Using the right words in your web content can make a powerful first and lasting impression.

Making a mark is especially important on the Internet, where your website is up against more than 100 million other eager competitors.

These few fundamentals can help grab your visitors and persuade them to take a desired action.

Where does it hurt?

Before you start boasting about your "industry leading" products or services, you need to diagnose your prospect's pain.

That means you should use your ears first and listen to what they have to say. Only then can you establish your target market's true source of pain, which will help you take the right approach with your web content.

Additionally, it creates an excellent opportunity to show you understand, gain trust and showcase your particular expertise.

What can you do for them?

What's unique about the product or service you have to offer?

If your solution includes distinctive attributes to heal your prospect's pain, you've got an influential claim - one that will persuade them to buy from you.

If you fail to reveal unique qualities in your solution, you fail to stand out from the crowd. That's when you get labeled a commodity.

Prove it

Telling your prospect your product or services comes with great value isn't enough. You need to prove it.

Provide concrete evidence through case studies, testimonials, data, demonstrations or images. You need to demonstrate the prospect's financial, personal or strategic gain will outweigh the cost of your product or service.

If you embed testimonials into your web content, be sure to include full names, plus company names and website addresses when possible. "John D." is counter-productive. You lose credibility.

Communicate clearly

When identifying your prospect's pain, and presenting your claim and proof, be sure to communicate clearly.

Some tips to get your web content right:

• Use words your audience can relate to and understand - don't alienate the people you're trying to engage.
• Use simple sentences - plain talk promotes readability and sales.
• Use relevant and concrete words - vague claims and hype will only turn potential clients away.

These guidelines will help your prospects understand what you can do for them and why they should buy from you. Don't tell. Sell.

Find out about our web copywriting services.