10 Rules for Writing Your Web Site Home Page

There’s an art to copywriting a website--weaving keywords into the right places, persuading prospects to keep reading, and knowing when to ask for the sale. But most website copywriters will tell you creating an effective website is also a science. And that science has to do with including certain key elements. Keep these suggestions in mind if when writing copy for your website:

Clearly state the benefits of your product.
Tell the prospect what problem your product will solve or how your product will improve their life. In other words, what’s in it for them. Benefits hook the customer and are the reasons people buy.
Make your web site look and sound professional.
If your web site looks like it was designed by your high school nephew, or if the writing contains grammatical errors and misspelled words, you’ll create doubt in the prospect’s mind about the professionalism of your company.
Include useful content.
If people come to your web site, they want information. Pictures are not enough. Provide as much detail as you can. Present it in an organized, easy-to-navigate format, and you’ll help your prospect get to know you AND trust you.
Use headlines and subheads.
Headlines and subheads make your web pages easy to scan and entice the prospect to read the body copy below. They also break up big copy blocks so you’ll be able to say more without overwhelming the reader.
Keep your site updated.
To enhance the likelihood of a new sale and also additional sales from existing customers, you’ll need to encourage prospects to return regularly to your web site. How do you keep them coming back? Continually update your site with new, useful information. List weekly specials, add new articles or post a newsletter. Make your site an invaluable resource.
Capture the prospect’s name and e-mail address.
Not every visitor will buy from you the first time they visit your web site. In fact, most won’t. One of the best ways to entice that prospect to revisit your web site and reconsider your product is to continue to market to him after he’s gone. To do that, you’ll need to get his name and e-mail address. So invite him to sign up for your weekly newsletter or sales flyer, enter a contest or request your special report. Eventually, you’ll win him over.
Use customer testimonials.
One of the best ways to convince new customers that your product is every bit as good as you say is to let them hear someone else say it. Testimonials give credence to your product’s benefits and can help allay any reservations the prospect has.
Ask for the sale.
Once you’ve clearly laid out the benefits of your product and answered every possible objection, it’s time to ask for the sale. Give the prospect that little nudge to take action.
Make it easy for people to buy.
Once you’ve motivated a prospect to buy your product, make it simple for them to order or at least call you for more information. Many shopping carts are abandoned when the buying process gets too complex.
Upsell, upsell.
Ever been in a shoe store, selected a pair of shoes and had the sales person say, “Let me show you a purse that matches those shoes perfectly.” Use the same technique on your website. When the prospect is ready to buy, offer something else that might have appeal, and you could turn a little sale into a big moneymaker.