30th October 2008
Althea Marie Tan

Every day, we are deluged by all kinds of copies (that is, advertising in print, radio, television or online). Often we are not conscious of them, but I guess in our little ways we subconsciously filter which copies work and which don't. Personally, the ultimate test whether a copy succeeds or not is if I am persuaded to buy a product, try a service, or even inquire about something that has caught my interest.

There is something different, though, about writing copies meant to be published online. When I write copies for the web, I try putting myself on the shoes of a prospective customer. This is not hard, considering that I shop online. I am one of those who rely almost automatically on the Internet to get quick solutions. Empathizing or pretending that I'm at the other end of the copywriting process makes writing copy easier and ultimately more effective for me.

Everybody wants your mouse click

Picture this. When you wake up and read the morning paper, advertisements try to fight for your interest via catch phrases. Turn on your television and in between your favorite shows, you hear lines from commercials that try to do the same thing.

Now when I go online and try to search for a particular product, at the back of my mind, I know what I want, and I know that webpages compete for my precious mouse click after I perform a search on Google or Yahoo! With the wide array of options staring at my face, however, I know my choice is crucial, and I have the power. I usually just skim through the results, quickly reading the descriptions of webpages. It tells me that these web copies, granted the titles succeed in reeling me in, have at most a minute or two of my time to give me the answers I am looking for.

With this mindset, I'd like to think I know what it takes to write good copy for the web. Essentially, I try to make it catchy, effective, and useful. As a prospective customer shopping for products, services, or information online, I want constant and immediate reassurance that I have come to the right place and am not wasting my time.

Search engines are the key

How exactly do I get to these sites in the first place? Through search engines. As such, it is a primary concern to rank high in the results of search engines. This is where coming up with an exquisitely perfect title and description for my copy counts the most. Because in the end, I may have a Pulitzer-winning piece on my hand, but it faces a lot of competition from other online sources. It will ultimately go to waste if it doesn't attract a lot of attention. And of course, clicks.