It’s not unusual for me to have a client who asks why we need any text at all on web pages. Don’t the pictures speak for themselves?

Well, yes, pictures do one heck of a lot of speaking. Especially for physical products.

Let’s say you own a furniture store. When a customer walks in your store, would you have your sales staff stay in the back and not go out to speak with her? Aren’t all the beautifully displayed products good enough?

No. Of course not. Your sales staff would welcome the customer, ask her what she’s looking for, ask about her budget, and then take her to the selections that might meet her needs.

Once she is looking over the products, does the salesperson back off and keep his mouth shut? Of course not. He will point out the particular benefits of a piece of furniture, its comfort, its durability, its cleanability, its warranty, the manufacturer, etc.

Plus your salesperson will tell her all the particular local benefits your store may offer, like removal of an old mattress at the time of the delivery of a new mattress.

Depending  on how well your salesperson interacts with her, your sale will be made. And if the experience is very good, then the customer will be back for her next purchase.

As much as possible, your website needs to replicate what happens in the store.

Besides helping your customer make a good buying decision, the words on your page will drive more traffic to your website via Google search results.

Easy Web Tip #259: When developing the content of your website, be sure to include the selling points your sales staff communicates with customers.