive language that highlights the benefits of your products or services.
Optimize for SEO: To help search engines understand the content of your website and improve your search rankings, make sure to include relevant keywords and meta tags in your web copy.
Format for scannability: People skim-read online, So use formattings like headings, bullet points, and white spaces to make it easy to scan the content and get the main message.
Use action-oriented calls-to-action: Web copy should also have a clear call-to-action, whether that’s a “Buy Now” button or “Learn More” link. Make sure the call-to-action is prominently displayed and written in the action-oriented language.

How to create the layout for your web copy?

No one likes to read through walls of text.

So a good layout is essential not only to create an easy-to-digest web copy but also to organize your information.

Your web content layout will also help you identify the best information flow to deliver the best user experience for your web visitors.

So here are a few tips for creating the layout for your web copy:

Use headings and subheadings: Organize your content into clear and logical sections, using headings and subheadings to break up the text and make it easy to scan. This can make it easy for visitors to understand the main message of the page.
Understand the power of white space: White space, also known as negative space, is the empty space around and between elements on a page. With white spaces, you can easily create a visual hierarchy, guide the eye and make the content easy to read.
Use images and videos: Incorporate images and videos throughout your web copy to break up blocks of text and make the page more visually interesting. Use relevant images and videos that help support the content and message of the page.
Use typography effectively: Typography can greatly impact the readability and overall appeal of your web copy. Choose a font that is easy to read, and consider using different font sizes and styles to create a good visual hierarchy.
Make it mobile-friendly: With mobile devices now accounting for the majority of web traffic, it’s important to make sure your web copy layout is optimized for small screens and touch navigation. This can include using larger text and larger buttons and using a responsive design to adapt to different screen sizes.
Use the F-Pattern layout: Research shows that people tend to scan web pages in an F-shaped pattern, so it makes sense to lay out your content in a way that makes it easy for visitors to scan. This pattern starts with a horizontal movement across the top of the page, followed by a vertical movement down the left side of the page, and then a return to the right side of the page.

Pro Tip – Once your layout is in place, test it with a sample of users, and gather feedback. Never settle for the first layout if you truly need the best results. There is always room for improvement and refining the layout based on feedback is the best way to go about it.

How to Format your web copy?

Formatting is another important step of the web copy creation process.

Good formatting helps the readers to easily scan and understand the information while helping you highlight the most important points effectively.

Below are some of the important web copy formatting tips to keep in mind.

Use headings and subheadings to break up the text and make it easy to scan.
Use bullet points and lists to break up blocks of text and make the page more visually appealing.
Split up long sentences and keep the average length to 20 words or less.
Keep the paragraphs short.

How to select and use keywords for your web copy?

Let’s be real; your website is of no use if no one can find it.

Using the right keyword in your web copy helps your audience locate your website among the thousands of other websites available.

If you also want to make sure your website is fully SEO optimized, you can’t overlook optimizing your content for search engines.

Selecting the right keywords for your web copy is the first step here.

So how can you select the best keywords for your web copy for the best results?

Here’s how.

What does your audience look for? : Start by researching your target audience and understanding their needs, goals, and language. Use this information to identify potential keywords that your audience might use when searching for your products or services.
Use keyword research tools: There are a variety of keyword research tools available, such as Google AdWords Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs, that can help you identify popular and relevant keywords for your industry.
Focus on long-tail keywords: Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that are less common but often have higher conversion rates. They tend to be more targeted to specific niches of a market.
Use synonyms and related terms: In addition to using the exact keywords, consider using synonyms and related terms to cover all possible variations of a search.
Incorporate keywords naturally: Once you’ve identified your keywords, incorporate them into your web copy naturally. Avoid “keyword stuffing,” which is the practice of overusing keywords in an attempt to manipulate search engine rankings. This can have the opposite effect and cause search engines to penalize your site.
Keep track of your keywords’ performance: Regularly monitor your keywords’ performance through analytics to measure the conversion rate, bounce rate, and engagement rate. Use the data collected to optimize your keywords and improve the user experience.
Optimize meta tags: Include your keywords in the title tag and meta description of your web pages, as these tags are often used by search engines to display your website in search results.

Tips to keep in mind to create a powerful web copy

A powerful copy is one of the most effective ways to grab visitors’ attention and engage them with your website. Below are a few tips to make your copy compelling to the readers.

Use a strong headline: The headline is the first thing that visitors will see and should be compelling enough to make them want to read more.
Use a conversational tone: Use a conversational tone when writing your web content. This can make it more relatable and interesting.
Use short sentences: Use short sentences and paragraphs to keep your web content snappy and easy to read. This can also help to break up long blocks of text and make them more visually appealing.
Use active voice: Use active voice when writing your web content. This can make it more engaging and help to emphasize the action taking place.
Use humour: Incorporate humour wherever appropriate. This can help to lighten the mood and make your web content more engaging.
Use power words: Use power words to create a sense of urgency and excitement. Power words are words that are emotionally charged and create a sense of excitement or urgency, like “breakthrough”, “revolutionary”, “amazing” and so on.
Use storytelling: Use storytelling to make your web content more engaging and relatable. Incorporate anecdotes, statistics, case studies, testimonials and personal stories to illustrate your points and make your content more relatable.
Use formatting and styling: Use formatting and styling to create visual interest and guide the eye through your web content. Use headings, subheadings, lists, and images to break up your content and make it more visually appealing.

