Copywriting Information

Are You Losing Customers Because of Typos?


Overlooking simple steps such as proofreading and grammar can affect the credibility of your website. How are you protecting yourself?

A potential customer on the internet has a disadvantage over a customer walking into a brick and mortar store. Whereas the physical store has the credibility of location, physical presence (you can find them if there's a problem) as well as community reputation, a customer on the internet can only rely on your words to determine if they can trust you or your services. To do so they judge the credibility of a site by a variety of criteria.

Do Customers Really Care?

A Consumer Report by WebWatch looked at the factors that influence a person's opinion of the credibility of various websites. The report indicated that although the look of a site had the most influence on a visitor, the tone of writing and functionality of the site also affected the visitor's opinion of whether a site was credible or not.

Simple steps such as providing clear information, checking that links are working, using proper grammar and checking for typos are often overlooked in the excitement of building a website or writing a sales letter and driving traffic to it. Although the site might look wonderful, what impression is left on the customer when links are dead and the copy is poorly written or hard to follow?

It's Easy to Fix

By reviewing your site from the viewpoint of a customer, ask yourself; is the information is easy to understand? Do the relevant links work? And is the navigation of the site easy to follow? Since website surfers are known for short attention spans, and marketers spend much time and effort getting them to a website, you do not want them to leave because of avoidable mistakes.

Easy reading also relates to simple color schemes. Black print on a white background is almost always the best choice. Although funky or trendy colors may work well for attention, they can cause strain to the eyes of the viewer when used for copy. Save the color for other areas.

Also choose easy to read fonts like Arial, Times New Roman etc. Fancy fonts are difficult to read and may be distorted on different browsers.

Get an Outsider's Viewpoint

Naturally, it is difficult to be completely objective about our own work, so ask a friend or family member to check things out for you. If they are similar to your target market, even better. Don't ask someone who will not be honest. Remember, your business depends on your contact with customers. It is better to see where your copy needs improvement from the beginning than to miss out on customers who were put off because of mistakes, bad links or unclear information.

If you do not have someone who can help you, you can also hire the services of a virtual assistant. Virtual assistants are available for many specialties, as well as general business needs such as proofreading.

Whichever you choose, do take pride in your writing and show respect of your customer's time and intelligence by providing the best information you can for them.

Shannon Emmanuel owns and operates 'Your Virtual Assistant'. Great service and reasonable rates for the small business owner: http://www.assistant-for-hire.com


MORE RESOURCES:
Google

Project Leader Copywriting
Oneworld, Netherlands - Jul 18, 2008
The department is responsible for six projects: Public Relations, Advertising, Publicity Stunt, Copywriting, Online Media and Website. ...


Freelance UK

Tweaking your way to copywriting hell
Freelance UK, UK - Jul 15, 2008
Definition of tweak: ?I read a book on copywriting over the weekend and wrote my own copy. It sucks. I desperately need your help, but I?m too cheap to pay ...


Leap to the top with new in-house web copywriting service from ...
Response Source (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
From today, Leapfrogg is offering customers the use of another great search marketing service: In-house web copywriting. Leapfrogg works to ensure your ...


Which Computing? Magazine journalist joins Prompt Communications ...
SourceWire (press release), UK - Jul 15, 2008
Terrie will be based in Prompt?s Copywriting division in its London offices, working with technology-based clients and alongside consultants in the ...
Prompt Launches Analyst Relations Practice for Technology Vendors MarketWatch
all 10 news articles


Cape Peninsula University of Technology Advertising Students Use ...
Emediawire (press release), WA - Jul 17, 2008
Over 200 Advertising students are using the 19 "New" Rules of Social Media Copywriting as part of the National Diploma in Marketing, at Cape Peninsula ...


The Copywriting Institute Announces New Media Marketing Package ...
PR-CANADA.net (press release), Montenegro - Jul 11, 2008
The Copywriting Institute, a training and resources company for copywriters, announced the launch of their New Media Marketing Package. ...


openPR (press release)

Website Overseers ? A natural new trend in the Internet world
openPR (press release), Germany - Jul 18, 2008
When web professionals give quotations for a new website, they may include design, graphics, SEO, SEM and perhaps even copywriting. ...


Pakistan-Based MSCopywriters Achieves Outstanding Growth as a ...
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria - Jul 8, 2008
Com currently provides copywriting, editing and journalism projects for clients in more than fifteen (15) countries. Available services range from feature ...


Best Syndication

Search Engine Optimization and Copywriting Will Help Your Business ...
Best Syndication, CA - Jul 1, 2008
This is where Professional Copywriting and SEO comes in. Working hand in hand these 2 industries will now produce amazing results for your website. ...
Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves: Ethical SEOs and Search Engineers ... Inside CRM
Guaranteed Search Engine Optimization - Is it a scam? Promotion World (press release)
all 3 news articles


Web copywriting: setting the record straight
Bizcommunity.com, South Africa - Jun 30, 2008
As it turns out, web copywriting is a contentious issue - peppered with strongly differing views and hotly defended opinions. At this kitchen of contention, ...

Copywriting - Google News

home | site map
© 2006