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Back in February I wrote on digital media training and in particular writing for the web. This has become quite an issue recently with clients increasingly opting for websites with content management systems ( CMS ). Web copy not only dictates how well you communicate your offer, but how well your site performs in organic listings on search engines. So extracted from my writing for the web training package, here are 10 key points to bear in mind. Remember how you read websites - look and learn from sites you think do it well. Don't expect your visitor to read what you won't read yourself. Customers only listen to one radio station WIIFM - 'what's in it for me'. Talk about benefits to them... don't talk about yourself. Vary descriptions: people use different terms to describe most things, so consider the terms they may search your site on. For example, I was working for a vehicle hire company, but visitors might search on truck rental, truck hire, contract hire,

Training in digital media and marketing comes high on the list of client 'wants', but what is requested varies widely with company size. Smaller companies generally, have already grasped the web and its opportunities. They have realised this is a very cost effective promotional medium and are already 'hands on' in many aspects. Bigger organisations tend to use their specialist suppliers to get hands on, so their needs tend to be more strategic - planning and understanding digital campaigns. One area however is a common requirement from both - writing for the web. Good web copy and content has never been more important, and with the growth in the use of content management systems (CMS), more and more of the copywriting now falls on the shoulders of the client. Good, concise, pursuasive copy has always been of tremendous importance in making a site work, but there is another dimension. Content and copy must be optimised to get good organic listings on search engines. I