8 Steps to writing a good web copy

Writing good web copy is a process that involves several steps to ensure that the final copy is effective, engaging, and user-friendly. Here’s a general overview of the steps involved in writing good web copy:

Research your audience: The first step in writing good web copy is to understand who your audience is and what their needs and goals are. Research your target audience by studying their demographics, problems, struggles, psychographics, and behaviour patterns.
Determine your goals: Before you start writing, determine what you want your web copy to achieve. Is it to generate leads, increase sales, or build trust and credibility? Having a clear goal in mind will help guide your writing process.
Develop a voice and tone: Your web copy should reflect the overall tone of your brand and the expectations of your audience. So develop a unique and consistent voice and tone that sets your brand apart and makes it easy for visitors to identify your content.
Conduct a content audit: Review your existing web copy of your competitors to identify any gaps or inconsistencies, and then use this information to plan and create your content.
Create a content structure: Organize your content into clear and logical sections, using headings and subheadings to break up the text and make it easy to scan. Use bullet points and lists where appropriate to break up blocks of text and make it more visually appealing.
Write the copy: Write your web copy, being mindful of the audience, goals, voice and tone, and the structure you’ve developed. Make sure to use persuasive language that highlights the benefits of your products or services and includes a clear and prominent call to action.
Optimize for SEO: Once your web copy is written, it’s important to optimize it for search engines. Use relevant keywords and meta tags throughout the copy, and make sure that your content is easily indexable.
Proofread and edit: Before publishing your web copy, make sure to proofread and edit it for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Check for inconsistencies, and make sure your copy is seamless and user-friendly.

Web copywriting mistakes to avoid at all costs

Web copywriting is an essential part of creating a successful website, but it’s easy to make mistakes that can negatively impact the user experience (UX) and the overall effectiveness of a website.

So here are a few common web copywriting mistakes to avoid:

Focusing too much on SEO: While it’s important to optimize your web copy for search engines, you should never sacrifice readability for the sake of keywords. Use keywords sparingly, and focus on writing for your audience first and foremost.
Ignoring the importance of tone: The tone of your web copy should match the overall tone of your brand and the expectations of your audience. Be consistent in the way you talk to your audience, whether it’s formal or casual, and make sure it’s appropriate for your audience.
Being too general: Avoid using generic language that could apply to any website in your industry. Instead, use specific and descriptive language to create a unique and memorable brand voice.
Failing to proofread: Spelling and grammar errors can make your website look unprofessional and can damage your credibility. So always proofread your web copy before publishing to catch any errors.
Overusing technical terms and jargon: Some industries have specific terms and language that are used regularly. But using too much technical language or jargon can be off-putting to many visitors and make it hard for them to understand the message.
Neglecting the call to action: A clear and prominent call-to-action is a crucial element of web copy, but it’s often overlooked. Make sure your web copy includes a call-to-action that tells visitors what to do next and makes it clear and easy to find.
Being too sales-y: Your web copy should be focused on providing value to your visitors, not just trying to make a sale. While it’s important to highlight the benefits of your products or services, avoid being overly pushy or aggressive.

How to find a good web copywriter in Sri Lanka for your project?

Good web copy starts with a good web copywriter.

However, finding a good web copywriter in Sri Lanka for your project can be challenging.

So take the time to find someone who has the skills and experience to create an effective, engaging web copy so you can be sure your work is professionally done.

For those who have no clue about how to find a good web copywriter, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Relevant experience: Look for web copywriters who have experience in your industry or niche. This will ensure that they have the knowledge and understanding to create web copy that is relevant and valuable to your target audience.
Portfolio: Look at the web copywriter’s portfolio to see examples of their previous work. Pay attention to the quality of the writing and how well it aligns with your brand and goals.
Professionalism: Make sure the web copywriter is professional and responsive. If they are not prompt in their communication or don’t answer your question, that could be a red flag for how they’ll handle your project.
Good SEO skills: Make sure the web copywriter has a good understanding of SEO and knows how to optimize web copy for search engines. This will help improve the visibility of your website in search engine results and drive more traffic to your site.
Ask for references: Ask the web copywriter for references or to speak with some of their previous clients. This can provide you with valuable insight into their work and how well they work with clients.
Check for versatility: A good web copywriter should be versatile and able to adapt to different types of writing styles and formats.

You can collect quotations from a few writers and compare them to select the best fit for your project. Here make sure to give them a good brief about the project, it’s scope, and your expectations so they can give you an accurate quotation. Make sure to communicate your goals, audience, target keywords, and tone and style.

Read our article How Much Do Content Writers Charge in Sri Lanka? to learn more about how content writers charge.

Looking for a web copywriter in Sri Lanka for your project? We might be able to help you. Get in touch with us for more details.