Web developers frequently launch websites with self-absorbed web copy, which turns off visitors and kills conversions.
Who’s to blame? Self-absorbed copywriters and business owners.
To engage prospects and turn them into customers, web copy needs to appeal to the visitor’s self-interest.
Most would say that’s brain-dead obvious. Yet, it seems 90% of websites miss the mark completely.
Who is your clients’ web copy written for – the target audience, the business, or the writer?
The Ugly: The Ego-Driven Web Copy
This is where you or your client hires a copywriter for a website and the pages overflow with cleverly crafted, delightfully delectable prose that oh-so-playfully sing and dance. An example from a training company’s website: “When You succeed we succeed with You. When You dazzle Your CLIENTS, we dazzle ours.” The writer is screaming: “Look at me! I’m brilliant!” The online visitor is screaming: “What the hell do these guys do? Can they help me!?” Another snippet from a florist’s website: “Pinkly pulchritudinous and amazingly delightful, infinitely charming and sensationally fascinating.” They’re selling pink roses, and it’s probably safe to say words like "pulchritudinous" alienate most of their market. Beautiful or lovely would work just fine, forget about the fact that freshness isn’t even mentioned, likely one of the consumer’s key concerns. Web content riddled with abstract language and clichés might inflate a writer’s pride or score a marketing agency some awards, but it’ll do little for your client’s business. Even if the copywriter does induce a few “ooohs” and “ahhhs,” a website that doesn’t convey the right key messages provides you little or no value. Consider those witty TV commercials that get discussed the next day at the office – but no one has any idea what the costly 30-second spot was promoting.The Bad: The Company-Centric Web Copy
Company-centric content is rampant on the Web. Whether a copywriter is forced down this path, or a business owner prefers to focus on what he or she wants to say versus what the audience needs to know, the results are the same: low engagement and poor conversion rates. An example of company-centric content from an IT website: “There are about a million IT companies floating around, then why us? Reasonable question! The answer is simple... because, WE ARE THE BEST! Best in Quality, Service and Post Service Relations…” Self-absorbed and indistinguishable. Web writing would be easy if prospects and customers thought the way business owners do. But that’s not the case. Consumers are not necessarily interested in your client’s business. They are, however, extremely interested in what your client’s business can do for them. Common issues with internally developed web content also include: Expert Paralysis: When a business owner gains considerable knowledge and experience on a specific area, it’s difficult to recreate a prospect’s less informed state of mind. Consequently, it makes it difficult to effectively introduce this knowledge to others. Information Overload: Business owners have a knack for wanting to share everything. But just because they’re passionate about something, it doesn’t mean their audience is. The website ends up with information creep, where the web content gets progressively complicated, to the point the important and relevant information gets lost in the mix. Three compelling, relevant points are better than 10 that prospects don’t actually care about.The Good: Web Copy that’s Written for the Audience
Properly developed web copy entices audiences to take desired actions. But to get online visitors to request quotes or invest in your client’s offerings, someone needs to assess the target audience’s motivational appeals, and get their self-interest working for your client. So what makes people care? Not a 20,000-square-foot X3TC data storage facility, or a ultra-slim-line dental x-ray machine. It’s about the safety of critical business data in the event of an earthquake, and the fact that the new x-ray technology reduces radiation exposure by 90%. It comes down to benefits. Take a page from psychologist Abraham Maslow, who spent his life researching and compiling the human hierarchy of needs. Here’s a breakdown of the needs and desires people try to fulfill, as compiled neatly in the New York Times bestseller Made to Stick:- Transcendence: help others realize their potential
- Self-actualization: realize your own potential, self-fulfillment, peak experiences
- Aesthetic: symmetry, order, beauty, balance
- Learning: know, understand, mentally connect
- Esteem: achieve, be competent, gain approval, independence, status
- Belonging: love, family, friends, affection
- Security: protection, safety, stability
- Physical: hunger, thirst, bodily comfort
WDD Staff
WDD staff are proud to be able to bring you this daily blog about web design and development. If there's something you think we should be talking about let us know @DesignerDepot.
Read Next
3 Essential Design Trends, May 2024
Integrated navigation elements, interactive typography, and digital overprints are three website design trends making…
How to Write World-Beating Web Content
Writing for the web is different from all other formats. We typically do not read to any real depth on the web; we…
By Louise North
20 Best New Websites, April 2024
Welcome to our sites of the month for April. With some websites, the details make all the difference, while in others,…
Exciting New Tools for Designers, April 2024
Welcome to our April tools collection. There are no practical jokes here, just practical gadgets, services, and apps to…
How Web Designers Can Stay Relevant in the Age of AI
The digital landscape is evolving rapidly. With the advent of AI, every sector is witnessing a revolution, including…
By Louise North
14 Top UX Tools for Designers in 2024
User Experience (UX) is one of the most important fields of design, so it should come as no surprise that there are a…
By Simon Sterne
What Negative Effects Does a Bad Website Design Have On My Business?
Consumer expectations for a responsive, immersive, and visually appealing website experience have never been higher. In…
10+ Best Resources & Tools for Web Designers (2024 update)
Is searching for the best web design tools to suit your needs akin to having a recurring bad dream? Does each…
By WDD Staff
3 Essential Design Trends, April 2024
Ready to jump into some amazing new design ideas for Spring? Our roundup has everything from UX to color trends…
How to Plan Your First Successful Website
Planning a new website can be exciting and — if you’re anything like me — a little daunting. Whether you’re an…
By Simon Sterne
15 Best New Fonts, March 2024
Welcome to March’s edition of our roundup of the best new fonts for designers. This month’s compilation includes…
By Ben Moss
LimeWire Developer APIs Herald a New Era of AI Integration
Generative AI is a fascinating technology. Far from the design killer some people feared, it is an empowering and…
By WDD Staff