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Next, consider
length of your copy and how it's distributed. Do you have ALL your information on one l-o-n-g page? Does your main "overview" page include minute details that people don't really need, at least at first? Copy that is too long, boring, or hard to navigate is perhaps worst enemy of online success.
Sure, you might have a lot of information to give potential customers, but do you have to do it all at once? Of course not. Your main introductory page, for instance, should give a BASIC overview of your product and its major benefits. On this page, include links to pages where more detail can be found, such as testimonials, ordering info, and features you want to mention but aren't important enough to list on main page.
If your pages must be long, be sure to use lots of headlines and bold text to highlight your main points. When faced with a long page to read, many people will skip down to those parts which look more important, so make sure they stand out. Also, include a link to your order page near top, middle, and bottom of each page. A customer who decides to buy after your first paragraph doesn't want to scroll all way to bottom to find out how to order. Placing order links throughout your copy will help you capitalize on buyer impulses, which is just as effective on Web as it is in supermarket.
Overall, be sure your copy is professional, credible, easy to read, and simple to navigate. I can't tell you how frustrated customers become when they have to search your site for 5 to 10 minutes to find what they're looking for. With this in mind, keep your copy straightforward, and separate pages into logical categories. When doing so, be sure to provide links to those pages to help people find their way around.
Meredith Pond is editor and manager of DrNunley's http://CheapWriting.com. See her low-cost writing and editing services for students and business people, including a web site rewriting package. Reach Meredith at meredith@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.
