Stand out from the crowd with better website copy Photo Unsplash
I built a walk-in wardrobe last year. While I do have a few basic DIY skills I’m no expert. With plenty of research, and by taking the job step by step, I did an okay job.
But why am I talking about wardrobes?
Partly because I’m over 40 and that’s the kind of thing I talk about these days! But mostly to show that almost any challenge can be overcome with the right approach.
One such challenge faced by marketers and business owners is creating website content that actually gets you noticed. It can be difficult to know where to start – let alone build content that’s creative, punchy, persuasive…
Slightly cringeworthy metaphor alert! Writing engaging website content is like writing a dating profile. Really! You need to big your business up… without sounding big-headed.
Your words should be honest, positive, and provide a specific flavour of you. That way you’ll get more of the right type of visitors who see the world the way you do – and find your offer attractive.
So if you’re banging your head against the desk (or the wall of your walk-in wardrobe) and feel confused how to present your brand on your website, don’t panic. Here are a few easy(ish) ways to help your audience – and Google – fall in love with you.
Strategy and audience
Writing great web copy is like a skydive. Prepare before you jump and your work will land well (and with less mess).
First, figure out your target audience and who you want to come to your site. Create customer personas that show their demographic and motivations. This gives you a clear picture of who they are, what they’re thinking, and how you should talk to them.
Now, think about your ideal customer’s search habits and intent. Write down the kind of terms they’ll be searching for to find your solution, all the different goals they might have, the questions they’ll be asking Google, and how your copy can demonstrate your value in solving their problems.
This helps you target your content more effectively and write in an engaging, personal, on-brand way.
What pages should my website include?
Unless you live on another planet (hello Soup Dragon!), you’ll know that most websites follow a familiar format, including landing page/homepage, about me, services, FAQs, testimonials, portfolio, contact details/CTA, etc.
The wording will be different, for brand and UX reasons, but the same general information prevails.
So how can I write in a way that engages people – and persuades them to take action?
With a lot of hard work. But it can be done!
- Go for the jugular
While that may sound a bit ‘MMA’, it’s important you grab readers’ attention from line one.
Think about your own reading habits. How long do you give a website to prove its value before moving elsewhere? Probably seconds. For me, if a website doesn’t speak my language, I’m out of there quicker than Peppa Pig from a butcher.
My own landing page at thewritinglabcreative.com has a hooky catch line – ‘Never a bad word’. Next, it provides a short sentence about what I’m about, plus five bullet points that outline the benefits I offer customers. There’s no waffle or clutter, and it leaves visitors curious to find out more.
- Ask questions
Asking questions in your copy can help move readers closer to choosing you. But don’t just use them lazily, to move onto the next point you wish to make. Choose your questions carefully and give them purpose. Ultimately, they should get readers excited about what you have to offer, and not give them any chance to say no.
Here’s a practical example. My services page starts with this question. “Need saving from poor copy and content that isn’t getting the results you want?”
It touches on a common pain point and shows I can give them more.
Questions like this can leave readers curious – and hungry for more content.
- Less is usually more
On every page of your website, you’ll have a message and goal to get across. To keep busy readers interested, you should work hard to keep content clear and concise.
As a battle-hardened copywriter, my advice is to give every page another edit – even if you’re slapping yourself on the back telling yourself how great it is. Look at your content from a readers’ perspective and ask yourself – honestly – if the content would entice you to take action. If not, keep working at it.
Another trick to hook more readers is to break up your content into bite-size, scannable sections. Most people won’t read every word, so make it simple to scan what’s important and understand your value without too much effort.
In copywriting language, that means use plenty of headers, lines and white space, bullets, pull quotes, etc.
- Have fun with your About Us page
Even if you’re an undertaker? Yep. That doesn’t mean packing it with cringy gags. It does mean spending time making sure it reflects your unique personality as a business or brand.
If you already receive lots of great feedback from customers, you’ll know what they love about you and what differentiates you. These are the treasures you should showcase.
Your About Us page should be long enough to build trust – but short enough to keep people interested. Cover all of the basics – what you do, who you do it for, introduce the faces behind the brand, show what differentiates you and why customers trust and love you.
Just make sure it sounds like you.
- Imagine you’re talking to a good friend
You know that warm feeling when you talk to an amazing friend, where you feel listened to, cared about, and supported. Websites that successfully mirror that ‘friendly’ tone can build bonds between brands and customers surprisingly fast.
The tone you take will differ depending on your industry and target customer, but make it feel personal and friendly.
There are simple devices you can use. For example, address readers directly using ‘you’, ‘we’ and ‘I’. Write active sentences where you can, but don’t get hung up on the technicalities. Instead, focus on sounding warm, conversational, and natural and you’ll find yourself writing active sentences without even realising it.
Keep sentences short. And double, triple, fourple (thanks to my 6-year-old for that) check there are no spelling errors or grammar gaffes. You’re professional and brilliant right? If your site has spelling mistakes, readers will not buy that (or your services).
- Give readers every reason to take action
At the end of a reader’s visit, you need them to take action. Whether that’s signing up for a newsletter, or contacting you for a demo or more info.
To achieve that, direct them clearly around your site from the start. Use buttons to navigate from one page to the next, taking readers on a seamless journey that leads them to a persuasive call to action. Along the way, show proof you’re fantastic, with a faultless portfolio and commentary or case studies from happy customers.
By the time they get to your contact page, readers should trust you and be ready to act.
- Think SEO from the get-go
If you want to attract more target customers to your website (and why wouldn’t you?), your content must be loved by Google as much as readers.
Even if you’re new to SEO, do keyword research to find out the kind of words and phrases people use when searching for the solution you provide.
Remember that people use different keywords depending on their intent – such as whether they’re looking for information, ready to convert, buy your product, etc.
In many cases, SEO is a job for professionals, but taking a DIY approach can be rewarding too. There are lots of great – and free – keyword research tools around that help you find the low-hanging fruits in your sector and even see what’s working for your competitors.
Once you’ve done your research, naturally incorporate those terms into your content to show Google you are relevant to a user’s search.
As your website beds in, and you win more customers, analyse what’s working and continue to optimise your pages and content for search engines. Keep things fresh by blogging about customers’ FAQs and demonstrating your expertise. Soon you’ll get better results and have enough traffic and leads for a sustainable and successful business.
If you want more time back for you and your team, why not outsource your web copywriting? Here at the The Writing Lab, I’d love to help.