Showing posts with label Bullet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bullet. Show all posts
Online Copywriting: Make It Short and Simple
Why It Has to Be Short and Simple
You can blame it on various factors, but regardless of the reason behind it, online readers tend to be more demanding and impatient. A short and simple copy is able to give them what they want quickly and easily. A longer and more in-depth one can’t.
It’s also best to think of online readers as having tunnel vision. They have a one-track mind, and if the first instance that they suspect your copy of being unable to give them what they want, they’ll immediately switch to the next website in their list.
If you want to please online readers with your copy, you need to give them what they want without any delay. If they want you to explain in greater detail, they’ll only have to click the link you’ve thoughtfully provided for them. But until they do that, it’s better to stick with the plain but effective short-and-simple format.
No Fancy Words
Online readers skim and when they happen to skim right to the part you’ve used a fancy word they don’t comprehend, you stand to lose not just their attention but their presence in your website. And all of that is just because you took pains to use a fancy word. Such effort will remain unappreciated by online readers so don’t bother wasting your time with it.
Stick to the Facts and Figures
Online readers aren’t interested in things that haven’t yet been proven. What they want are statistics and the more impressive they are, the better! In this case, you’ll have the type of reader who doesn’t mind but in fact prefers that you brag. If there’s data you can share to convince your reader of buying your product or service, share it.
Don’t Overwhelm
Online readers are easy to scare. Give them an online copy that’s longer than a full-length page or two and they won’t even try to read it. Effective online copies never overwhelm their readers. Their sentences are simple and basic. Their paragraphs are the same and composed of not more than four or five sentences.
If a few sentences or a single paragraph are not enough to explain a particular concept, break it into several paragraphs instead. If you want to be a good copywriter, the first thing you have to understand is avoid doing anything that scares off your readers.
One Idea at a Time
Don’t make your readers frown in puzzlement. They want information given to them in a smooth-flowing manner, preferably in a step-by-step method. As such, you need to stick to one idea per paragraph. Given the ideal length for paragraphs, doing otherwise is foolhardy anyway.
Use Proper Formatting
Making your online copy convenient for your readers is another sign of good copywriting. One way of doing that is to use proper formatting. Subheading, large and legible fonts, and bullet points are just a few ways to make reading – or skimming – easier for your customers.
Keep these tips in mind the next time you write an online copy!
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The Power of Short Sentences
One of the most celebrated minimalist writers is Ernest Hemmingway. He was so dense on writing flowery adjective and gets straight to the point. The finest demonstration of his intellect is when he was challenged to write an entire story and he wrote it in just 6 words. He wrote: “For sale baby shoes never used.” And one of his tips to write effectively is to write in short sentences. To help you more, here are some tips to guide you in doing your copy.
Longer sentences will bore readers so maintain directness through short paragraphs. The average length of your short sentence must not exceed 23 – 25 words. The average reduction of sentences on English prose during Elizabethan times to 19th century is ½ to 2/3. This trend still continues although in a slower phase.
Always remember that readers easily get tired on what they’re reading; short sentences are sufficient on themselves. Avoid being stuffy so that sentences will be easier to read. Most letters can be lessened and can still express the same thing. Since fuzzy words hinder clarity and make your copy difficult to understand and read, trim unessential terms on your writing. It will be good to spend a minute to organize complex details and minimize lengthy sentences.
Manage sentence length by looking into the number of lines on each sentence. A line of an average handwriting or typewritten line consists of 10 – 12 words on the average. Maintain varied sentence lengths but be wary of those which run more than 2 lines. Short sentences between longer ones can break up your copy and can present a chatty style of writing. This will also help you vary your copy’s pace and can hold the reader’s interest.
To have short sentences, use shorter words. This is the rule that is oftentimes being violated. Writers use 3 words when only 1 can explain it. Writers cannot avoid the use of 4-syllable words. Saxon words are shorter and can be a replacement to multi-syllable Latin words. Instead of using “use” and “change”, “utilize” and “modify” has commonly been used. Complicating a sentence is more of a habit which is too hard to overcome since people are unconsciously doing it.
You can also try numbered points or tick bullets. Tick bullets are more eye-catching than bullet points and can present only the most important terms on the sentences. This can thus appear only as checklist. Numbered points are also effective and serve as an introduction.
Use simple tense and avoid complicated syntax. Phrases which use future tense will let the readers read slower and tend to feel clunky. Pretend you’re writing as an English learner and avoid using continuous past tense and sophisticated grammar structures.
Make sure that your copy is simple yet understandable and this will be done by using shorter sentences. Your aim must be to keep control of your readers so that they will not switch off you. Always aim to produce a copy that conveys your message clearly to entice the readers. Use powerful short sentences and watch the success of your site from now on.
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