Usually when you think of the web it seems like a cold and dark place but if you think about it the web provides quite an intimate experience. Users are generally in their homes on their own computer, they could be wearing pajamas or be completely naked. They can browse your web page on their time, they can flick from your page to another and back. They can leave and search for another source of information.

As a user on the web you do not have anyone to be responsible to and are often not held accountable for the things you say. The internet is like a mask. No one knows who you are. No one can see you. You’re not out in the open or face-to-face. It is not as intimidating as “real life” you can simply close the browser turn the computer off and walk away. You can show people your best side and hide your faults if you want to.

From the designers stand point this intimacy creates one way conversations. You are limited by the medium (although this is slowly changing as social media progress to more real time interaction). Because of this when you present your material on the web you have to answer all of your users questions before hand. You have to predict what your users will need and what their questions will be. You also have to make an impression. It is the same as in real life only the user can close their browser window if they don’t like what they see or if they do not find what they were looking for.

There are ways for your users to provide feedback but it’s not as easy as on the telephone or in person. There are delays. By the time you answer their question they may have moved onto another site or made their purchase elsewear.

It is imperitive to keep your customer in mind when creating copy. If you receive multiple questions on the same topics than it is time to add the answers to these questions to your web page. How? try to work it organically into the copy. Tools like frequently asked questions are not as useful as you may think. When is the last time you checked out a frequently asked questions section on the web?

Review the copy you already have and try to reword it first. If you can not fit
It in organically than you may need to add aditional content.

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Filed under: Copy, Philosophy, Web design