July 2010
Stop wasting my time!
Writing great web content for busy people
ISBN 978-0-473-17320-3
© Copyright The Perfect Angle Limited
1 July 2010
Congratulations.
Why? Because you’ve taken the first steps towards developing a website that people will enjoy
visiting and may actually use and, even better, come back to.
I’ve written “Stop wasting my time!” because I’m tired of badly written (and presented)
websites. I often wonder if some businesses would be better off without a website.
Here’s a not-so-secret secret - if I visit your website and it’s a shambles, I’m not going to buy
from you!
But I’m not here to criticise, I’m here to help. A lot of businesses I’ve worked with don’t have the
basic skills to design a website that actually works. I want to change that by helping businesses
to understand and identify the key steps to creating great web content.
Of course, this report doesn’t tell you everything about writing for the web (I don’t want to put
myself out of business after all!), but it should give you a solid introduction to what makes great
web copy.
I haven’t considered the design and other technical aspects that make for a great website (such
as Search Engine Optimisation or SEO), not this time anyway.
What I have done is provide you with a number of practical tips that should help make your
website a more enjoyable place to visit, and more importantly, drive more business.
If you have any questions about the topics I cover below, or would like to have a chat about
writing for the web over a coffee, please feel free to contact me at:
[email protected].
Samples of our work are also available at: www.theperfectangle.co.nz.
Enjoy!
Stephen Leslie
Managing Director
The Perfect Angle
The Perfect Angle is a Kapiti-based strategic marketing and communications consultancy, working
with businesses (large and small) across the Greater Wellington region and throughout New Zealand.
1. Why People Go On-line
Before we embark on how to go about writing great copy for the web, let’s focus on the core
issue, why do people use the internet? What drives them to search for, then visit, websites?
And what does that mean to us, the owners of these websites?
What We Want and Why
We go on-line because we’re looking for something. We want answers. We want to
complete tasks. And we’re usually in a hurry so we go on-line to save time.
That means we are typically looking for what we absolutely need – we don’t have time to
read a long explanation, or wade through pages of information.
And that is why the internet differs from many of the other forms of marketing and media
we use. People just aren’t interested in all the details – they simply want the facts, and they
want them NOW.
Less Really Is More
So most people are on a specific mission, and they aren’t interested in reading a lot. If they
don’t find what they’re looking for on your website, they won’t be coming back.
It’s been said that when you write content for a website, you should take your initial draft
and halve it – then halve it again.
To those of us who have studied or worked in marketing, this sounds ridiculous. We were
told to connect with our prospects and share an experience with them – tell a story, take
them on a journey.
But on-line the prospect has already taken their journey - they logged on, they searched for
what they wanted and, somehow, they wound up on your website.
They don’t want to share an experience with you, not immediately anyway, they just want to
know that:
1) They’re in the right place; and,
2) You’re the best person to give them whatever it is they want.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s always scope to add your own personality and “brand” to the
experience. And as you build a relationship with your customers there will be opportunities
to engage with them and create brand loyalty.
But if you can’t convince them from the start that you can fulfil their two main needs, you
are done.
The Perfect Angle Ltd
www.theperfectangle.co.nz
2. How to Create Great Content
Creating great website content isn’t that hard if you know who you’re talking to, what they
want, and how they want to be talked to.
Think about some of the websites you enjoy visiting. It’s quite likely that one of the reasons
you enjoy visiting them is that the content flows like a conversation, anticipating and
answering the questions you have, and making it easy for you to find information or
complete a task.
Can I Help You?
Many businesses simply have an on-line presence because “everyone knows that you have
to have a website”. As a result, their websites resemble a virtual sales brochure or, even
worse, a virtual business card.
Other people create websites in their “own image”, building something that reflects their
own tastes and preferences. It may make them feel good, but is it really what their potential
customers want – does it make them feel good too?
Before you start writing the content for your website, answer the following questions:

Who will come to your website?

Why will they come?

What do they want?

What questions are they looking to answer?

What tasks are they hoping to complete?

