From a conversation with a marketing agency yesterday: “We don’t need any real writing on that Web site. People don’t read anymore.”

Can I scream now? Blanket statements like this are baloney. First off, yes, people do still read online, it all depends. Second, words will always matter!! And third, what about SEO? Search engines seek out one thing when indexing your site: content.

In this case, I was talking to someone about Web writing for a bed and breakfast. One of the most popular sites we’ve done was for a bed and breakfast (www.thecanyonvilla.com). That was many years ago, but just last year, that Web site was mentioned in a newsletter for bed and breakfast owners as THE way to write a Web site for an inn. And the innkeeper still says guests tell her they chose her inn because of her Web site. Every once in a while I look at that site, trying to figure out why it works so well. I have my ideas, but that’s not the topic of this blog…

My point is, words do matter. What about the site I mentioned last week, the one I had to dig four pages into before figuring out what that company did? And the bed and breakfast Web site I was discussing yesterday, well, they have some very unique features, and they are located in an extremely competitive destination area. Are photos alone going to sell their inn? Not likely. They will need words. Very carefully chosen, well crafted words that speak directly to their target audience. Words that complement the photos and tell the complete story. (Show AND tell, remember?)

And some Web sites demand a lot of writing due to the nature of the site. A Web site selling software or other high-tech related products or services will probably require more content, because that is a more information driven purchasing decision than buying a yellow t-shirt.

Seems like the more money involved the more words needed. Just a few months ago I was shopping for a new saddle. I had made up my mind to buy a certain brand, but I couldn’t find any real information online about it, so I went with a different brand. If I’m spending several thousand dollars, I want my questions answered. I want a lot of information to support and reinforce my decision to buy.

So lots of words, few words…it depends on the site and what you’re selling and yes, the writing does matter.

The third reason Web sites require writing? SEO. Sometimes clients want Web writing that’s optimized for search, but then they want hardly any content. I get that—when the site is one that doesn’t require a lot of content, that is. In those cases, we recommend the home page be very concise, and maybe one or two other pages are short too, but then we recommend ways to add content to a Web site in a way that makes sense for both SEO and the user…meaning it’s useful information people would really be searching for and happy to find. Some possibilities include adding a press room and posting press releases; publishing an enewsletter and archiving it on your site; creating tip sheets, whitepapers or reports…or blogging. Yes, blogging can be a way to add content and increase your online presence. It took me a while to see the light, I confess. OK, two years to be exact. But then Compendium Software (www.compendiumsoftware.com) made it all make sense. Yes, shameless plug here. :^)

Do words matter on a Web site? You bet. More than you realize. But if they are words for words sake, you’re better off not using any at all.