It's no longer frowned upon to conduct your business on the Web, and huge numbers of people are making a healthy living doing just that. Others, however, are not. For every great website out there that grabs its customer's attention and holds it, there are hundreds more bad ones that don't. Despite their best efforts, many businesses are losing money daily due to the poor performance of their company website.
Contrary to popular myth, what constitutes a great website is not just fantastic design, but also the quality of the online copy that accompanies it. If you pay equal attention to both sides of this equation, you'll end up with an amazing site that drives traffic where you need it most, bringing excellent sales or driving great interest as a result. But if you ignore the necessity of simple, effective and clear-cut Web copy, evidence has shown your site will suffer as a consequence.
In a 2002 Stanford University "Web Credibility" survey of over 4,500 Web users in Europe and the US, findings are unequivocal. Whilst recognising the benefits of good design, the report also states:
"Our data suggests that integrity of content has considerable impact on how people evaluate the credibility of a website. Study participants gave some of their lowest scores on credibility to sites that fail to separate advertising from editorial content, run too many ads on a page, or display ads through pop-up windows. At the same time, users gave strong marks to site content that identified its sources and provided its authors' credentials." (1). Along with effective design and navigation, the report concludes that: "As for writing style, (websites should) be clear, direct, and sincere."(2)
So you have to ask yourself, is the writing on your website ?clear, direct and sincere'? If not, then you could be losing sales. Nobody wants a lame duck website that leaves its visitors confused or disinterested, or worse still, a site that makes inflated and unrealistic claims.
What people want to find on your site is a credible and well thought out approach to their requirements, they want answers to the questions that drew them to your website in the first place ? because it's then that they are more likely to make a purchase. Hitting just the right tone to do this is the job of a really good copywriter, and the time and money you take to get this right with a professional writer will ultimately be reflected in increased business for you and your company.
Sources
1&2. Stanford-Makovsky Web Credibility Study, 2002
The internet just keeps getting more and more entrenched in the daily lives of people everywhere. The introduction of video sharing sites to the online marketing scene has taken the casual surfing experience to a new world. You may be wondering how the new school entrepreneur can take advantage of this new trend? If so, I'll show you exactly how you can use Web 2.0 to fill your bank account with cash and have plenty fun doing it in just a moment. Consider these facts as you may be looking at having the best year of your life if you pay attention. Recent studies from the Interactive Advertising Forum prove that visitors viewing online videos on YouTube, Google Video and other video sites were up a whopping 46% (Q3 2008). The writing is clearly on the wall and it's time for you to capitalize on this fast growing trend. With millions of new viewers swarming to these Web 2.0 video sites you need to stay ahead of the video marketing curve. Here are some quick tips to get you in shape to cash in: 1. Get a video recording device (camera, video recorder, webcam) immediately. You don't need anything expensive, just something that will shoot decent quality videos. If you have one already then you're set. 2. Start familiarizing yourself with a program on your computer called Windows Movie Maker. This simple to use software will help you edit your videos for best results. 3. Start your first YouTube account. It's easy to set up and most importantly it's free to get started. Go to www.YouTube.com to get started. If you already have an account, create a second one strictly for business use. 4. Use the basic Web 2.0 video marketing success formula to craft your video message: a. Offer a challenge your prospective viewers may be experiencing b. Offer your product or service as the ultimate solution to to problem c. Give your viewers a STRONG call to action. Simply tell them what you want them to do next (i.e. visit you website, call your office, etc.) It really is this simple to cash in on the Web 2.0 Video Marketing Tsunami that is taking over the internet. All you need to do is be in the right place, at the right time, with the right message. Follow this simple advice and you can make internet history in the is fast paced world of overnight cyber-millionaires.
Both Laurence James & Kylon Trower are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Laurence James has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health Care, Brochures and Internet Marketing. An English graduate from the University of Birmingham and professionally trained journalist at postgraduate level, Laurence James has been for over ten years.. Laurence James's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.
Kylon Trower has sinced written about articles on various topics from Network Marketing, Surveys and Work From Home. Visit To Watch A Powerful Video That Unveils 3 Little-Know. Kylon Trower's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.