The Word Wrangler

Every web copywriter knows that their readers are notorious for scanning copy rather than reading it from top to bottom.

Headlines, subheads and bullet points are all common techniques that allow readers to scan through the text to choose what they want to read first.

However, there’s another technique that you might not be familiar with, which is putting your main paragraph point at the beginning of the paragraph.

Most web copywriters construct their paragraphs by starting off with some sort of preamble, delving into their main point and then summing up. This type of paragraph construction works just fine for print, where people are more likely to stay with the text all the way through, but can actually turn off those finicky scanners when used on the web.

Here’s an example:

Most people take prescription drugs because that’s what their doctors tell them to do. The doctors, however, are part of the medical establishment that includes the big drug manufacturers whose sole business relies on getting as many people to take their drugs as possible. What you may not know is that there are many natural remedies that perform as good as - or even better - than prescription drugs.

Here’s how it looks with the aforementioned technique:

Natural remedies can offer the same - or better - treatment than prescription drugs. Doctors are part of the medical establishment that includes the big drug manufacturers whose sole business relies on getting….

See the difference?

By putting the main point of the paragraph first, you give your readers the opportunity to decide if that paragraph is worth their time. It might seem rude just jumping into your copy that way, but trust me, your readers will consider it a mercy.

Mike Sieber - The Word Wrangler