This is a detailed guide on web copywriting.
In this guide, you'll discover 10 easy-to-implement tips to learn how to to write for the weband not simply web writing.
Two different types of writing and not comparable to each other!
Why?
Read on and find out with me....
You don't have to be a professional copywriter to write content for the web, let alone recognize a quality article.
If you have ever googled something and found a page that solved your problem and was really helpful - congratulations!
You've experienced quality content written specifically for the web!
Writing for the web means adapting to the rules of the web, and you can't compare online writing to other types of writing.
People who surf the Internet for informative articles have a different mindset than those who are sitting in front of the fireplace with a book.
But here's the thing: If you're here, you most likely own a website (or want to create one soon), and you don't just want to write simple content - you want to write great content.
Good copy can generate more clicks and visits to your site, but it has the potential to do so much more.
If you want to write for the web and get results, you must always remember this simple rule:
You need to answer your visitors' questions, especially the ones they didn't even know they had.
Ultimately, the best content doesn't just make people click on your articles, but the content that makes people trust you.
What's the point of getting people to trust you?
La fiducia ha il potere di portare le persone a compiere più azioni sul tuo sito, e di conseguenza più condivisioni, commenti, iscrizioni alla newsletter, backlink e vendite.
Let's cut the crap and dive into discovering the best tips for writing quality content for the web.
How to write great content for the web
There's no secret recipe for to write for the web, but there are some strategies and tips you can follow to get your target audience to love the content you write.
Let's take a closer look.
#1: Find the Right Idea on the Topic to Cover
Even before delving into the question "How to write for the web", you're going to have to ask yourself a much more important question.
What topic should I cover?
The hardest part of content creation, is to find a topic that people (and you of course!) actually care about.
What do you need to do to find the right topic?
Basically, you need to do a lot of research and learn about your niche before jumping into creating any content for the web. As you do, it gets easier and easier.
To write quality content aimed at a specific niche, you first need to pay attention to the topics that are popular in the niche.
Trending topics are the best choice for writing engaging content, this is because you already know that people like them, and most importantly because you can manage to identify what kind of people like them too.
Trending topics are also well-received on social media sites, and if your content is well-written, the chances of your blog posts being commented on and shared are greater.
There are various tools that can help you find trending topics. Some that I personally use are BuzzSumo and Google Trends.
These tools will give you detailed and valuable information on the most shared and popular topics on the internet.
#2: Do In-Depth Research
Research is the most challenging part of writing high quality, engaging content. Studies prove that spending more time on each article makes a difference.
But what exactly do you need to do to do a detailed search?
#1 - Google a similar topic to yours and analyze in detail the articles placed on the first page:
- What topic did they cover?
- What title and subtitles did they use?
- How long are the articles on average?
- Are these articles for informational or transactional purposes?
- Are these articles list style (15 ways to...) or how-to style (how to...)?
- Are the sites placed blogs or e-commerce?
#2 - Read the comments in your competitors' articles.This will help you understand 2 fundamental points:
- What topics did they cover and did they particularly enjoy?
- What issues did they NOT address but would be appreciated by their users?
#3 - Find statistics, facts, case studies. ed esempi pertinenti a sostegno delle tue affermazioni, e degli argomenti che tratti. Questa tecnica si chiama external linking, ed è importante sia per la SEO (ottimizzazione per i motori di ricerca), sia per migliorare l’esperienza dell’utente offrendogli altri contenuti di qualità per approfondire la sua di ricerca.
#4 - Do some research on Google using different variations of the keyword that your potential users might use, and take note of the suggestions that Google itself gives you (very effective technique).
By using this technique, you could easily end up with a lot more topics to cover, but more importantly topics that both people and search engines like.
You should also spend a lot of time analyzing what your target audience (customer persona) likes.
If your audience is more interested in video content, add more videos to your articles, if your audience is young and likes GIFs, add more GIFs to your articles.
So if you want to write for the web and get results, I suggest you spend a lot of time on research.
#3: Use Captivating Subtitles
It is said that people do not read blog articles entirely, but scan them quickly, and it is also said that the attention span of humans is only 8 seconds (thanks to smartphones!).
With this in mind, you can well deduce that if the title and subtitles you have written are not catchy, you will lose their attention before they even start reading your post.
Quindi, quando scrivi contenuti per il tuo sito web, tieni bene a mente che le persone non leggeranno tutto.
I hate to say it, but it's true!
Most visitors will go through your subtitles, bold phrases, images and videos to get the gist of what you've written.
And if they like what they see, then "maybe" they'll start reading everything.
According to a keyword research of kissmetrics, 80% of people read only the headlines and subheadings of a blog post, and only 20% of them read the entire content.
So, what do you do to get people to read your content?
You should try to break up longer paragraphs into smaller ones and add subheadings to introduce the subtopics.
Since people scan by instinct, by doing this you're optimizing your content for these types of users as well.
Is there any other advice?
Of course.
#4: Optimize Readability with Paragraphs and Lists
If you want to write for the web, and create content that is specific to users browsing the internet, then this is a rule you must always keep in mind.
