Creative Web Copy - a 'Balancing Act' to Attract Human Visitors & Search Engine Robots

When marketing on the Web, traditional promos and ad copy are out of place largely due to the paradigm shift that the human buyer is no longer the only audience. Web copywriting (Web Copy) follows a different set of rules – it targets both human buyers and the search engine robots. Suddenly, the rules have changed.

The medium for Web Copy is very different from traditional copy in so far as people read it on a screen. It must be visually appealing on a website. The next website is just a click away, so your Web Copy needs to be as ‘sticky’ as it can get. However, more often than not, it is given low priority, and even ignored, as many businesses model their Web Copy around the content of other websites in their field. This places them in a losing position as they are unable to differentiate their products or solutions.

Original copy allows a website to stand out from the crowd; it gives your business a great opportunity to make something common look appealing and unique, just by a play of words. And when your Web Copy is original, you can use keywords to their advantage and give your website a better chance at getting a higher ranking in search engine results. Moreover, Web Copy offers you a creative outlet. Drafting original content gives you the opportunity to showcase your new ideas, style and concepts in a dramatically appealing manner.

When developing Web Copy, it is important right from the start to consider questions like –

• What is your Web copy saying about your company?
• Does your Web copy meet the needs of the marketplace?
• Does your Web copy solve a business problem?
• Does it answer your customer's question, "What will it do for me?"

Web Copy must respond to the above questions. Most websites fail to do so, and are eventually lost in cyberspace. Web Copy must reveal in-depth knowledge of the subject matter in concern. Therefore, we must understand our unique business proposition first, before drafting Web Copy. A compelling Web Copy based on sound strategic planning, results in magically filling the needs of the marketplace and improves your sales conversion rates.

Web Copy is about communication – you need to be an online orator. The more you can convince your target audience of your unique business proposition, the more they will be willing to buy your product or service. Therefore Web Copy must include commonly used spoken language, simple words to convey your, as though you are speaking one on one with a friend. Moreover, if you consider your target audience to be very selfish, you will be one step closer to creating effective Web Copy. Your prospects want to know what they will gain by purchasing your product or visiting your Web site, so you have to have a compelling story to tell.

Web Copy, therefore, is about grabbing the attention of your human audience who is already distracted by other images, ads and enticing offers. It is about keeping them interested with relevant and topical content. Compelling Web Copy creatively removes objections and concerns while directing the reader to the point of making the decision to click on ‘buy’. Your aim is to hook your target audience into staying on your website long enough to compel them to take action.

As for that search engine robot, your second ‘master’ on the Web, your Web Copy becomes a critical component of the search engine optimization (SEO) process. Search engine robots index your website based on certain keywords. Creative Web Copy will allow you to secure top search engine rankings, assuming you are using the most relevant keywords in your content.

The content of your website must be modeled around keywords for being ‘found’ by the search engine robots. Therefore, your Web Copy becomes core strength of your website positioning in the World Wide Web. The content decides the positioning of your website in search engine results, which in turn can transform into more traffic on your website, and give you higher sales conversion rates.

Rich and persuasive content, adapted to both human visitors and search engine robots, can attract new visitors, secure the loyalty of existing visitors, and sustain the positioning of your website in search engine results. In marketing jargon, this in itself is a distinguishing and competitive advantage. But make sure not to stuff your website with keywords that attract the search engine robots. Creative Web Copy must include strategically placed keywords for effective SEO, and at the same time include rich content for your website, so they are not inclined to leave quickly. It’s a well-orchestrated ‘balancing act’ – pleasing your two audiences – the human visitor and the search engine robot.