Through technology, we have adapted our eyes into optical tools that seek nuggets of information. Think for a moment what it means to scan content (as opposed to reading a novel). Your eye is searching for keywords, bulleted lists, highlighted phrases and links.
Because of this usability research now shows us how Web content should look:
• Concise subheads
• Highlighted keywords
• One core idea per paragraph
• Bulleted lists
• Succinct headlines, page titles and first paragraphs
• Lean copy (cut word count)
• Dark type on white (or on light background colors)
For direct marketers, much of this is old news. Yet, old school hard sell tactics or hype (often misused in print advertising and direct mail) is a very bad fit online. Users are busy people in control of their searches or verification of online credentials. They want hard facts and real information, not exaggeration or hype.
If you're an old school marketer, it's time to learn new ways. High quality graphics, good copy and outbound links show you know your stuff. Credibility goes up. People respond to the content because so many websites are driven by people who are trying to exploit or misinform.
Save money by writing your own Web copy? You may want to think again. Does it make sense to save money and lose sales? Or, at the very least, if your site has poor information architecture, convoluted copy or dense blocks of text, you are not doing your cause any favors.
As in everything else in marketing, it pays to put things into their proper place of importance.
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