enquiries@rodlaird.co.uk »
Freephone 0800 612 0910
Freefax 0800 612 0920
Now taking bookings
Bookmark and Share

Writing for the web (In house)

The absolute essentials in one day


When your customers visit your website, they are in a hurry. They want to find the information they need quickly and easily. But if the copy on your website is confusing and unclear they leave in an instant.

This interactive course helps you write usable and useful content for your impatient web visitors.

You discover how to put together an effective Content Strategy and how to structure your web copy for the greatest impact.

With plenty of real-world tips, ideas and suggestions, you learn how to plan, organise, write and design web content that will not only bring visitors to your website but keep them coming back again and again.

Topics to be covered are:

An introduction to web content

• How people use the Web
• Understanding the business benefits of web content
• The psychology of how people read online
• What makes for easy-to-read web content?
• Pulling together a content strategy
• Providing intuitive pathways through your website

How to test your website content 

• Creating a ‘Culture of Analytics’
• The importance of web conventions
• Simple testing tools that you can quickly set-up
• Deciding between testing small or big changes
• How to interpret your results

Focusing on the Customer

• Focus on the user and the user’s goals
• 7 ways to understand your online customer
• Building Customer Personas
• Using scenarios to design your web content

Building an effective message

• Six steps to crafting your key messages
• Giving visitors what they need
• Writing information and not documents
• Breaking information up into manageable chunks
• Layering information to make it useful
• The dangers of slipping into jargon
• Paying attention to detail

Designing web pages for easy reading

• 14 guidelines for great copywriting
• The key principles of Writing for the Web
• What Science tells us about how people read online
• Breaking up text into Headings
• What you must include in your Landing Page design
• Using illustrations effectively

Improving your writing skills

• Understand how professionals write
• Designing your Writing System
• Seeing your work as a series of drafts
• How to speed up the creation of your copy
• Creating internal Style Guides
• Thinking about your ‘Tone of Voice’
• Formalising your Editing and Review processes

Copywriting principles elsewhere online

• How to write copy for email newsletters
• The online press release
• Why copywriting will help your search engine positions
• Writing copy for your social media presence
• Copywriting for articles, whitepapers and PDFs
• Protect yourself from the legal pitfalls of poorly written copy
• Considering Accessibility and writing for the web

Hiring website professionals

• The value of using copywriting professionals
• Disadvantages in using external people
• How to find great copywriters
• The questions to ask before you employ external people

To run this course in house email me at rod@rodlaird.co.uk or phone 0800 612 0910. Prices are fixed no matter how many attend.

What delegates say about our social media training  

"I know 100% more than before!It was extremely useful and relevant. We are currently re-designing our website with a view to having a social networking presence (we don’t at all at the moment) and it was really good to see the different options and in fact to work out what is relevant for us.  The trainer Andrew was first class, listened as well as really knowing his stuff and was very approachable.  We’ve come back with a bundle of ideas. We’ve also identified some serious cost savings. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this course to anyone – in fact, if you’re planning on running any writing for web courses in Scotland in the near future then please let me know as I’d be very interested in attending!"
Ian Mountford, Communications Officer, Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association

"Excellent informative input."
Chris Bunyan, Group Manager A - Arson Reduction, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service

"This course provided me with a route map of how to get started - and the confidence to do it."
Tristan Lambert, Web Officer (Technical), Cambridge City Council

"Very informative at all levels of ability!"
Lisa Morris, Resident Involvement and Marketing Manager, Soha Housing

"I thought the course was very good and one that I would recommend to fellow colleagues. It gave plenty of new ways to engage with residents and provide our services."
Carl Jauncey, Senior Performance and Strategy Officer, Welwyn Hatfield District Council

"Was very informative. It taught me how to use different social sites and the theory behind them and what sites would be suitable for our organisation."
Gillian Cairns, Senior Housing Assistant, West of Scotland Housing Association

"This is the best course I have been on in ages. Totally involved and became passionate about the subject. An area I am very interesting in now. Fear factor now gone. Really excited about the concept and how it can help me in my role. I now know what social networking is and how to use them. I was very skeptical before but am now fully on board and have many ideas of how these can help our organisation engage more with customers. So interesting - fully recommend it."
Nicolette Aydin, Property Services Team Leader, Space New Living

"I gained understanding of the need for philosophy, strategy and resources."
Paul Smith, Information and Consultation Officer, East Sussex County Council

"Expanded my knowledge and understanding plus lots of useful links and suggestions."
Kristin Sjovorr, Temporary Accommodation, Hyde Housing Association

"Very interesting and informative, thought provoking and challenging."
Administration Assistant, Southampton City Council

"This course provided me with more confidence in direction that we need to pursue."
Rodger Patrick, Neighbourhood Co-ordinator, Trident Housing Association Ltd

"Learnt what sites were, how they work, how to use effectively. Liked in particular about RSS feeds - really useful for work."
Hilary Riley, Principal Librarian: Adult Services, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

"Gave a variety of tools to choose from."
Mark Henderson,Community Safety Inspector, Safer York Partnership

"This course provided me with new info on sites available and tools, how to put information on - link together different sites/streams, a strategy.”
Chris Brown, Youth Gateway Manager, Careers Wales (North West)



Log in

New?

Register now to benefit from hundreds of free hints, tips, articles and interviews

Your email address:

Contact us»

error '80020009'

/includes/list_course_dates.asp, line 42