Mozak Design Blog
Good Copy Tip #2: People do not read, They scan
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Often when we sit down to write our thoughts come on in the form of paragraphs. In fact this was how we were taught to write. The problem with this is your website readers have little patience to sit and wade through all your text. They want to be able to scan and quickly identify if what they are looking for exists on your website.
Here is a recipe for scannable text:
- Break your page content into topic sections
- Create a Header for your first section. Format it in color and with a large font.
- Write a 2-3 sentence intro paragraph on the topic. Make sure your line height is set to 1.25x the font size for easier reading.
- Next utilize numbered & bulleted lists to highlight the key points linking them deeper into your website
- Finally repeat for your other topics on the page.
By following these tips your website will present your business in a way that caters to the needs of your visitors. By doing so, there is a much higher chance that your website visitors will become clients.
Good Copy Tip #1: It’s not about you
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I often see website homepage text that reads more like an “About Us” page. While the history of your business and all the services you provide have their place in; make sure the homepage is engaging to your viewer. Speak to them. Why have they sought out your business? What needs do they have? What solutions to you offer?
By writing content that speaks to clients on an emotional level you can connect with them. If they feel understood then they will think … Wow, this business gets me – I’d like to work with them.
Where to Host your Wordpress Blog
So you have decided to begin blogging with Wordpress … but now what to do. For most of us the next natural step is to Google the term “wordpress” and begin creating our blog.
When I type Wordpress into a Google search I get two results.
- www.wordpress.org > Blog Tool and Publishing Platform
- www.wordpress.com > Get a Free Blog Here
Humm … so what is the difference?
Wordpress.org is the true open source software avaliable for download. The benefit to this is that you will be able to install and customize you blog however you wish. You own the domain. You own the design. The downside, you need to install it in your hosting area. Thankfully the majority of web hosts have Fantastico or another Open Source software installer to simplify this task. Most hosts also have great customer service so feel free to give them a call and ask them to walk you though the process if you want the extra support.
Wordpress.com is a site that will host your wordpress blog for you for free. However, free is not exactly free. With the free blog you will not be able to pick your own domain; you will be given a subdomain of www.{business_name}.wordpress.com. You will not be able to customize the blog presentation beyond choosing one of seventy seven options and there will be ads on your blog. Now, you can pay $55 a year to enable the custom domain, custom presentation and removal of ads; but why? You are already paying for hosting for your business’ website.
Give a choice between the two for a Business Blog I highly recommend wordpress.org. I’m a big fan of controlling all the strings when it comes to my business.
Maximizing your Wordpress Blog’s Marketing Effectiveness
Is your wordpress blog integrated with your website?
By this I mean, is the blog built into the website so it feels like any other page is the site. If it is not, you are missing a valuable opportunity to maximize your blogs impact on your business.
To understand why, let’s look at how traffic flows to your site. Typically, web traffic that goes to your homepage reflects someone who either knows of your business by name or is looking for a specific product or service. Your wordpress blog on the other hand tends to draw traffic based on an interest in a topic or a solution to a problem. In both cases they are each bringing new visitors to your business. What is missed by not integrating your wordpress blog seamlessly with your website is the cross marketing that can occur.
A new client may discover your business by searching for a service you provide. Yet, if you have not been recommended to them, how can you instill confidence that you are an expert? Likewise, a client may have Googled a topic you discussed at length in a blog post, yet how are they to your you offer services as well?
By integrating the two; your website and your wordpress blog you get the best of both worlds. I potential client who lands on your site can see you as an expert and build his trust in you through your business’ blog. Likewise, someone who happens to find your blog will notice that you are a business and offer relevant services. By having the two pieces presented the same way they work together to showcase your business.