Don’t Waste Visitors’ Time with Unrefined Web Copy

If you’re lucky, someone who visits your website has at least a vague interest in your company. Don’t take that interest for granted by overwhelming them with words.

Of course, you probably have plenty to say. B to B companies’ complex products and services often need explanation. But website visitors typically are seeking clear, specific information—answers they can find quickly and easily. A disorganized “information dump” won’t do. And yet, at many B to B corporate sites, that’s exactly what visitors get.

I’m not advocating a slash-and-burn approach to copy. But we do counsel our clients to leave as many of the technical details as possible to in-person meetings, where the vast majority of sales still get closed. As this recent ClickZ post points out, online copy should be relevant, credible and short.

In other words, show your website visitors everything they need to know—nothing more and nothing less. Click here to see an example of a new website we developed driven by that philosophy, for Poblocki Sign Company.

A clear, concise and compelling website requires difficult choices about content, strategic thinking about how to organize information and repeated refinement of copy until all that’s left is the brand and key details in an easy-to-scan format. Also, don’t forget to tell people to continue the conversation on the phone or in person.

All that takes time, but it’s time you’ll save your website visitors. They’ll find the initial information they want to know quickly … and they'll be more likely to pick up the phone to learn more.