Learning to create efficient copy for a law firm website can take time to perfect. Whether it’s because you’ve never written web copy or because you’re used to writing in an academic setting, by using the following tips, you can adapt your writing style.
1. Have confidence in what you say (a.k.a. get to the point)
One problem people inexperienced with writing web copy have is they tend waffle in order to set the scene for their writing. Instead, you should get right to the meat of the issue you’re writing about.
2. Edit out what you don’t need
During your editing process, if you find yourself being verbose, cut out unnecessary words. However, be careful. If you cut your copy down to the bare bones, readers may find your writing off-putting or uninspiring. With experience, you will find a balance between being verbose and concise.
3. Use simple words
By using simple words, people will find it easier to understand your writing. Using simple words can be particularly difficult when writing about law topics. However, you can tailor your word choices to your potential audience.
4. Use short sentences
It’s best to avoid overlong and complicated sentences. They make copy hard to read—especially online. Shorter sentences are easier for your readers to digest.
However, you shouldn’t make sentences too short. Very short sentences harm a person’s reading experience, the result of which will be choppy and not enjoyable. Varying sentence lengths will give your piece rhythm.
5. Is ‘that’ needed?
Often you will run across words that take up space in a sentence. That, for example, is often unnecessary. ‘That’ in the following three sentences can be dropped:
- The inventor, Mike Jones, said that his product was unique
- We decided that we should focus more on our customers
- We found out that our co-worker was a genius at poker
Obviously, there are times when eliminating ‘that’ does not work, such as:
- Did you see that?
- Have you tried that?
- What is that?
Very is another example. Very not only adds an extra word, but it also makes your writing lazy. By choosing another word, your writing can be more engaging. For example, use ‘injured’ rather than ‘very hurt’.
Eliminating such words goes back to the point of cutting out unnecessary words.
6. Use more involving words
Some words feel flat, but by being thoughtful of your word choice, you can make your writing more engaging. While writing, consider why you would choose to use one word over another.
The copy you write for your practice’s website is crucial. For this reason, it is important that you make every word count to ensure your copy is powerful. In order to find out how your law firm can create strong copy, improve your marketing strategies, or any other aspects of your practice please contact us.
For further information about other news pertaining to marketing your law firm online, please continue to browse our website at https://www.seolegal.com.
