Sometimes it’s so seductive to be silly or superlative when you’re scribing a blog – take this sentence as a specimen.
But in the world of online, the cleverness of your writing won’t increase your chances of bringing in traffic. In fact, it can do the opposite.
Give people the truth
People online aren’t interested in surreptitious persuasion, or marketing techniques, or other tricks. Readers want to be told the point – what your article or content is about and what value they can get out of it.
Of course, there is a place for clever copy. But it needs to be used sparingly, and when it’s used the audience for such copy needs to be kept in mind. Will they appreciate your chic concoction of copy? Or would they prefer something simple and to the point, instead?
By making content that is clear, and not clever, you’ll also find that your authority as a business is boosted. When people see you as a trusted source of information, they will come to you for answers (and business).
By writing clearly, you’re also letting search engines know what your page is about, and improving your chances of being found through search results.
Don’t use jargon
Jargon refers to buzzwords, technical language or professional words that wouldn’t be clear to a layperson.
You should avoid jargon because it clutters copy and can actually reduce the amount of people finding you by search. You’ll find information about that, and a more extensive guide on when and how you should avoid jargon here.
Why you need to be clear
There’s one key reason you need to be clear in your copywriting above all others – people are time-poor and they want answers quickly.
If your page isn’t telling people what it does, and quickly, they’ll likely bounce right out and into the next search result.
Further, there’s more people every day finding web pages on their mobile. Given the small amount of real estate on a mobile phone screen, you should make what appears there valuable for the reader by optimising your content for mobile users.
