HyperText Editing

Since the Web is a medium unlike any other it requires that content be written in a certain way. Superb web copy and relevant content are the reasons most often cited by web surfers when asked why they return to a specific web site. Hypertext editing is the art and science of reformulating content for web pages in a manner that leverages the Web's unique advantages.

How You Benefit from Superb HyperText Copy

  • Better site content. Good hypertext copy makes you look professional because the hypertext copy on a web site is the most important component of its public persona.
  • Increase repeat traffic. People return to web sites with good hypertext copy over and over again.
  • Increase perceived quality. Presenting well-written content geared for the Web makes you appear knowledgeable and credible, while presenting anything else makes you look the opposite.
  • Better search engine indexing. Good hypertext copy includes plenty of links, places relevant content first, and strengthens keyword density. All of this means more search engines will find your pages and rank them higher.
  • Increased product and service exposure. By providing relevant contextual navigation with well-chosen links in your content, you can expose more visitors to more of your products and encourage them to browse your site longer and buy more from you.

What Does Good HyperText Copy Look Like?

Good Web copy is short, scannable, and presents conclusions first. Sentences and paragraphs are also more self-contained than they are in normal texts, as are links. This is important because it helps to maintain relevance if these snippets are plucked out of their original context (for example, by printing a web page).

In fact, the main encoding “language” of the web (HTML) is more suited to structuring outlines than prose. As a result, the key elements of good hypertext copywriting can be somewhat surprising to traditional writers. These elements include, but are not limited to:

  • Logical, structured outlines with headings and sub-headings
  • Plenty of lists
  • Plenty of links in the copy
  • Short paragraphs that put conclusions before supporting statements

Good hypertext copy can be an extremely helpful, money-making component in your site's user interface by encouraging your visitors to browse related products or services that you offer.