How do they want to be talked to?
Once you know the answers to these questions, you’ll have the basic structure on which to
build your content. If you can anticipate what people will be looking for when they come to
your website, your content can be crafted to meet their specific needs.
It seems simple but it’s amazing how many websites fail to recognise who their audiences
are, let alone what they want.
Think about what they need, then give it to them.
Get to the Point!
If people can’t find what they want on your website, quickly, they won’t come back. They’re
looking for what they need, they’re not interested in wading through pages of meaningless
information.
So only give them what they need, assuming you know what it is they need (see above).
The Perfect Angle Ltd
www.theperfectangle.co.nz
You must make information easy to read and understand. How do you do it?

Focus on the facts, cut out the fat.

Use headings – not only can they be used to highlight answers to questions or make
key points, they also help to break up large blocks of text (making it easier to read).

Put the key information up front – most people won’t waste time reading everything,
many won’t even get past the first few lines!

Group content into logical topics and sub-topics (e.g. content can be grouped by
information type, time, task, location, people, etc).

Layer content and let people drill down to less important information if they want to.

Display information in bite-sized portions - short sentences and paragraphs are much
easier for people to read.

Highlight key words.

Turn detailed instructions into short, sharp numbered lists.

Reduce the word count by using (preferably short) lists.

Use tables to present numbers or to compare features or benefits, but keep it simple.
Make Your Words Count
Ok, you’re getting to the point, but you have far fewer words to play with. So how do you
keep it short and sharp yet still make it interesting and engaging?

Make your content personal by using “you” and “your”. It sounds corny but people
are more easily able to visualise how you can help them if they’re already in the
story!

Speak the same language your key audience(s) does – pitch your content at their
level.

Use active words to give your writing life. Use action verbs.

Use short, vigorous words - they’re easier to read and there’s less chance of a
misunderstanding.

Never use jargon or foreign words if there’s a perfectly acceptable, everyday English
word available.
And remember, if it’s possible to cut a word out, CUT IT OUT!
Presentation Basics
There are a lot of design aspects to consider when you present your content on a web page.
But, as a start, there are 4 basic rules you should always follow when it comes to presenting
your content:
1. Dark font, light background – ALWAYS. When it comes to the main body of your
content, always, always, always use a dark font colour on a light background. It’s
easier to read and will keep people on your site longer as a result.
The Perfect Angle Ltd
www.theperfectangle.co.nz
2. Make your content “left aligned”, even the main headings. People are programmed
to read left to right, don’t try to re-programme them, you won’t win! Left aligning
your content will make it flow better and allow people to skim quickly.
3. Use a sans serif typeface (i.e. fonts without “serifs” - the little ticks and tails at the
end of the stroke). This report uses a sans serif typeface (Calibri). Low resolution can
make fine details like serifs disappear or appear too large.
4. Use white space. In other words, don’t cram your pages with too much content – use
space effectively to help break content up and make it easier to read.
There’s No Excuse for Errors
Enough said really. Spelling errors are sloppy, missing content or links that don’t work are
likely to be deal breakers. I’ve visited copywriter websites with spelling mistakes! I’ve gone
to retailer websites where the price is missing from the “Best Price” tag!
People are coming to your website because they want you to help them. If you don’t take
care in your own business, how much care are you going to take in theirs?
Get it right.
The Perfect Angle Ltd
www.theperfectangle.co.nz
3. Now, Make It Happen
Hopefully you’ve now got a better understanding of what you need to do to make your
website more appealing to your potential customers.
It all boils down to working out what they are looking for and giving it to them using as few
words as possible.
Break the content into “bite sized” portions to allow people to skim over it and focus on the
bits that interest them. Give them the ability (using layers) to drill down further once they
are confident they are where they want to be.
Make it personal and use active words to give your content life.
And if you’re going to hire a professional to write the content for you, make sure they are
experienced website copywriters who understand what it takes to write great web content.
The Perfect Angle Ltd
www.theperfectangle.co.nz
ISBN 978-0-473-17320-3
© Copyright The Perfect Angle Limited
All rights reserved – material contained in this report may be reproduced or published without further licence
provided that it is not reproduced for profit and acknowledgement is made of this source.
The Perfect Angle Ltd
www.theperfectangle.co.nz