"When it comes to website copywriting, design and development," says Rick Sloboda of Webcopyplus, "simple is always better." While an overly complex site will do nothing but confuse and frustrate many of your customers, a straightforward approach makes it easier for them to:

• Find answers for basic questions
• Absorb and digest key messages
• Accomplish what they came to do—whether finding information, making a purchase or subscribing to a newsletter

Sloboda quotes French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: "A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." In your pursuit of this ideal, it's important to know a few things.

Effective simplicity doesn't just happen. Success starts with skilled designers and copywriters. "[W]hether manipulating words, images or code," he says, "it takes knowledge, experience and time to plan and develop appealing, functional and simple websites."

And it requires a sophisticated touch. "There's a vast difference between communicating simply and communicating poorly," notes Sloboda. Even if your copy aims for the 8th- or 10th-grade reading level, for instance, solid writing will still appeal to visitors who have more advanced comprehension.

The Po!nt: "Effective web content isn't about flashy graphics and fancy words," says Sloboda. "It's about communicating key messages and getting tasks completed. Simple connects."

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