10 Tips for Writing Clearly and Concisely

By Matt Ambrose 

There are a lot of badly written websites out there. Copywriting is often the last box to be ticked when websites are designed, which means the copy can be rush or not given enough care.

But having clear, concise copy on your website can be a big advantage. It makes it easier for visitors to understand the benefits of your product and why buying it is the smart thing to do.

However, writing clearly can be difficult if it’s not something you do regularly. So here are 10 tips to help you improve the copywriting on your website:

1. Keep your sentences and paragraphs short. 15-20 words per sentence and 2-3 lines per paragraph is a sensible aim.

2. Focus on 1 idea or point per sentence. If you need to expand, you can use connecting words like ‘but’, ‘so’ and ‘because’ to link it to the next sentence.

3. Cut out unnecessary words. Brevity is the basis of clear writing

4. Avoid using long words when a shorter word will do. This makes your sentences quicker and easier to read, and avoids readers having to hunt for their dictionary.

5. Vary your sentences between long and short to give your writing a rhythmic flow that’s enjoyable to read

6. Write in the active voice where the subject comes before the verb e.g. ‘The boy threw the ball’ rather than ‘The ball was thrown by the boy’

7. Avoid using technical jargon and gobbledegook, unless you’re writing for a technical audience that will understand what you mean.

8. Use positive inspiring language with words such as ‘will’ and ‘can’ rather than ‘can’t’ or ‘won’t’

9. Split up long passages of copy with subheadings, bullet points and summaries to aid skim readers

10. After you’ve finished writing, read your copywriting out loud. It’s a great way of getting an impression of how it sounds in a reader’s head and whether it needs a bit more fine tuning.

Article provided by Matt Ambrose from the Copywriter Crucible – an award winning melting pot of copywriting tips and marketing ideas.

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