Most websites are trying to sell something. It might be a physical product, or maybe just an idea. Whatever it is, the words on your website can make or break that sale. 

Selling doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so here are a few quick ways you can make your copy more effective.

1. Think about who’s reading. Everything on your website should be tailored to the audience. So stop thinking about what pushes your buttons, and start thinking about the people you want to come to your website. What will make them stop in their tracks?
    
2. Explain the benefits, not just the features. People want to know what’s in it for them. Don’t just tell them what great features your product has. Tell them how it will make their life easier or save them money.
    
3. Beware of over-emphasis. It’s fine to tell people how great your product is, but don’t overdo it. Too many capital letters make text difficult to read (definitely don’t SHOUT in upper case), and using exclamation marks everywhere can make your website look cheap.
    
4. Make it personal. Connect with the people reading your copy by making them part of the text. Use the second person (words like ‘you’ and ‘your’) rather than the less-friendly third person (words like ‘they’ and ‘their’).
    
5. Make it urgent. People don’t need reasons to procrastinate. But they do need reasons to act. If they think they might not be able to get the same deal tomorrow, then they’ll be more likely to buy right now.
    
6. Repeat and summarise. Repetition reinforces your message, so don’t be afraid to say things more than once. And if your copy has got someone 90% convinced, they might just need a summary of the salient points to make them press that ‘buy’ button.

Those are my recommendations. Do you have any of your own? Leave a comment and let us know.