The internet has put an immense amount of information at a users fingertips.  As a consequence, searching through all that information can be frustrating and sometimes seem all but impossible.  It is true, that one of the skills an online copywriter must have is the ability to write copy that will sell products, but a more important skill many times overlooked by companies (to their determent) is the ability to create pages that help visitors and users find the information they are looking for.  A subject also introduced in the article Web Copywriting: Do You Answer Their Question? & Web Copywriting: What To Say, over How To Say It.

This ability to gently guide a user along a pathway to their goal, with as few clicks and confusion as possible, with a pot of gold that takes the form of a real answer to their question has value that cannot be understated.

Think about how you feel when you arrive at a site looking for an answer to a question.  The first page mentions something that you think might pertain to your question, provides some text that further piques your interest and a link to find out more.  Upon clicking the link, you read a little further and find what you were looking for.  Along the way you subconsciously note how easy it was to find that answer and how well the sites design and content facilitated the completion of your goal and that you were not pressured to click some link you really had no interest in because it offered some great product or had an overt sales pitch.

You will feel really good about that website and by extension, about the people who created it.  Would you return to that site if you had another question of a similar nature?  If that company had a product that was in some way associated with your interests, would you be more inclined to trust that company and their product?

Now imagine the opposite.  You arrive at a site that has a subhead that might pertain to the answer you are looking for, but before you can click on the link or read any of the text, a pop up window blocks your view with some product that may or may not be related.  You get rid of the annoying pop up and read the text which sounds like it might be an answer to your question so you click through.  The next page has its editorial copy squeezed between multiple sales banners with BUY NOW!! flashing in garish colors.  The text answers your question, but not before hitting you would sales copy for a product related to the issue.

Imagine how you feel now, after having to navigate all those distractions to find your answer.  Are you going to reward this site with your purchase?  I wouldn’t either.

Writing copy that truly informs and helps visitors is the opportune moment to establish trust and rapport with your visitor or prospect.  An opportunity to have them nod in agreement with you, or nod appreciatively as you guide them to their goal.  You have established yourself as not only an authority on the issue, but you have become a friend in doing so.  You respected their right to choose to continue on and check out your product, instead of throwing it in their face.

Pages on your site that are purely informational, can lead to increased conversion if done correctly.