Border7 Studios

We previously discussed how to style the way you write your copy, but what are you actually writing as your copy?

Most companies have a myriad of sources for their copy. Brochures, catalogs, newsletters, public relations, the list is endless. But what happens when you directly transcribe from the plethora and place it on the web. Most people would move on; simply reading something on paper feels a lot different than it does on a computer screen.

With that in mind, what you write for print is generally not the same as it would be for the web. The web has a lower attention span and if you do not catch your viewer’s attention quickly enough, all they have to do is click back, next, or search somewhere for something else. I am a user of the Firefox Add On StumbleUpon and it is the bane of my existence. I simply click a button and it leads me to a different page of my interests I designated. Now, if the page I’m on catches my eye and keeps me their, I stay and I even say I like it.

With traditional media I overview the table of contents and see if anything sparks my interest. Then flip through the pages and read the things I noted or anything else that catches my eye. Like the web, I have a short attention span, but I am more inclined to read things in the magazine then I am online. Why? There is less content to move onto.

Also, a lot of text can be dull, especially while reading on a computer screen. On that note, I’ll try and keep this short. Make sure you grab your reader’s attention but also keep it tasteful.

I never realized how difficult writing copy for one’s site is, especially for Border7. Writing a blog is not that difficult as it is a journal, a place where you can be yourself.

With a website, however, the writing field has stepped up its game. You need to write in a professional tone, get your message across in a timely manner, but still somehow stay true to yourself. Since the goal of the week is to get our content together I decided to do some research and find out what makes good copy GOOD copy.

Style Guides - in College, and even in high school, when you wrote a paper for your English class you had to write following the guidelines set by the MLA. I recall writing in MLA format for a paper in my AP Chem class in High School, and I lost 10% on the grade because I didn’t realize that there was another set of guidelines I needed to follow: the APA. As with actual papers, web copy needs to adhere to a set of guidelines - if only to keep readers from the headache of reading something poorly written; yes, I remember peer reviews and the migraines that caused.

• Short and Sweet. The web is ever changing and moving so quickly that you need to be able to grab your readers attention right away. Try writing short and concise sentences. Get to the point and try and stay on topic (even with your anecdotes)
• Simplicity is key. Try not to use colloquialisms or jargon when writing your web copy. A viewer who doesn’t know what you’re saying may be turned off and quickly move on.
• Cite your sources. Not only is this a good way to avoid any bad karma, but it can help you in the SEO department as well. If you find something on the web that helps you with your copy, make sure you link to where you found your information, as your reader may want more information. Plus, if you bring enough traffic to them, maybe they will be nice enough to send you a link back too.
• Consistency, consistency, consistency. Ensure that you write in a similar style throughout your site. Maintain the same point of view (first person, second person) and that you do not contradict yourself on another portion of your site. Also, try following the conventional style of the web and not some fad form of communication - if you type with sticky caps, you will be shot on sight.
• DON’T FORGET TO PROOFREAD!!! Nothing makes you look more juvenile then misspellings. It makes you look like you did not care enough to ensure you information was typed correctly, and if that’s the case, why would you care about your consumer?