People are online for a variety of reasons. It is important to deliver content about your nonprofit in a way that encourages the reader to take action.
When working on websites, I often ask clients to provide a draft of content as they will always know their organization better than I do. Even though I assure them I will edit and work with content, they often approach the task with a bit of anxiety. Below are a couple of key points for writing content I always share upfront and when clients start managing content themselves.
Not too much information
I am not making a comment about the length (as shorter is not always better), but for most web content you only need to tell the reader enough to inspire them to take the next desired action. It is tempting to tell the reader everything, but good copy is focused on getting someone to take an action.
Spend more time writing headlines
It is more important than the content. You won’t get eyeballs if your headlines scream “ignore me.” Questions are awesome, but whatever you write, it should compel the reader to continue reading.
Start with the value
Begin with the key benefit you want reader to take away from your content. This should be done in the subhead or the opening sentence.
Break up copy with subheads
Subheads should help people keep moving forward. If someone can skim your page and get the gist of your content, you have succeeded.
Don’t forget a call to action
Every page should end with a clear call to action. People online want to be told what to do — don’t miss your opportunity. Be direct and clear, and it is alright to give them more than one option.
Think like a reader
Always asking yourself if you would read what you just wrote is a great final test. If you can’t get excited about reading it yourself, it likely will not get the results you are looking for. I am being gentle here, but maybe I shouldn’t be. You are making the world better by not polluting the internet with crude content.
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