Copywriters oftentimes get busy with helping other clients write copy and update client's web sites, that they let their web sites slide. If you haven't already, the New Year is a great time for you to take a fresh look at your site. I find many copywriters spend a lot of time on their web site when they first put it together, and then they never look at it again. Looking at it at least once a year should be a mandatory thing you do.
The world is changing rapidly. The internet continues to increase with popularity. Your web site could be the number one way prospects find you and learn about you. Take some time look at your site to tune it up so it's functioning at maximum potential. Here's some tips to get you started:
1. Do you tell people exactly where to go next on each and every page? If people read your home page, do they know what steps they should take or what page to look at next? Don't assume they will just click around. Be extremely specific and tell them to go look at your services page or the about us page. Give them a call to action on each and every page.
2. Does every page have your contact information? And this does not include a "contact us" page on your navigation bar. I recommend to all my clients that they also include an email link and their phone number at the very bottom of every page too. We want to make it very easy for everyone to contact you. Some may look for the contact us page, others may not.
3. Do you have testimonials scattered throughout each page of your web site? If not, what can you do to get some today? Your site is there to start building trust with your prospects. Testimonials are an essential piece of that trust.
4. Are your paragraphs short and easy to read? This may not have been something you thought about when you first did your site, so do a quick once- over. In general, your paragraphs should be two or three sentences and that's it. Do you break the page up with bullet points or bolding?
5. Headings and subheadings. Do you have any? Important key words that prospective clients would use to find you should be in the headline of each page at the very top, and then in subheadings throughout the page. I find that many clients that write their own web sites don't know to do this part and don't realize the importance it plays in the search engines finding you. If the search engines aren't finding you, chances are some of your prospects aren't either.
6. Have you added any new products or services since you last worked on your web site? Any new samples to show or testimonials to add? Any changes that need to be made to older products or services? Maybe you want to update your bio on the about us page?
7. Do you have a way to contact your prospects information? A free report? A newsletter? This is the number one thing your site should have as it allows you to stay in contact with your prospects and help them move farther down the sales funnel.
Kelly Robbins, founder of The Copywriting Institute, is the author of Powerful Interviewing Techniques for Healthcare Marketers and The Healthcare Copywriters Toolkit. Kelly Robbins is an award winning healthcare copywriter and marketing coach/consultant. Publisher of "The Copywriting Connection", Kelly helps writers and marketers learn to write phenomenal copy. Contact Kelly to receive her free report, "Six things every copywriter MUST know to make high profits in copywriting fast!" at www.TheCopywritingInstitute.com or 303-460-0285.
