How do people find you on the Internet ?
Through words, of course. Carefully chosen words and keywords will determine your website or web page’s rankings on the Search Engines, and will pull visitors to your site. Not just any visitors, but people who want and need your product or service. Targeted Web traffic.
Once they’ve come to your site, how do you ensure you make a sale?
Again, through the right choice of words. Words prompt people to think, consider the options, decide, and most important, take action.
Words make the sale
What are these words?
Credible words
It’s important that your web content is believable and sincere. Or you may drive visitors away instead of attracting them.Millions of sites use words that are overstatements or exaggerated claims. Words like “killer apps”, “incredible results”, “never before”, “world-famous”, “extraordinary features” and a whole lot more, usually followed with several exclamation marks!!!!! Limit yourself to a single exclamation mark where relevant, or drop those marks altogether. Unless the words above are backed up by research or documented evidence, most of your visitors would discount the exaggerations and feel the claims are untrue. How would they trust you with their money?
Simple words
Use quality words, information-rich words, yet easy-to-understand words.
Powerful words
Use keyword-rich and targeted words, designed to bring the right people to your site.This is specially important while writing descriptions and ads to promote your site, writing headlines and subheads, writing words in bold or coloured text for easily scannable content.
Action words
Words like “Free offer”, “Free resources”, “Big Discount”, “Sale”, “Free trial”, “Try us out”, are powerful action-generating words.
Documented words
Use research to back up claims of product superiority. Use client testimonials to assure people that you deliver on your promises. If you add links that lead to more information on the subject, your visitor can check out the authenticity of your statements. Quotes from experts in the field you are writing about, add weight to your statements.
Thought-provoking words
How often have you read a whole article because the headline triggered a whole thought-process?
This is a highly effective way to draw the reader’s attention and as you know, readers are 25% slower while reading on the Web.
All the more reason to grab their attention:
With a question in the headline, with a paradox or apparent contradiction in facts and with a bold statement that refutes popular beliefs.
Naturally, such attention-getting devices have to be backed up by persuasive content that retains the reader’s interest or puts forward a different point of view.
Persuasive words
Just like a salesman in a shop or office, your content needs to sell a product or service.The difference is that the Web is a virtual showroom, where you don’t have the advantage of using body language like energetic gestures, smiles and a tone of voice that draws and holds attention.Your visitor has the freedom to click out of your website at any time she chooses.The words you use can persuade her to stay, take a tour, look at the services you provide, see what other clients have to say, buy your product or give you a project.
Don’t force the sale
The best salesmen know when to persuade and when to withdraw, to let their customers make up their minds whether to buy or not.Sometimes, your customer may check out your site with interest and yet not make a purchase until he has checked out other sites offering similar products. Don’t give up! Once his interest is aroused, he may come back to you a week later and buy a product.This is when your response to email or telephone enquiries (so dependent on words) will determine whether he is encouraged to come back or to give up the idea of buying from you.
