A regular column by author, Simon Rose.
In previous editions of Words4TheWebwise, we’ve talked about banishing meaningless phrases from your web pages and the need to keep the content current, to ensure that your visitors keep returning. People don’t actually read web copy, at least not in detail, but rather tend to scan it very quickly. Consequently, you have very little time to grab and hold their attention, so your copy has to be both compelling and interesting.
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A regular column by author, Simon Rose.
Insider Knowledge and Consulting the Experts
As a copywriter, I’m often asked how I can compose copy and write about subjects that are not within my realm of expertise? As an author of novels, you could ask the same question about fiction. After all, how can you write about time travel, other dimensions or incredible journeys to distant alien planets without actually experiencing it? I’ve written a number of historical novels and although I’m a history major, I still always need to conduct research to get everything just right. This is also the case with my many non-fiction articles, which are not always on topics with which I’m overly familiar. Consequently, I must undergo a fair amount of reading before commencing the articles. The same principle applies to web copy, in that you have to get the facts straight in order to give your client the best possible impression and exposure on the web.
I always obtain as much information as I can from the client at the outset of the project, even down to the smallest details of their operation, which they may sometimes have overlooked. More importantly, I attempt to determine just what they are looking to promote in order to truly set themselves apart from their competitors. However, no matter how much research I undertake into various types of extremely complex surgical procedures, the processes of oil and gas exploration, the workings of car engines, real estate, animal health, landscaping, agriculture, insurance, the financial markets, or whatever the company’s business involves, it is still ultimately up to the client to perform the final review of the text before their website actually goes live. Let’s compare it to perhaps ordering some new business cards. In most cases, the printer will provide you with a proof, but if you give your approval and then later discover that your e mail address or phone number is incorrect, the error lies with you, not with the printer. Similarly, the client hires a copywriter for their expertise, but the client is the expert in their own profession and has to sign off on the website’s copy at the end of the process, ensuring that all the technical, legal and intricate details are correct.
Simon Rose – Author and Copywriter.
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