Banish Ugly Web Content, Follow These Tips for a Pretty Page

Your website is developed. It looks good. Yay! Now you want to add content. Don’t muck up a pretty design with ugly pages or poor copywriting. Keep the following guidelines in mind:

Not too long, not too short. The ideal length for a page of web copy on a regular web site (not a landing page) is 300-500 words. That’s long enough to explain a topic and attract the search engines, but not so lengthy that your reader will feel overwhelmed and click off or resort to only scanning.

Use a compelling headline. Forget cutesy or crafty. Tell the reader what to expect. If possible, include a benefit so he knows why it’s worth his time to read on. Your headline should be 4 to 8 words.

Subheads help. They break up big blocks of text and also help the reader to flow from one paragraph to the next. Like headlines, keep subheads under 8 words long, and those words should be truly reflective of the paragraph’s content.

One thought per paragraph. Reading on a computer screen is more challenging than reading a printed document. It’s easy to lose your place, and big chunks of text are daunting. So keep paragraphs under five lines, roughly 40-70 words. Yes, that probably goes against what you learned in high school English class. But that’s okay. After all, do you really want your website to read like a term paper? Yawn.

Simplify sentences. Keep your sentences to under 20 words. Too much information in one sentence hinders comprehension. The reader will have difficulty following your thoughts. Also, vary the length of your sentences to make your copy more interesting. Sometimes a 1- to 4-word sentence is the perfect way to make an important point.

Professional copywriting. Good copywriting makes a difference. It can compel the reader to take action and help build your brand. Consider hiring a pro to do it right. Your investment in quality copy will pay off in increased conversions, that is, visitors who then choose to become customers.

Limit the number of hyperlinks. Links embedded within the body copy can be a distraction. Essentially, every link forces the visitor to make a decision – “Do I continue reading here or do I click on this link to another page?” So use restraint when adding links.

Choose an easy-to-read typeface. Fancy, artsy fonts don’t belong on websites. They’re simply too hard to read. Recommended typefaces for websites include Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, and other popular san serif fonts.

Size matters. Use at least 10-point type for body copy, and 12-point is better. Even 16-point won't look bad in most fonts. Large type is easier to read than small. For subheads and headlines, go two or more point sizes bigger and bolder than the body copy.

Use black type for good contrast. Light-colored text is hard to read and also won’t reproduce well if the reader decides to print the page.

Add pictures. Photographs, illustrations and graphics help make a page more visually appealing. They should complement the message being delivered in the text.

Need help crafting content for your website? Susan Greene is a professional copywriter located in Orlando, Florida. She provides quality copywriting and web design consulting to companies throughout the U.S. and the world. Contact Susan at: Susan@SusanGreeneCopywriter.com, (407) 578-5528.