Professional copywriters, by definition, spend a huge amount of time creating content whether for the web, blogs, social media channels, press releases, articles or other offline media. 

From time to time it is important to take a step back and just ask yourself one question “why are we doing all this?”  The only reason so much time is spent on creating good content is to sell your products or services.

Traditional media marketing is very different to online marketing and what works for one will not necessarily work for the other.  Let’s say that you have an existing brochure or article that you have used previously for offline marketing purposes.  Will the same brochure work if you simply replicate it either on your blog or a web page?  Probably not.  Why?  Because not many traditional printed brochures actually ask for the business, nor are they aimed at a specific target market – they are aimed at the mass market. 

Without considering the buying habits of the reader and how they typically convert their interest in a product into the purchase of the product, your marketing efforts will be largely wasted.

We list below some helpful tips to help you to convert those online readers of your content into customers:

Converting visitors into customers

1. Make it personal: Most people are, by nature, primarily interested in themselves. They did not visit your website or blog because they want to help you out- they found you because they are interested in what you can do for them!  You should therefore make sure that your content is written from their point of view, not yours.  Focus on the benefits of your product or service to them.  Emphasise how you can solve a problem for them and don’t forget to remind them of the pain they are suffering because of that problem.
2. Use testimonials: Whilst the product or service that you are writing about might be unique and indeed be the best there is, the person thinking about buying it needs ‘independent’ reassurance that they are not the only people buying it and that it will solve their problem.  Testimonials provide the required reassurance and your content should proactively ask people to give you feedback on your products and services.  This feedback can be used as future testimonials and will reassure your prospects that they are making a good purchase.
3. Keep your content informal, (if appropriate): Writing content for a brochure or printed magazine article is quite different to writing content to be used online. By keeping your content friendly, informal and engaging the online reader is more likely to trust and believe what you are saying to them.  If however your business is in an industry where formality is expected, such as Law or Accountancy for example, you may have to adhere to a more ‘professional’ format.    What you are trying to do is build your online credibility with your readers.  The more people trust you the more readily they will buy from you.
4. Keep it fresh and interesting: Reading page after page of text is dull and boring, no matter how good the content is.  Try and break up your text with images or better still video – for example you could show a short video explaining how to use your product, or even have video testimonials of previous satisfied customers.

The communication of good quality content to your target market, at the right time, is the key to converting those people into customers.  If you would like more information about content marketing or copywriting please leave a message below or visit WSI IMS – WSI Internet Marketing Services for UK Businesses.