Author: Bob McClain, Web Copywriting Expert

Nothing turns a reader off like boring copy. So how do you add some sizzle without sounding like a used car salesman? Today, we’re going to discuss some of the simple rules to keep in mind while you’re writing your copy.

That’s right; we’re talking about the bones…

I’ve said it before…talk to your reader, not a corporation…

Always remember there’s a human being on the other end of the computer line. You’re not selling to corporations; you’re selling to a harried, hard-working human being with a mortgage and kids and a spouse they might have fought with over breakfast that morning.

So what tricks can you use to help you stay focused on talking to a real person?

First, see if you can think of someone in the field that you know either personally or by acquaintance. Put yourself in their shoes. What are they like? What are their job related fears and concerns? What might they like about what they do? What might they not like about what they do?

Here’s one trick I use when I’m writing copy. Right before I start writing, I close my eyes and imagine I’m sitting in a little café across the table from a friend. And they’ve asked me about this company I’m writing about.

So I relax and imagine how I’d explain the company or the product or service to my friend. Pretty soon, it all falls into place how best to write the copy. Just like I explained it to my friend.

Boring Copy Never Sold Anything …

I read an interview once with a man who had just written his first novel. It became a blockbuster almost overnight. His book wound up on the New York Times Bestsellers List and he was enjoying lots of publicity and lots of big checks.

The interviewer asked him what his secret was.

The answer floored me. The writer remarked honestly that he’d read somewhere that the secret to writing was to keep changing up the length of the sentences to keep people from getting bored. So that’s what he did.

Bingo, he’s on the bestseller’s list.

Now obviously, the guy had some natural writing talent because that’s certainly not the secret to writing a blockbuster novel. However, it is one of the secrets to writing copy that isn’t boring. Change up the length of your sentences. In his book, The Copywriter’s Handbook, copywriter Bob Bly recommends you keep your sentences under 16 words maximum.

Throw in some surprises. Have a line all by itself with a “punchy” statement (see statement above about “talking about the bones”). Also, website copy should never have paragraphs of more than 4 sentences. Long paragraphs “scare” people away. They simply don’t want to work that hard.

And break things up with sub-heads. The more uniform your copywriting looks, the more boring it’s going to look to visitors and the more likely they’ll say, “never mind”.

Just the facts, Ma’am.

Have you ever read an ad or a website where you thought, “Would you just get to the point?” I read them all the time. They use long, boring sentences, plenty of industry jargon, a bunch of clichés, and just keep talking and talking and talking…

Get to the point. Don’t fill the page with what a client of mine refers to as “blah, blah”. Just tell them what the product or service is, what it does, what the benefits are to the reader, and ask for the sale.

If it’s a more complicated process or service or product, don’t try and sell it on the website. Just tell the benefits to them, how it will make their lives or business better, and then tell them to call or email or fill out the form for more information.

In other words, don’t forget to put in a call to action!

Remember the “Golden Rule” of Website Copywriting:

People on the Internet are lazy.

They want what they want when they want it. And they aren’t willing to work hard to get it. And you must tell them what to do. They aren’t going to search your website to figure out what they should do.

If you make it difficult for them, there’s always a competitor’s website just a click away in the search engine.