Small businesses can invest in the most beautiful web design for their web sites. They can have an elaborate system of pages created with all the most important links in place. They can have the whole thing set up and operational, sometimes in just enough time to watch it fail.
What’s missing is the message. Potential customers need guidance and good copywriting provides just that. They need a reason to believe, and information at their fingertips. Good copywriting for the web can be hard to find, but it is just as important as the look, and design of the web site.
Think about it. They don’t build a Corvette with a Cavalier engine. They don’t use McDonald’s beef in a four-star restaurant. Small businesses shouldn’t sign off on copy that leaves customers scratching their heads, or worse, is filled with misspellings and grammar errors.
There’s no question about the significance of the investment in a web site. A strong online presence is important. If any facet is missing from that investment, the whole thing can fail.
First and foremost, good copywriting should be mistake free. Nothing will chase a potential customer away quicker than a page filled with grammar errors and misspellings. It leaves a poor taste in a customer’s mouth.
Good copywriting should explain just what it is a small business does. It should anticipate the questions that any potential customers might have. It should answer those questions as clearly as possible, eliminating confusion.
It should do all of this quickly. Visitors to a web site can be easily distracted. A web page has five seconds to grab a viewer. That’s it. Good copy will provide that necessary hook.
Good copywriting should always work toward completing its goal. For small businesses, this means selling goods and services. This can be done either directly through Ecommerce, or indirectly by driving your customer into your store.
So, in addition to that beautiful design, small businesses need to make sure they are speaking clearly with their customers, and hopefully their online presence will fall into place.
