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How To Write Content For Websites 

First off, may I begin by telling you that I am a writer. A content writer. A copywriter. 

I am also a published fiction and non-fiction writer. 

I have been a gold medalist at exactly one thing – Writing.

No really! I am a two time collegiate overall best writer champion in the open category. 

The open category means I bested every other writer, in every other category for title over overall best writer. 

I have written two books. One of which can be found on Amazon.com called “How to Conquer Negative Thinking.” 

I once wrote a single ad that contained only words (no images and no design) that created the largest sales day in the history of an athletic apparel company. 

I used just words to prove a point – that words, if clear, concise, meaningful, and highly targeted land at the right time, then no imagery or design is required. 

No More Fluff 

Let’s Get to it then. I know you probably don’t like fluff any more than I do. I just wanted to say that I am a pretty good writer who has been making words for a long time. 

That being said, here are my best writing tips for writing content for websites. 

#1: Write In Short Sentences

People aren’t reading a novel when they are on a website. They scan the page. 

I do my best to make sure no sentence makes it to the end of the screen. 

Then I begin a new sentence. 

I do not write in paragraphs when writing website content. 

Nobody wants to read a paragraph on the web. 

How Short – A good rule is to make sure you never write past the end of the page. Here is an example of how NOT to write good website content. You are seeing it as you read it. Do not do this. People do not like to read long sentences or paragraphs on your website. 

Do it like this. 

Shorter – is better. 

Make it as short as you can. 

No fluff. 

No extra words.

#2: Don’t Write Fancy – Chances Are You Aren’t That Smart

Lots of people make this mistake. They write in big words. 

Warren Buffet said that when he wrote his annual report, he wrote it like a letter to his sister. 

Warren Buffet is a billionaire. People pack in to listen to his words. 

So unless you are better than one of the richest and smartest people alive, use small words. 

I write like I talk to my friends. Even on my website. 

My customers have a hard time with this. They are afraid they won’t sound professional. 

What they should worry about is people never reading their words at all. 

Fancy words and long words make it hard to read. 

When a website is hard to read, people click the “back” button. 

#3: The Rule of 8’s

The Rule of 8’s is pretty simple. 

Try not to write more than 8 sentences per section. 

As you look at this article, you will see a bold headline and then about 8 lines of text. 

That is the Rule of 8’s at work. 

Remember people scan on the web. Give them 8 sentences worthy of reading. 

Then give them a call to action. 

Like this: Hire Us To Write Your Website Content For You: Email tim@staywilddigital.com 

#4: Don’t Write Like A Robot

Go visit any website. Chances are the website you found says this: 

We are the leading supplier of blah blah blah, to the blah blah blah, and we pride ourselves on blah blah blah and relationships blah blah blah to take care of all of your blah blah blah needs. 

BORING! 

And not only is it boring. Its mostly insulting and adds ZERO value to my life. 

You didn’t educate me. 

You didn’t entertain me. 

You didn’t fix any problem. 

You just vomited some crap on the page. Thanks. So helpful. 

I look forward to our great relationship while you work on my “needs.” 

#5: Add Value

Fix A Problem, Or Entertain me, or Educate me. For FREE! 

These three are how you add value as a writer. 

Fix a problem. And truly fix it. And fix it fast and correctly. That is value added. 

Entertain me. If you don’t have anything worth saying, it better at least be funny or dramatic. 

Educate Me: Like this post. Tell me something I didn’t know before. 

#6: Write About the 3 P’s For Great Website Content

The Three P’s Are: 

• Problem
• Process 
• Promise

Problem – What Problem Do You Solve? 

Be extremely specific about this. Vague problems aren’t problems. 

Solve people problems

We bring your new business isn’t a people problem. It is meaningless. 

We are the best _____________ solves no problem at all. 

We are always on time or it’s free – time is a people problem. 

We are fast and affordable – affordable is a people problem. 

We respond immediately to calls and emails – being ignored is a people problem. 

Process – How Do You Solve That Problem? 

This is where you can explain how you do what you do. 

Your proprietary or unique process can go here. 

The way you treat customers can go here. 

Technology you use can go here. 

This is where you tell the person how you go the extra mile to solve their problem. 

Promise – Make Your Reader A Promise 

People go too far with this. 

A promise can be: We Will Try Really Hard To Make You Happy. 

If you do offer a warranty – that is your promise. 

Always on time or it doesn’t cost a dime – not that is just brilliant all around! 

The reason I find most people don’t write in the 3 P’s format is they don’t know theirs. 

Figure out what your 3 P’s are, and write about them on every page of your website. 

No web page should exist on your site that is missing the 3 P’s. 

Otherwise that page is not going to resonate. 

Solve Problems People Care About

If you want to figure out what people care about – read negative reviews. 

This is where people document where they were let down. 

And where others have let people down repeatedly,  that should become your specialty. 

Because those are the people problems that were overlooked by someone else. 

We Are Responsive – We Return Your Emails Quickly. Every Time! 

You think that is a random promise we make all over our website? 

Nope – go read website design company reviews. Read the negative ones. 

Over and over again the number one compliant is:

Web designers are slow to return emails and phone calls. 

So guess what problem we solve and promise we make? We email you back. 

And we do. And people comment on it all of the time. 

That is solving human problems. 

#6: Ask Yourself If Your Website Content Would Make You Aroused? 

Get honest with yourself. Are you aroused by your website content? 

Will someone else be when they read your words? 

If you really want to go from mediocre to awesome as a writer – ask yourself this question. 

Be honest with your responses. 

Keep working at your content until you can say YES! 

If your words do not arouse desire, or craving, or upset, or laughter, or anger, or at least amusement – something – then it isn’t awesome. 

This isn’t easy. It’s why I saved it for last. 

I figure if you read this far, you deserve the best. 

I read my content and this is the scale I judge it by. 

Am I aroused in any way by these words? 

And when they answer is no, I keep at it. 

I keep trying. 

Sometimes I never get there at all. But I keep trying. 

Some things are just kind of boring to write about. 

Sometimes I am bored and that comes through. 

But if you think this isn’t possible on every topic, you are wrong. 

The primary way I arouse people talking about websites, is reminding them of all the times less skilled practitioners burned or disappointed them. 

I know how bad other web designers are. Read my blog about House of A Thousand Web Design Corpses. 

That is arousing. 

Write about saving the day for someone  – that is arousing. 

Be funny and say “fuck” a lot. That is arousing. 

Be over dramatic. It’s arousing. 

Be Sexy and Mysterious – if you can. 

Summary

If you follow these simple writing tips, your website content writing will go up quickly. 

Your words will resonate with your readers. 

People will want to work with you. 

You will begin to convert “site visitors” into customers. 

Trust me – I have only ever been the best of the best at one thing – writing. 

Tim VanDerKamp is Co-Owner of Stay Wild Digital Marketing. A Website Design Company in Salt Lake City. 

We can be reached by email: tim@staywilddigital.com 

And as promised – we will email you back quickly.