To make your best impression for any form of media, you have to target the needs of consumers of that media. In other words, if you want to recycle your print copy to act as website content, don’t do it.

At least not without making the necessary adjustments so your copy can be consumed easily by a web audience.

The key to writing online copy that’s as powerful as print copy lies in knowing the difference. Here’s a look at the basics of how your online copy should differ from print copy – and why.

It’s Not the Same! How Online Copy Should Differ from Print

Think less copy on your home page seems like a good idea? We do, too – usually. But having less copy isn’t as simple as it might sound. Light copy might seem ideal, but it can backfire unless it’s done right. When it comes to home page copy, balancing lightness with effectiveness is tricky.

What you should know:

1. Copy that’s light—is harder to write. Mark Twain said, “I don’t have time to write you a short letter, so I’m writing you a long one instead.” Crafting a short, powerful message takes time. When fewer words need to say more, it’s often a case of refining, editing and reassessing. Most good writers can fill a page with words. Great writers can fill half a page—and say the same thing.
2. Less space = Less time to communicate. If you only have “room” for 25 words, you could be limiting yourself. Yes, people are tired of reading long marketing copy, but they also need to be informed and to feel welcome. Are too-tight layouts limiting your ability to communicate?
3. Give ‘em a clue. Some companies don’t want any copy on their home page, assuming visitors will click in to get the real story. In reality, they usually click away. Your home page must tell prospects who you are and what you do. Share—or at least hint at—your story to compel visitors and make your sales easier. Remember, you know how exciting your business is, but your prospects don’t—yet.
4. What’s your message? Think of your goals. What main idea you want to communicate? Do you need visitors to sign up for something? Figuring out your goals should be your first priority. Once you have goals, you can decide how to achieve them. Here’s where you think about length. Your home page is often your one shot to capture prospects’ attention. Don’t blow it.
5. Look at why you want less content. Do you want less copy because people are busy? Or because you don’t want to pay for content? (Less content can cost more!) Don’t let the wrong reasons drive your content length. Otherwise, you’re doing your goals, and your audience, a disservice.

Let your business strategy—not your web design—drive your copy length. No matter what the length is, in website content, every word needs to count.

While we write for a living, we’re also huge fans of concise copy. Please share your favorite examples of websites that are light on copy, heavy on impact.

And if you need help keeping your own copy short and sweet, yet packing a powerful punch, just say the word.

Do you remember “The Gong Show”?

Brave contestants would go on stage and display their talents (or lack thereof) in front of three judges. If the contestants made a mistake, or just didn’t impress… GONG. Game over.

The world of online business has a gong equivalent. It’s called your bounce rate, and it tracks how often prospects click away without bothering to learn more.

When prospects click away, it means your time is up. It means you won’t get any more chances to win them over with your products or services.

Keep these tips in mind to avoid gong-worthy online writing mistakes, and keep your prospects on your site:

1. Nobody likes Bossy Betty. When you were little, I bet you didn’t want to play with the kid who bossed you around. Adults don’t either. Your prospects need to make up their own minds. Share what you can do for them – by showing, not telling. Suggest; don’t demand.
2. Empty promises = empty bank accounts. Online promises, guarantees, or over-confidences can come off cheap. Be careful of making empty promises. The Internet is full of them, and your prospect is wary.
3. Keep it human. Do you ever talk to those automated people on customer service hotlines? The ones who never understand your answer? Wouldn’t you rather talk to a real person? Me, too. The same goes for your Web presence. A warm, welcoming, powerful voice attracts prospects. Be personal. Show your human side.
4. Don’t assume. Your prospects are smart, but they don’t know everything. Especially when it comes to the intricacies of your product, your industry, or what you can offer them. Share this information in a way that makes people comfortable. Incorrectly assuming what people know leaves prospects confused – and you without customers.
5. They’re not third graders. Unless your prospects are, in fact, eight years old, then you shouldn’t treat them like third graders. It’s tough to find a comfortable balance between providing information, in a manner that works, and speaking to your audience like they are adults. Know your audience, know what they know, and know what they need more about. The goal is to make information accessible without condescending to visitors.
6. Watch for silly errors. A silly mistake in your content can make you seem silly to your reader. Professionalism means checking it twice, three times, or more. An extra set of eyes can make a big difference. By finding mistakes before they do, you help your audience focus on your message instead of your blips.

As many of “The Gong Show” contestants might have benefited from vocal coaching or dance lessons, your business can benefit from expert help, too.

If you’re too close, it can be hard to see things objectively. Market It Write can help you create powerful content (and avoid gong-worthy mistakes). Get in touch today.

Let’s face it, you’re going to read this paragraph.

More than likely, you’re going to read this one, too. They’re both short paragraphs, with short sentences.

However, the further you get into this blog post, the more likely you’re going to start scanning, rather than reading closely. You’ll start looking for keywords or sentences with bold text that grabs your attention.

Subheadings Also Convey Useful Information and Hold Reader Interest

According to Jakob Nielsen, an established authority for more than a decade on how people read on the Web, readers respond most favorably to web pages that are:

• Concise – minimum word count for quick reading
• Objective – neutral, factual-sounding language
• Scannable – bulleted lists and lots of white space

Readers seem to expect that material on the web is more factual, so they respond more strongly to writing that sounds factual, avoiding hyperbole and overblown marketing language. According to Nielsen, web users forage for information and facts. If a web page doesn’t appear to provide the facts we seek, we move on quickly.

Readers tend to scan past large blocks of text.

Font types also affect readability. In print, readers prefer serif fonts such as Times New Roman or Georgia. However, on the web, readers prefer sans serif fonts, such as Verdana or Trebuchet.

Large Font Sizes Promote Scanning

Small font sizes and large blocks of text encourage closer reading, but only if the page already has the reader’s attention; otherwise, they will most likely be skipped.

Eye tracking studies show that readers are most likely to notice things placed in the upper left corner of the page; their eye movements then flow down and generally toward the right. Therefore, place the elements of maximum impact at the top and at the left, a strategy that leads to an inverted writing structure. Put the major, broad-stroke elements at the top, and expand into finer detail deeper into the page.

The bottom line is that partial reading–of everything–on the Web is common. Knowing how to grab the reader’s eye and hold it long enough to convey your message is critical to Web communication.