Typos, misspellings, hideous grammar, exclamation overkill and run-on sentences all undermine a Web site's message. Your reader will have to work too hard, and you won't have that reader long.
Grabbing a reader's attention is a key point in getting your message out, but there is such a thing as too much grabbing--and the wrong kind of attention. Negative attention can lose a great many visitors and potential clients.
Clean content and neat appearance are not merely a matter of aesthetics. It goes to the core of establishing trust and reliability between a Web site and visitor. Relate it to a deli. A potential customer heard about you through an ad. Cool ad, got his/her attention, so he/she stops by on the way home. On the outside everything looks nice, meets expectations, so the visitor walks in, looking for tonight's sandwich goodies. Once inside it only takes a few seconds to notice the dust on the shelves, the dirty footprints, the unidentifiable smudges on the glass counter-fronts. No matter how good the food smells, if the counterperson has dirty hands or there are papers littering the floor, how many people are going to feel comfortable reaching over a crumb-covered counter to pay for their dinner?
That may sound like a silly comparison to Web content, but really, it's not so far off. The principle stands: clean, neat, appealing content builds comfort and trust. Sloppy, haphazard or distracting content repels, and breaks down credibility. And the principle is very easy to apply to all Web content. Just remember the acronym, "Get It All"
G- et another set of eyes to take an objective look
E- xtra attention to spelling lends credibility
T- ell your message with exciting words; don't rely on graphics
I- talics, bold and all caps are rough on the eyes, use sparingly
T- ake the time to read the entire content... backwards (you'll be amazed at what you'll notice this way)
A- lways do one last look-see after it's finished
L- et all content sit for at least a full day before a final edit
L- ose the guesswork--keep a dictionary and grammar/editing reference at your fingertips, and use them often.
Whether your content is a one-line ad or five-page report, taking that little extra time and effort will improve your site, build customer confidence and add respectability. Saving time now and risking poor content quality can end up costing you more later. After all, the object is to get and keep customers at your site; to keep them reading. How long would you have kept reading this article if it had all been written like that first paragraph?
Cherie' Davidson is a freelance writer and Web content developer who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her toy poodle, Auggie Dog, her "energy muse." She has her own freelance writing business, Suitable Words Publications (http://www.suitablewords.com), where she writes and promotes Website content, designs and develops e-books, hires out as a copywriter and writes a wide variety of articles and essays. She has started a blog at http://www.suitablewords.com and a free article site at http://www.suitablewords.com
non-toxic cleaning company Buffalo Grove ...So you need a website. You are not sure if... Read More
I get the occasional web design lead from my website.... Read More
The way you design your web site affects your visitors'... Read More
Think of the people who visit your site as blind... Read More
Then it was a choice among crayons, paints and palettes... Read More
In today's age of fast food and high-speed Internet, a... Read More
When I purchase something from a web site I first... Read More
CSS or Cascading Style Sheets has opened up tremendous possibilities... Read More
Here are 10 dynamic website advertising tactics to super-charge your... Read More
In the of-line marketing world it is all about trying... Read More
If you're not getting a lot of traffic to your... Read More
Many times I've seen a web site undergo a revision... Read More
If you are designing a web site for which the... Read More
Does your website make you any money? Does it SAVE... Read More
FIRST IMPRESSIONS. First impressions often leave lasting impressions. Impressions... Read More
From my personal experience of around two year as home... Read More
The trend today to overuse animation in a website's opening... Read More
Here is a quick list of components that make a... Read More
One visit does not make a sale. Be sure to... Read More
They may look cutting edge, but if you want a... Read More
This article gives free tips on how to find a... Read More
You can create a website that attracts customers, not repels... Read More
Here's the single most important part of your website: YOUR... Read More
I once created a notepad-like editor. It is possible with... Read More
If you are one of those who wonder how people... Read More
best cleaning company Wilmette ...Over the years, the internet has grown into a marvelous... Read More
If you've just finished building your new website (or revamping... Read More
A website should firstly be searched out by visitors before... Read More
There are several graphic software packages available to help you... Read More
There is unlimited possibilities when it comes to designing a... Read More
If you were like me and you have just started... Read More
With the advent of the Internet a whole new vista... Read More
How many of the visitors to your web site take... Read More
This article is the result of a conversation I had... Read More
Are you a student of graphic design? If you have... Read More
Before deciding on which web design company to choose, you... Read More
Conventional Wisdom states you should use Sub-Directories to organize your... Read More
The ability to create simple, attractive and functional web pages... Read More
Web Site Awards are given from other sites to reward... Read More
Everyday we hear that another company goes out of business.When... Read More
Square buttons, round buttons, flashy buttons ? will they match... Read More
Do you know why the majority of people use the... Read More
Remember the day that you got your new computer (or... Read More
ASP.NET is a new programming framework from Microsoft for developing... Read More
If you're not getting a lot of traffic to your... Read More
A successful website is something that everyone venturing into the... Read More
The most popular method to build webpages today is to... Read More
By following feng shui guidelines and techniques, you can build... Read More
1. Who needs an artists website?Not everyone! If you are... Read More
Whether you are planning on having a website built for... Read More
Web Design |