Want A Sticky Website That Sells? Forget Content!

An interesting debate is raging among copywriters, web designers
and content providers about the key differences, if any, between
writing copy for the web versus writing content.

According to prolific copywriter Nick Usborne, a survey conducted
among the readers of his email newsletter "Excess Voice," which
is available at nickusborne.com, offers some interesting results.
They seem to be split almost three ways: one-third consists of
copywriters, another content writers and the final third both.

This is an important debate, I believe, since all online copy is
content but not all content is copy. And that's a real problem.

Most designers, webmasters and writers develop content for their
websites in a way to educate their visitors. They also write it
with the notion that "content is king," "content raises search
engine rankings," "content makes a website sticky" and so on.

That's all fine and good. But in my estimation, web content fails
when it strives only at informing the reader, and lacks important
elements that take the reader "by the hand" and compels them to
do something -- anything, including the simple act of reading.

In other words, while some may compel our attention, many sites
fail to propel our actions, too. And their owners often scream,
"Why is my site not producing any sales," "why is it so heavily
trafficked but getting such a poor response" or "why are people
leaving so quickly (or after they got what they came for)?"

Well, if content was king, copy should be the castle.

The Internet is not a traditional medium in the broadcast sense.
It is intimate, dynamic and interactive. People are more involved
when reading the content of a website than reading a conventional
print publication or watching a TV commercial. With the Internet,
people also have a powerful weapon, and they usually never think
twice about using it when the need confronts them: their mouse.

So, the idea is this: forget about writing content, at least in
the traditional sense. Think copy. Think content that compels the
reader to do something, even if it's just to continue reading.

According to Atomica.com, "copy" is defined as "the words to be
printed or spoken in an advertisement." (And "advertisement" is
defined as "a notice or announcement designed to attract public
patronage." It's selling something, in other words.)

But the word "content," on the other hand, is defined as "the
subject matter of a written work, such as a book or magazine."
And keep in mind that there's no mention of the Internet, here.

Nevertheless, this is why I submit that, with its multitude of
links and hypertexts, the web transforms the passive reader into
an active, responsive participant. (Make that "response-able.")

A book or magazine is limited by its front and back covers. The
web, however, is not. If your content does not strive at getting
the reader to do something, whether it's to buy, join, subscribe,
call, email, fill out a form, download, click or whatever, then
you need to seriously rethink your content and the words you use.

Here's my explanation of the difference between content and copy.

Content informs. Copy invites. Even if content invites readers to
keep reading, it's still selling an idea. It's still calling for
some kind of action. And it's still copy, in my opinion.

If your web page is only meant to inform people, like some kind
of book, it's content. (And like the closing of a book once it's
read, the only action left is to close the browser window.) But
if it contains links to other parts of your website, then it's
copy. And you need to write your content with that mindset.

Ultimately, write your content by incorporating a direct response
formula that compels and propels your readers to act. Don't leave
them hanging. Take them by the hand. In your content, integrate a
call for some kind of action, in other words. Ask your reader to
"buy now," "join today," "get this" or "download that ..."

... Or better yet, at least ask them to simply "click here."