Words for the Web

The challenge

Populate a brand new web site with content for an international spa consultancy on a very tight deadline

Criteria

• Design and structure are already decided
• Brochure content is already written and many more documents are available, but the customer is not available for interviewing directly
• No specific house style but customer has preferences for how some words are written
• The site will incorporate information about products from a third party

The approach

• Distil web content from the available documents without simply repeating what’s in the brochures
• Ask questions for better understanding, but be aware they have to be forwarded and answered via the intermediary creative agency so make them succinct and clear
• Focus on what the visitor wants to read rather than what the customer wants to say
• Keep the copy talking about benefits, benefits and more benefits
• Make sure the home page says exactly who the site is about and what they do
• Write short sentences, short paragraphs and short pages appropriate for the impatient browsing visitor
• Bring in terms to attract search engines without making the content unreadable, and with the knowledge that search engines are constantly evolving in how they track web sites
• Ensure all the appropriate information is covered but not endlessly repeated, following the structure
• Ask for content to be returned for final proofreading after customer approval but before publication

Case 2: Web site review

The challenge

A small but ambitious European company revamping its web site as it launches a brand new version of its time management problem. A brand new client looking for proof that Wrightwell could do the job

Criteria

A step-by-step approach to refreshing the web for content and design

 The approach

• A report by Wrightwell highlighting the areas where improvements needed to be made to the current web site: lack of clarity about what the product does for the user, repeated content, unclear structure, too many links from each page, difficult to understand how to download and buy
• Recommendations from Wrightwell for focusing content on various target markets and the content that would interest them
• Client very happy with the report and agrees to move forward with content creation
• Draft content from Wrightwell
• Final content determined by the client after a further finesse of the target markets and the re-design, and developed in several styles to benefit from market testing
• Client continues to seek help from Wrightwell on other writing and editing tasks, such as directory entries and magazine articles

 
Case 3: Small business web site review

The challenge

Help a small soft furnishings business to create great content for its web site

Criteria

Very small budget

The approach

Client had already written draft copy

We reviewed the copy to

• ensure the front page explained exactly what the business does for its customers
• focus content on the unique selling points of the service
• check for clear, correct wording and a call to action
• suggest ways of appealing to search engines

 Go back the web copy services page.