Effective Web copywriting helps customers to make the decision to buy. It’s different from writing copy for print, because many of the cues which lead to sales are missing. You need to supply them.

Many businesses just give up on making sales via their Web site. A common complaint is: “We tried it, and it doesn’t work”. As a Web copywriter, you can show businesses that the Web is a magnificent sales channel; you just need to provide the right buying environment for sales to take place.

Here are three tips which will help.

1. Include all the information buyers need

Buyers want to buy. When they don’t buy, it’s often because they don’t have enough information to make a decision. Think about the questions which buyers have about your products and services, and supply the answers. Yes - it really is that simple.

Take a look at Amazon. This site knows how to sell. Every product has images, descriptions, customer reviews and various forms of customer interaction.

The more information you can supply in your Web copy, and the more interaction you can encourage, the more sales you’ll make.

(Hint: I look on blogging as Web copywriting. Think about blogging as a way of supply information, and encouraging interaction.)

2. Offer customer service before and after the sale

You’re a Web copywriter, not a magician. Customers need support: they need contact information on every page, at a bare minimum.

Encourage your Web copywriting clients to provide facilities like online chat. Most customers won’t use it, however the knowledge that it’s available is a powerful signal that buying is safe.

Each site should also have a Support center; add all the informational content buyers need before buying, and after they’ve made a purchase.

3. Navigation is a sales map - lead your customers to sales

Web copy is hypertext; take advantage of it. I consider site navigation and links an integral part of Web copywriting.

Consider how customers will reach the site - they can enter a site via any page. This means that you need to think through what brings visitors to a page, and how you can lead a visitor to a sales page, and then convert them to buyers.

Web copywriting involves much more than writing sales copy. When you use the three tips we’ve discussed, you’ll make sales because you’re providing the cues which help your buyers.

Selling Online? Increase your profits

Web copywriting skills are an essential tool for your online business success.

Whatever you’re selling: whether it’s your own products and service, or whether you’re acting as an affiliate for others, you must know how to sell online.

I’ve been coaching business owners in do-it-yourself copywriting skills for several years, simply because I believe that the person who knows the most about a product is the best copywriter for it.

Now I’ve turned that material into an ebook packed with tips - Angela Booth’s “Web Copywriting Profits: DIY Copywriting”. Discover how you can increase your profits today.

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