In journalism school, my professors trained me to trim the excess from my sentences.  Adverbs would get cut first, much to my chagrin.  I could barely describe something without an adverb when I took my journalism classes. 

“That’s not how it happened,” Jane said quickly.

She frequently lectures on a variety of topics.

My J-school sentences were much less exciting without adverbs to modify the verbs.

“I really had no say in the matter,” Mike said.

He speaks at area colleges.

Many adverbs are subjective, and therefore, they have no place in a news story.  Copywriting is a different ballgame.  In my promotional copy, I haul them out of their dusty bin and pepper my work with adverbs, which emphasize how my clients’ products or services benefit potential customers.

This attorney returns calls swiftly.

Adverbs, in addition to modifying verbs, can also help combine related sentences to eliminate unnecessary words.  (My J-school professors might even be proud.)  Consider this:

This attorney works with the court.

She stays abreast of the latest legal trends.

She knows how to get results.

Rewritten with adverbs, the sentence reads:

By attentively staying abreast of the latest legal trends, Attorney Smith works closely with the court to get results in your matter.

Using adverbs (quickly, frequently, swiftly, attentively, closely) creates exciting, engaging copy, which leads to more clients, more money, and a better bottom line for your business.

According to eMarketer.com, 77% of people search for information on branded products by going online.  Seventy-seven percent of people are firing up their computers and searching for answers by reading information provided on the Internet.  Of those, 20% start with the brand's website because they believe the site will have the most complete and reliable information.

Does your website have the most complete and reliable information on your brand? If someone is researching your company's products and services, can they easily find the information they need to make an informed decision?

Take a good look at your site.  If your products and services aren't clearly explained, the potential customer may go elsewhere for information - and may choose a competitor's product.  The copy on your website, more than the flashy graphics, are what keep potential customers interested.  If it's not well-written, if it doesn't clearly explain the benefit to the customer, you've already lost a sale.  Keep customers engaged with clear prose that provides information to the customer, and make sure it is complete and reliable.  Update your website periodically to reflect product or service changes.

Above all, make sure your website is well-written.  The copy on your website reflects your business, and it should be as interesting, clear, and beneficial as the products and services you provide.