Traveling back further to good writing. Every writer (and that means you) should read the definitive style manual: Elements of Style originally written by William Strunk in 1918, an easy read full of pithy advice such as:
“Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non-committal language.”
—Rule 12
It was updated in the ’50’s with the help of another one-time copywriter, E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web — a timeless inspiration to all of us do-it-yourselfers on the web.
But how does that translate to this web?
Then as now, give your reader a solution they are searching for. Spin a good story. It could mean saving their life or their livelihoods. Make so easy to understand that solution, that even a child (or caveman or even a pig) can do it. Avoid clunky corporate jargon like “utilize” when “use” will do (by the way I don’t like usability, but it’s a useful word). Then give them more reasons why to use you.