|
|
Basics of Web Design Principles
You spent countless hours designing a site with fantastic colors, attractive images and beautiful layout but it failed to click, did this ever happen to you? Many of the apparent reasons could be lack of planning or inappropriate design elements. A...
Building a Successful Web Site: What NOT To do:
These days, there's no shortage of "how to" guides and articles out there that purport to explain what one must do in order to become a successful Web site owner. If you want to build a successful site, however, it's equally important that you also...
Cheap Web Design
If you think it's simply a case of who will do it for the best price, think again. As with many things we buy there are several important factors to take into account. For a moment let's compare setting up a website with buying a house. When you...
Increase Sales with Easy-To-Read Web Pages
Article Title: Increase Sales with Easy-To-Read Web Pages Author Name: Leva Duell Copyright: © 2003 Email: webmaster@profitablewebstrategies.com URL: http://www.profitablewebstrategies.com/easytoread.htm Word Count: 636 words Category: Web Design,...
INITIAL FACTORS OF WEB PAGE CONSTRUCTION
So you have a product that you want to market, and now you want to start promoting it through your own web page. You have all the information your audience might need, so all you have to do is put it on the page, right? Well, you probably also...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Want A Sticky Website That Sells? Forget Content!
An interesting debate is raging among copywriters, web designers and content providers about the key differences, if any, between writing copy for the web versus writing content.
According to prolific copywriter Nick Usborne, a survey conducted among the readers of his email newsletter "Excess Voice," which is available at nickusborne.com, offers some interesting results. They seem to be split almost three ways: one-third consists of copywriters, another content writers and the final third both.
This is an important debate, I believe, since all online copy is content but not all content is copy. And that's a real problem.
Most designers, webmasters and writers develop content for their websites in a way to educate their visitors. They also write it with the notion that "content is king," "content raises search engine rankings," "content makes a website sticky" and so on.
That's all fine and good. But in my estimation, web content fails when it strives only at informing the reader, and lacks important elements that take the reader "by the hand" and compels them to do something -- anything, including the simple act of reading.
In other words, while some may compel our attention, many sites fail to propel our actions, too. And their owners often scream, "Why is my site not producing any sales," "why is it so heavily trafficked but getting such a poor response" or "why are people leaving so quickly (or after they got what they came for)?"
Well, if content was king, copy should be the castle.
The Internet is not a traditional medium in the broadcast sense. It is intimate, dynamic and interactive. People are more involved when reading the content of a website than reading a conventional print publication or watching a TV commercial. With the Internet, people also have a powerful weapon, and they usually never think twice about using it when the need confronts them: their mouse.
So, the idea is this: forget about writing content, at least in the traditional sense. Think copy. Think content that compels the reader to do something, even if it's just to continue reading.
According to Atomica.com, "copy" is defined
as "the words to be printed or spoken in an advertisement." (And "advertisement" is defined as "a notice or announcement designed to attract public patronage." It's selling something, in other words.)
But the word "content," on the other hand, is defined as "the subject matter of a written work, such as a book or magazine." And keep in mind that there's no mention of the Internet, here.
Nevertheless, this is why I submit that, with its multitude of links and hypertexts, the web transforms the passive reader into an active, responsive participant. (Make that "response-able.")
A book or magazine is limited by its front and back covers. The web, however, is not. If your content does not strive at getting the reader to do something, whether it's to buy, join, subscribe, call, email, fill out a form, download, click or whatever, then you need to seriously rethink your content and the words you use.
Here's my explanation of the difference between content and copy.
Content informs. Copy invites. Even if content invites readers to keep reading, it's still selling an idea. It's still calling for some kind of action. And it's still copy, in my opinion.
If your web page is only meant to inform people, like some kind of book, it's content. (And like the closing of a book once it's read, the only action left is to close the browser window.) But if it contains links to other parts of your website, then it's copy. And you need to write your content with that mindset.
Ultimately, write your content by incorporating a direct response formula that compels and propels your readers to act. Don't leave them hanging. Take them by the hand. In your content, integrate a call for some kind of action, in other words. Ask your reader to "buy now," "join today," "get this" or "download that ..."
... Or better yet, at least ask them to simply "click here."
