Copy Writing for Information Based Websites
A website is not a brochure or an essay. Repetition is okay in website copywriting provided that it serves the purpose of helping users find what they are looking for. Repeating information, summarizing or having more than one link to important webpages will help users find the information they are looking for. Information based websites are badly planned and written and, as a consequence information is difficult to find.
Set theory in mathematics provides a backdrop to copywriting on the web. Information overlaps, belongs to multiple sets and subsets but copywriters usually work under the premise that the sets are independent. Eg. item A belongs equally well to category 1 or 2 but because a decision has to be made, item A is put into category 1. A user comes to the site and looks for item A in category 2 and does not find it there and assumes that item A does not exist. The solution is to put item A in both category 1 and 2.
Another solution is to use a search function to help users find information. This has problems of its own because on many corporate websites the search function returns too many irrelevant results or none at all. Relying on a search function to help users find information is short sighted and does not necessarily make the website more user friendly. Information based sites need a search function, but a search function alone is not a cure for a badly designed site.
Why is copywriting and organizing information essential?
Time is money and websites that allow users to find information quickly and easily will save corporations and organisations an enormous amount of staff time, equating to millions of dollars in staff savings and increased sales. Users are impatient and do not have time to read entire sites to find information. Reading a computer screen is physically more difficult and readers tend to skim webpages, rather than read them. Every information based site, should ensure that it is organized well and written concisely.
The most important information must come be given prominence and an audit of information is essential to ensure that the site's content is up to date; old information should be deleted or archived.
Writing for an information based site
1. Identify
Identify your website visitor and the types of information they are looking for. There are many methods that you can use but the best to start with is to ask your staff what the most frequently asked questions they receive are and write a list. Collect data through surveys, website statistics, etc about what questions are frequently asked and prioritize the list. Look through email and find and compile a list of frequently asked questions. If the information requested is already found on your website, then it is not found easily. If it is not found, then you need to weave the information into your website.
2. Plan
Write a plan, so that the most important information can be accessed from your website within 2 to 4 clicks of the homepage. News should be placed on the homepage.
3. Discard
Discard or archive out of date content and ensure that obscure content is either buried deep in the website map or discarded.
4. Conduct usability testing for draft site
Usability testing is often overlooked because it is time consuming but will provide valuable information about how real users interact with the site and improvements that can be made.
5. Design site for updates
Ensure that the website is designed and planned for updates. Updates should improve the site, not add to its clutter.
For consultation regarding copywriting for information based websites, contact Passion Computing