5 Ways to Write Sticky B2B Website Copy

The first impression you make on your visitors when they arrive at your website is crucial, but this is often more focused on the design aspects, which are the very first things that your visitors take in. What do you do once that initial impression is over? Does your website have the kind of copy that encourages your readers to stick around?

If you can’t keep your readers' attention then nothing else that you’ve done on your website really matters, and with the enormous amounts of competition available online, if you can’t keep your visitors interested, another website that potentially can is just a click away.

So, how can you help keep your readers attention?

1. Use Images. Images can create very strong emotional reactions in readers, leaving them open to the effects of your persuasive copy. With a great image you can capture your readers’ attention and build interest before they’ve even started to read your copy.  By creating an emotional connection between a picture and your copy, you’ve already engage your readers interest on a deeper level than your copy alone could.
2. Tell a Story.  Nothing illustrates a point like a compelling story. Content that is filled with specific real-life details is much more compelling than discussing general concepts and the more you can relate your copy to your reader by highlighting the similarities between them and your product, the more likely you are to encourage them to continue reading. 
3. Ask Questions.  Many copywriters will use questions to help relate website readers’ pain points with a company’s product or services. Asking questions can help to draw the reader in by helping them relate their problems with the solutions you offer, helping them to paint a picture and engaging their curiosity, after all, chances are that if you ask a question that’s relevant your readers are going to stick around to find out the answer. 
4. Include Internal Links. Including hyperlinks within your copy to other areas of your website can help your visitors navigate more easily, and can entice them to explore your website in more depth. If a reader arrives at a page and while reading sees a hyperlink to another area of your site that they find interesting it is easy for them to continue to browse the copy that your site has to offer. 
5. Avoid Using a Passive Voice. Using a passive voice results in your copy have more words than necessary while an active voice can help your copy be direct and authoritative.  Avoiding flowery copy and getting right to the point, is a good way to get the important information on your site across to your visitors and this is a key step in keeping their attention.

Posted by Amberlie Denny at August 26, 2010 8:00 AM

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