Buzz On Copywriting – Content Axis

Short and snappy . . .  Like a baby crocodile.

People have very short attention spans these days.

Blah blah blah

Why?  Because we don’t need a long attention span?  Back in the past, information was gleaned from other people, from books, TV and radio.  This all took time and attention.

 

Now……… We can get whatever information we need through mediums in seconds.  Check your mobile for football results via text, find your location with your sat nav, research breast enhancements online, calculate your taxes on your iPad, call an automated number to hear lists of what is playing at your local cinema, hear 24 hour news on your iPod……….You don’t need a large attention span anymore.

So the FIRST STEP to persuasive content, the MOST important part is to keep their attention.

Step 1:

Grab their attention.

Do it with short snappy phases, pretty graphics and thought provoking titles, sub titles and comments.  You must convince them that they WANT to read the rest of your page.

Step 2:

Decide your goals.  What do you want your landing page to achieve?

• Do you want them to click onto other page?
• Do you want to direct sell a product to them?
• Are you trying to convince them of an idea?
• What are you trying to communicate?
• Are you trying to create leads/enquiries?
• Are you directing them to something else?

 

Step 3:

You have your goal, now how do you achieve it.

So you want people to click on another page, then write a web page directing them there, show them pictures of why it is great, what they will get, why they want to click there.  Create flash displays and movies to prove it.

If you are trying to direct sell them something then put the selling details and the checkout all on the landing page.  Don’t sell them the idea and then ask them to click on your shop link, because the second they click another page, then THAT page has to grab their attention again and re-sell them the points they just forgot.  Put your sales details, pics and checkout on the same page and close the sale on the landing page.  Then put extras, up sells and continuation sales on the checkout.  Little check boxes that say click to upgrade to gold service for $3.00, etc, etc.

Step 4:

Break up your content.

Short sharp paragraphs

Make your point and move on.

Do it well and keep it short.

Step 5:

Layout should flow smoothly,

Don’t ram all your ideas into the page like stuffing in a Christmas goose.  Keep it easy to read, and break it up into sections.

Step 6:

Add reading breaks.

If your landing page is all information and needed content, then break it up with a little insertion here and there.  Insert a tip or two, or an interesting fact or two, tucked into your text.  Even insert a little humor if you feel like adding a little sugar to cut the mustard.

Step 7:

EDIT IT DOWN!!!!!!

Your landing page is not paying by the word.  Say what you have to, be clear, concise and short.  Write it, remove words, write it again, cut bits out, re-phrase.  Get to the point with as few words as possible.

YOU WILL LOSE PEOPLE WITH TOO MANY WORDS.

Take a sentence example:

“This website will show you how to make your fancy Christmas goose look good”

EDIT IT DOWN

“How to make your Christmas goose look good”

EDIT IT DOWN AGAIN

“Christmas goose – Make it look GOOD.”

Step 8:

Proofread it.

Read it all for errors.  If there are bits that you only skim through when you read, then those are the bits where you will lose your viewer.  I just proof read this, and skimmed over step three.  So I am aware that, that is that bit that may lose people.

Step 9:

It should take you twice as long to write, because every time you type a line, you should have to stop to applaud yourself.