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 users 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 dont 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. Weve come back with a bundle of ideas. Weve also identified some serious cost savings. I wouldnt hesitate in recommending this course to anyone in fact, if youre planning on running any writing for web courses in Scotland in the near future then please let me know as Id 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)