So, there are plenty of sites showcasing well-designed web sites (of course “well-designed” is subjective, but you get the point), but where’s the list of well written web sites?
Copywriting is still the web’s biggest weakness (more on this soon). We could all use some inspiration and examples of great corporate/marketing writing online. Who’s doing a great job of explaining their product or service? Who speaks like a human and not like a computer or a marketing machine? Who gets their point across quickly, concisely, and clearly?
Let’s build a list (and, if you have time, explain why you think their writing is great). After a few months we’ll clean it up and post it in an easier-to-read format.
I've always thought the MoveableType website had a great intro paragraph.
Jewelboxing (just discovered via Coudal's comment above mine). I like how they tell a story that their audience can relate to. Helps me feel like I can trust them because my observations are the same as theirs. May be a touch wordy, but I don't mind because the content is compelling, friendly, and engaging.
I really like the straightforward copywriting on FLICKR http://www.flickr.com
While the Xblog and Bblog are great resources, the main part of the XPlane site does a nice job of laying out what they do in a clear, conversational manner.
You mean pretty web sites are supposed to have content?
My sample:
37Signals - I'm ass kissin' but truthful.
One I discovered just today, but apparently some of those design repositories have known about for a while - right Paul?
Seeing how Coudal has chimed in and someone already nominated Jewelboxing as a well written site, I'll confess that I admire the Coudal Partners copy writing so much, that I tried to borrow/mimic as much of it as I could for the "Learn More" section of the ExploreLearning site
I mention this not to spotlight my own copy, but rather to demonstrate how difficult it is to pull it off. My text, even heavily influenced by Coudal's tone in Jewelboxing, just can't compare in quality.
I have to agree with Arturo above... The original 37Signals text was well ahead of its time for a web agency. It demonstrated that good web design was more about improving business or organizational communication rather than flashy pages.
Of course, this doesn't help grow "the list," but hey... my two cents.
FYI, here's the original 37signals site (now called the 37signals Manifesto).
I've always enjoyed the Ambient Devices website for clear and smart copy.
I would suggest that one of the best copywriting sites on the web is on www.fool.com. It is informative, enriching and also amusing.
Method Cleaning Products have great copywriting on and off line. Their tagline is "People against dirty."
I've always loved the copy on the Cornerhost site. Friendly, clear, and very human - all things that seem to be a bit rare in most of the content found on web hosting sites.
I second Coudal's vote for Panic Software site.
Thanks for the mention of Clip-n-Seal! I'll send that to the author of the copy. He'll totally appreciate it. We always thought no one ever really noticed the story we wrote there.
In all honesty, 37signals is still the cream of the crop for me. In fact, every time I visit, I leave thinking "this is the template for all websites". Inline FAQ's should be a _defacto standard_, as should many other 37isms.
Forgot to mention that Dan Benjamin's second-person style is brilliant.
"You've had the opportunity to meet many interesting people over the years, but as it turns out, very few of them could be considered famous." and "But then, you digress." are both classics from this post.
most definately NOT this site: www.tmfloyd.com
No, seriously. A useful and usable (albiet odd) product and a friendly, personable and to the point sales approach.
Since we are creating a list and not voting - then my contributions would be.
http://daringfireball.net/
http://www.1976design.com/blog/
http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/
http://theubergeeks.net/ - Whoops!
http://www.7nights.com/asterisk/
Of course, these are blogs and should not be confused with corporate websites that have well written oine-liners to describe their products. Kudos to those who have gotten to that level, but I find fine writing on hard to cover topics much more appealing.
At a quick glance, the main page of SvN currently contains two spelling mistakes:
jewelry
and
accidently
www.twothirty.com impressed me when i first stumbled across them. Most of Paul Ford's copy is great as well.
I'll have to agree with Aaron about jewelboxing.
Here are some of my favorites (I'm offering a diverse range here):
http://www.dept3.com/
http://www.doberman.se/
http://www.eleveninc.com/
http://www.hahnsmithdesign.com/
http://www.iconnicholson.com/
http://www.metadesign.com/
http://www.samatamason.com/
(Another site that always stood out in mind as having excellent copywriting was fireenginered.com, although they haven't been around in years.)
Oh let's not forget Giornale Nuovo. Mr. H writes about the cool books, images, and artifacts he finds with great wit and charm.
I visited the "Method" site and the writing is predictably "we take ourselves very lightly".
Which I like, don't get me wrong.
Joel Spolsky writes well. I do, too. My son is perhaps the most talented writer I've ever read.
This is a good thread; it's inspiring and positive. Well ... except for "gush", above, who is obviously jealous because he has nothing to contribute. Poor gush ... minivan break down again?
:-)
Don -
You are an excellent writer. In fact, WAHO is the only blog I subscribe to where I can't post comments, because your writing is so good.
I find your writing to be "visual" - especially the recent living large post. In fact, to bring this out of ass kiss mode and back on topic, any good copy (or song for that matter) which can transport me out of my world and into theirs is a winner.
The reason I like Method (and I must like them, because Im discussing the company on 2 different sites now) is because I feel the copy brings me into the experience. I feel as though I could walk into their corporate offices and not feel as though I were a stranger.
Mark -- I was being a bit sarcastic about my own writing, by hey THANKS A TON for the kind words! You don't know how encouraging they are.
What I like about Method (and their ilk) is that they speak to you as if you're a friend, hanging out, talking about their cool new products, business, and oh yeah I got a new MP3 player. Tossing in something totally unexpected (they mention "poopy" on one page and it's hilarious) makes it seem more ... I dunno ... "down to earth".
You smoke cigars, Mark? I'll send you a good one just for your kind words. Email me.
Score!
www.miniusa.com has some good stuff.
I've always been impressed with the writing style on www.firebox.com. Peddlers of boys' toys, gadgets and kitschery, they are unabashedly cheeky and irreverent in their reviews yet manage to tell you everything you needed to know. I challenge you to peruse their site and not want something on there.
As a side note, they were responsible for one of the most on-the-ball marketing gimmicks I've ever come across. They sent customers a pack of Top Trump cards featuring their top 30 products rated on attributes such as 'cost', 'hotness' and 'office time-wasting potential'.
Another good one http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives/000654.php
Another Good One www.panerabread.com