Editorial vs web copy

Your brand message will reach the world through five types of marketing copy:

• tagline
• company description — from one-liner to boilerplate
• web copy, or scannable copy — sales pages on your website
• editorial, or long-form, content — your blog, e-books, podcast scripts
• social media promo and ads.

Editorial copy and web copy are radically different.

The main function of editorial copy is to make a READER say:
"So inspiring!" or "So helpful!"
"I want to read more!"
"I want to share it with my peers!"

The main function of web copy is to make a potential user say only one thing:
"I want it! How can I get started?"

If you test your website and the first thing you hear is "It reads nicely!", then your web copy needs an iteration.

Remove the adjectives and adverbs. Move all the poetic words to the blog. Cut, test, and cut again.

The result may sound punchy. That's okay. You are not showing off your writing excellence – you are trying to turn a stranger into a customer.

Iterate until the first response changes from "It reads nicely!" to "I want it!"

Enjoy the process of editing and harvest its results ;)
Ira

P.S. Books 5, 7 and 8 from the list below will help you write converting web copy:

11 books on design-it-yourself and marketing for first-time founders

EV #012

Embrace VarietyIra Nezhynska