About the Author
Michel Fortin is a copywriter, author and consultant dedicated to turning businesses into powerful magnets. His specialty are long copy, email and web sales letters. Subscribe to his FREE monthly email newsletter by visiting http://SuccessDoctor.com/.
|
|
|
|
|
Web Development |
This web summarizes the complete life cycle methodology for web development: planning, analysis, design, implementation, promotion, and innovation. |
www.december.com |
  |
Web Development |
Professional Web site design, graphic design, and Internet development services. |
webdevelopment.com |
  |
Web Developer's Virtual Library: Web Development Tutorials and ... |
News, tutorials, and reference material focusing on technical web development topics. |
www.wdvl.com |
  |
Open Source Web Development Tutorials - Dev Shed |
Open Source web development tutorials, forums, and tools. Topics covered include PHP, Apache, mySQL, Zope, Roxen, Jserv, Zend, XML, DHTML, and Javascript. |
www.devshed.com |
  |
WebDeveloper.com |
Hello all, I am new to web development. I have an understanding of website development, but no scripting experience. I have heard of JavaScript, PHP, ... |
www.webdeveloper.com |
  |
LevelTen Web Design | Professional Website, Flash & Graphic ... |
Offers logos, web sites, multimedia presentations, and custom media. Quote form. Based in Dallas, Texas. [Requires Flash] |
www.leveltendesign.com |
  |
Web development - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
For larger businesses and organizations, Web development teams can consist of ... Since the mid-1990's, Web development has been one of the fastest growing ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
  |
Web Design - HTML XML - Web Development - Web Site Design |
Web Design and HTML are all about creating a great Web site. Use Web development and Web site design to build Web sites that customers return to over and ... |
webdesign.about.com |
  |
Agile Web Development with Rails—Second Edition |
Dave Thomas, Mike Clark, David Heinemeier Hansson, Leon Breedt, Thomas Fuchs, Andrea Schwarz; Pragmatic Bookshelf, 2006, ISBN 0977616630. |
www.pragmaticprogrammer.com |
  |
CYGAD's WebDevelopment - Welcome to CYGAD’s WebDevelopment! - The ... |
CYGAD's WebDevelopment - The finest Resources for WEB-Design, WEB-Master and WEB-Developer! |
www.webdev.cygad.net |
  |
Web Development Bookmarklets |
Includes tools for viewing and testing CSS styles, viewing scripts and variables, and showing the structure of a document. |
www.squarefree.com |
  |
SGI - Freeware - Web Development |
Links to freeware web development tools, browsers, software, etc. |
www.sgi.com |
  |
Webmonkey: The Web Developer's Resource |
Resources for web site developers including how-to guides, code libararies, server technologies and authoring resources. |
www.webmonkey.com |
  |
Web Development Tools - Web Developer's Journal |
Tips on Web page design and development, HTML, graphics, scripting, favicon, development tools, Java, sql basics, building web sites, and much more for ... |
www.webdevelopersjournal.com |
  |
Web Developer's Handbook | CSS, Web Development, Color Tools, SEO ... |
Web Developer's Handbook is a list of essential web-sites, which make the life of web developers easier. Compiled and updated by Vitaly Friedman. |
www.alvit.de |
  |
Ceonex Web Development & Web Design - Full Service Digital ... |
Web design, web development, online branding, application development and other full service business solutions focused on prospect conversion and customer ... |
www.ceonex.com |
  |
Cayenne Web Development - web design agency, Oxfordshire, UK |
Specialist web design agency based nr Banbury, Oxfordshire, offering a complete website design and development service. |
www.cayenne.co.uk |
  |
Web development mistakes | 456 Berea Street |
When I visit a website, especially if it’s the site of a competitor or a prospective client, I like viewing… |
www.456bereastreet.com |
  |
Web development mistakes | 456 Berea Street |
Articles and news on web standards, accessibility, usability, and other things related to web development and web design. |
www.456bereastreet.com |
  |
Anil Dash: Web Development Trends for 2006 |
Here, then, is a random assortment of new web development trends to be ready ... Web Development trends 2006: Überblogger Anil Dash maakte (een paar weken ... |
www.dashes.com |
  |
|