Keep visitors on your site longer with well-crafted intro text

The first few sentences on your home page are obviously some of the most important content on your website. Other than the design/graphics, this text will immediately set the tone of your website and tell visitors what to expect. Craft it well to keep visitors sticking around.

We recommend to our clients several key goals when writing intro content:

1. Get to the point. There is no need to ramble endlessly. We all know that consumer decisions are made in a blink of an eye. Tell them why they are here.
2. Tell the visitor what to do. Make sure you have an attractive call to action with an obviously click-able link.
3. Include a header. Use a short, attractive header before your intro paragraph to pull readers in. Avoid, cute; keep it simple and descriptive.
4. Avoid industry jargon. The intro text should be clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Most of the websites we develop include some form of a Content Management System (CMS). You have the power to control the content of your own website, which can be a blessing and a curse. Web content is not print content. People have certain expectations when online, and unless you have a specific set of reasons why you should stray from the beaten path, then don't.

A List Apart has a great article related to writing content for the web. Read more at A List Apart - The Discipline of Content Strategy.

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