Optimize the schematization and readability of your content.
Even if you've done detailed research and created excellent content, if it's hard to read, people won't read it all and share it.
Users on the web love to read content with spaces, subtitles, bold, paragraphs and lists.
How to structure a blog post to maximize readability?
To write content for the web and maximize readability always try to follow these simple rules:
- Divide your article into chapters even before you start writing the content itself.
- Use clear titles and subtitles.The questions are particularly effective.
- Use images, graphics or videos to visually represent the ideas described in the content.
- Use white space between sections.The use of white space allows you to relax the reader's brain and not make the text seem "insidious".
- Organize chapter text into multiple paragraphs, and try to keep them short (no more than 4-6 lines).
- Use bulleted or numbered lists when describing steps, examples, ingredients, etc.
Bulleted lists will make your text easier to parse and visually more presentable. - Use bold and italics to highlight important parts of the content (but don't overdo it!).
#5: Use Your Experience in Your Content
There is already too much recycled content on the internet. Do you want to add to this chaos, or do you want to write content that people will actually love?
Nothing can beat quality, original content with a touch of personal experience.
Now you're probably wondering...
But how often can you create original and offbeat content?
In one respect you're right, there are articles on literally every topic possible. Even a simple search on "how to fall flat on your face" gets 14.1 million results.
What do you do to write content that is different from your competitors?
The secret ingredient to writing content that is different from your competitors is definitely personal experience.
You are unique, and any content you write from your personal experience will be unique and different from any other.
#6: Add a Dash of Humor and Excitement
If you've ever been on Facebook, you've probably noticed that the most shared and liked content is humor.
Humor wins every time. Humor is art. Unlike everything else, it can't be copied.
Similarly, expressing strong emotions takes courage. And people really like it when someone sincerely shows what they are feeling and experiencing.
So if you want to write content that will appeal to your readers, and help you create a stronger connection with them, make sure you add a dash of humor.
#7: Speak directly to the reader
The greatest performers and artists know that their performance is totally based on how well they relate to their audience.
The same concept applies to writing articles and content for the web.
It's all about building a connection with the reader.
But how do you build this connection?
Writing for the web means writing directly to the person reading you. You must try to make your content sound like a friendly conversation rather than a boring newspaper article.
In my opinion, it's much easier to write as if you're talking to someone rather than writing in a formal tone.
For example, tell me which of these options do you prefer?
Choice 1: I know the feeling of not getting the results I want. It's discouraging, but I always find ways to improve.
Choice 2: If your efforts aren't getting you results, improve or give up.
Choice 3: If your unfulfilled aspirations are discouraging, improve your method.
Which one did you like best?
I'm betting the first option.
Why?
Very simple! Because it's easy to understand, and it develops a connection between the writer and the reader. It's a great example of how to write quality content for the web.
Why is the second choice a bit "off"?
Because it sounds like a boring command or advice.
The reason why the third choice is invalid is obvious. It's hard to understand.
So, always remember to write content for your site as if your reader is there, right in front of you.
#8: Use High Resolution Images, Audio, Video And Screenshots
Adding graphics and multimedia content to your posts is directly proportional to the performance of your blog.
Some of my favorite posts are the ones with graphics, videos and images.
Graphics create a rich experience for the reader and keep them interested in your article.
Professional graphics also let the reader know that you have invested time and passion in creating the content they are reading.
I guarantee it is greatly appreciated in most cases!
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No problem! Take a look at these sites:
#9: Update Your Website Content Regularly
Updating a site's content regularly is an important aspect of creating content for the web.
People love content that is up-to-date and current.
If you've followed me this far, then you can't ignore the importance of this point.
According to a search for convinceandconvert, solo il 55% dei bloggers aggiornano regolarmente i contenuti dei loro blog.
The good news is that the 74% of those who update them, get better results and an increase in organic traffic.
Do you already have content on your website?
Great, Start updating your old articles to put into practice what you are learning here.
Theory is of little use without action.
#10: Use a Strong Call To Action
If you look closely at the content of successful bloggers, you'll find that their best performing articles have a clear and well-defined CTA (call-to-action).
Ti dirò di più, se osservi attentamente, molti scrivono tutto il loro contenuto attorno a una call to action.
There's no point in writing outstanding content If you don't convert and monetize your site traffic!
If you want to write content to sell a product or promote an affiliate product, this tactic is extremely important.
Obviously the call to action doesn't have to aim exclusively at monetization, it can simply be a request to share, to read a relevant article, or simply to leave a comment.
Ma ci deve essere. Punto 🙂
Ready To Write Content People Will Love?
We discussed some of the most crucial points about how to write quality content for the web.
The last thing I want to add before I finish this article is....
Keep writing!
Always make sure your content continues to improve, and never be afraid to experiment.
Write, study, test and repeat!
Still not sure how to write original, engaging and search engine optimized content?
If you have any questions or anything to add to the discussion, add it in the comments.
I'll see you soon.
A hug.
