Before you begin to write your web copy you have to know who your audience is, what their problems and pleasures are.

No point writing copy aimed at doctors when your target market is florists. Each audience has its own mindset with its own unique problems and your copy must be laser-targeted to achieve stunning results.

Another big mistake web owners or copywriters make is to write copy that is too general, too vague, that doesn’t call out to any particular market segment. Copy aimed at all comers will in reality reach none.

Picture this.

Your name’s Peter. You’re in a crowded room and someone at the far side of the room behind you shouts out “Peter!” Do you turn your head to see who called out?

Of course! Everyone in the room named “Peter” will look round to discover who’s calling their name. The shouter zeroed in on everyone in the room called “Peter,” not on the room’s occupants in general.

Likewise, web owners or copywriters must do their homework, find out as much as possible about the market they’re trying to reach and then write to one person in that market.

To do this, they must ask lots of questions, build up a detailed mental picture of who they’re addressing:

1. Male or female -- If your target market is 70% female, you should write your copy with women in mind. Pointless writing for a male prospect if the target market is mostly female!

2. Age -- People over 60 will have a larger disposable income than, say, 20-year-olds. Copy written for fundraising websites, then, should aim at the mindset of the older person. People in their 60s think differently from 20-year-olds and your copy should fit their mindset.

3. Income level -- This usually relates to the target market’s average age (see above point), but also to the type of work they do. Company executives have a lot more money than, say, schoolteachers. For your copy to be effective, you must know how wealthy your prospect is. Pointless writing copy to sell a $20,000 product/service and then aiming that copy at people who earn just $20,000 a year!

4. Political affiliation -- Is your prospect politically conservative or a radical? Again, knowing this, will give you a clearer picture of who you’re aiming at.

5. Sports or hobbies -- Is your prospect the sporty type, or are sports a big turn off to him/her? If your web copy is aimed at golf enthusiasts, no point targeting tennis players!

6. Mental state -- What is the person’s self-image? How do they see themselves? What gives them self-worth?

7. Emotional state -- What makes the person depressed, angry, happy etc. What are their worst fears? Their greatest hopes? What gives them the greatest pleasure? This will probably vary again depending on whether your prospect is male or female.

The difference between successful web copywriting (which sells) and failing web copywriting (which doesn’t sell) is usually due to how well the copy has targeted the audience you’re trying to reach.

Copy written for doctors will leave realtors stone cold! So you must (1) do extensive research, to (2) know exactly who you’re writing for, and then (3) target your copy with guided-missile precision at that audience with the specific words that will push their emotional hot buttons.

© 2006 Eldo Barkhuizen BA, HDE