When it comes to your website and the copy that goes with it, be consistent with your ‘brand’ and the image that you want to present to your potential customers – and the world.
When The City of Kalamunda turned to The Copy Collective to ‘refresh’ their website copy, the brief was to make it consistent, fun, factual and engaging.
A council needs to attend to the vital and varied needs of its community – be it garbage removal, graffiti or BMX bike parks. However this can also result in ‘dry’, uninspiring, content.
In this respect, government departments – and in this case, local councils – often have their work cut out for them.
Kalamunda is a town in the eastern suburbs of Perth, WA, that boasts a rich local history and vibrant community life.
So our writers were mindful that it wasn’t just about making the text ‘easier’ to read. The copy had to reflect the personality and tone of the organisation, while providing up to date information for people living in or planning to visit the area.
Writing for the Web
We crafted and edited the copy to take into account the following key principles of writing for the web:
- People think in short, concrete terms, so we need to write that way
- Keep the language as user friendly as possible
- 8 out of 10 people just read the headline – so make them compelling to break up the copy and tell your story
- 3 seconds is all you have to interest your audience, so keep the intro sentences short and sweet
- Website browsers’ attention follows the shape of a capital F, so your photos and copy needs to take this into account
- What’s in it for me? Readers are looking for specific answers, so use bullet points to break up the copy and make it easier to skim
- Include SEO and keywords
- To support the copy and create interest, engaging photos were also used.
The result? Copy that informs and encourages people to take part in local activities, be aware of environmental initiatives, keep up to date with building and development plans, and find out about recreational and cultural events.