Jed Wylie – Make Your Website Sell: How to Win Friends & Influence People Online

Last week I discussed how content is super critical to your website’s chances of converting a visitor into a customer. So, this week I thought I’d offer a few tips on how to write compelling content.

And just as a quick recap: There is one thing on your website that is currently influencing your visitors to buy or enquire and that’s the words on the screen. Putting it bluntly, if you can improve what you say, you’ll get more customers.

The key to compelling writing (or copy) is to be personal and direct so let me show you the exact opposite: These are headlines from actual websites:

• X Company is a regional firm with its head office in Z.
• We have been established since 1896
• We provide services tailored to our customers needs [yes, the apostrophe was missing!]
• With over XX employees…

Bored?

It’s boring because it’s all about the company and not about you and your needs. Nobody wants to wade through hearing about a company’s history before they even know if the business can help them. (On a date, “tell me about you” is far more engaging than “let me tell you about me”.)

The reason for this is because when people are surfing the Internet looking for your product or service what they are really doing is looking for a way to solve a problem. The problem is at the front of their mind and so your website has to address that by showing them how you can solve it. Once you demonstrate that you will create a connection with them that should result in them making an enquiry or buying from you.

So, here are 3 things to tell them when you describe your business and its products or services;

1. how you going to make your visitor’s life better
2. the benefits of them using your business
3. the advantage to them becoming your customer.

Now have a quick look at your homepage. Have a read of the opening paragraph and ask yourself the following questions;

1. did it appear as though you could solve their primary problem?
2. were the benefits of using your business clearly expressed?
3. did it feel like your company had made a personal contact with you?
4. did you want to carry on reading?

The next step is to actually write or update your website’s content so here are 5 simple rules to follow;

1. write in short sentences
2. use bullets and lists to help you write concisely
3. don’t use jargon or acronyms
4. write in a conversational style (don’t try to sound like a dry academic paper or a boring corporate brochure)
5. get straight to the point.

Now take a look at the key sales pages on your website and take five minutes to assess which of the above techniques you need to implement.

I promise that any improvements you make will have a profound effect on your website’s money making ability.

Jed Wylie is the author of Make Your Website Sell and works for Morgan Wylie a web design and digital marketing agency in the Midlands.