How to write great website copy
You might ask, ‘Do I even need a website?’ My answer to that is YES! Your website is all yours and gives your business important credibility!
Your website is where you can communicate your story, inform potential customers/clients about your products/services, and let them know how to contact you. Having said that, you don’t want just any website, you want a site with compelling copy that draws people in, builds your brand, and makes sales.
What is website copy?
Well, it’s the words you use on your website (home page, about page, product/services pages etc); the headlines, subheadings, body copy, and CTAs.
So you need great website copy that is also well-structured to encourage visitors to remain on your site for longer and to buy!
Website copy elements:
Headlines: the attention-grabbers must be compelling and concise to persuade your visitors to continue reading.
Subheadings: break up your copy making it easier to scan and digest, and to guide visitors through your narrative.
Body copy: is the core of your website's content, from product and service descriptions to about us information, it explains, describes, and persuades!
Calls to Action (CTAs): provide easy points to sign up for a newsletter, request more information, or make a purchase. They should be clear, encouraging, and prominent.
Navigational text: is your menus, footer, etc and should be functional not forgotten as it contributes to the overall user experience.
Why is good website copy important?
Imagine… someone finds their way to your website, great! But, you want them to stay, to follow a journey through your site, and hopefully to contact you.
If your website doesn’t have a clear message and pathway, people will head somewhere else! So you need your website copy to be clear, easy-to-follow, engaging, and informative.
What to consider when writing your website copy:
First impressions count so ensure your website copy is grammatically correct, easy to read, and punctuated.
Communicate the story about YOU and your business; people like to connect emotionally with a brand.
Your website copy needs to inform visitors about your complete offering, but keep it simple and concise.
Be creative. It’s your business so make sure your website copy reflects you. Develop your brand voice and personality through the tone and style of your website copy.
Speak directly to your audience to create a sense of connection.
Optimise for SEO as much as you can. SEO is complex but it is important to include keywords in your website copy, but remember to address your audience first not the search engines.
Here are some tips for great website copy:
Be concise: Visitors to your website are after information… and want it quickly. So ensure your copy is to the point… short words, short sentences, short paragraphs!
Clarity is key: Be clear with your words; explain your business goals, products, services etc clearly and in the most straightforward way (use plain language). Always ask yourself if you can simplify your copy. AND be honest, you want your visitors to trust you.
Be consistent: View your website as a whole. Be consistent with your brand style and voice across your site.
Scannable: Remember everyone is in a hurry these days! Make your copy scannable with clear headings and subheadings so your visitors can jump to the section they want quickly. Use bullets to break up text and bold to highlight key information.
Objective and human: Ensure your copy is directed to your visitors and provides the honest information they need. Write your copy like a conversation with them so it feels personal.
What about the design?
Website copy and design go hand in hand. It is just as important to have a clear and effective structure for your website as it is to have great copy. You want your customers/clients to have a clear journey to follow through your website and for the information to be easy to find. Here are some tips:
Have a clear, logical page layout that is easy to read; plenty of white space and include bullet points to break up your text.
Include headings and subheadings and ensure your copy flows coherently.
Add visuals; images and graphics make your pages easier on the eyes and can be informative. But make sure they align with your copy/brand.
The process
Your website copy doesn’t have to be perfect but good grammar and punctuation help your customer’s visit. So this is what I would suggest:
Write an outline and clarify the goals and objectives of your website.
Build a page structure giving each page a definite purpose.
Draft the wording – start with headlines then fill in the body copy.
Review, revise and proofread your copy; then ask someone else to check it too. Reading your copy aloud can be helpful, it will highlight words that don’t flow smoothly and indicate missed punctuation.
What sections do you need on your website?
Websites can have various structures but these sections really should be included:
An ‘About’ section offering a concise and compelling review of the products/services you offer and information about YOU and your business.
Product/Services page(s) may be the most important pages on your website. Inform your customers about exactly what you are offering. Your copy should be persuasive but honest.
A Contact page with all your preferred contact points is useful; a contact form makes it super-easy for your website visitor. Your social media links can also be here, or on your footer, but not everyone is on social media so they need to know how else to make contact.
Calls to Action – this isn’t a ‘section’ but don’t forget to add clear calls to action on your website pages.
It’s all about conversion
It is important to remember that your website is your shopfront from where you sell your products/services. You therefore want your copy to persuade a visitor to become a customer/client. Your words can influence their behaviour, so view your copy from their eyes.
You know best
Remember it is your business and you know it better than anyone. You know your products, services, values, and passions best. From this starting point, you can write great website copy.
Then… update your website copy regularly to reflect your current products and services. Fresh content keeps your site relevant for return visitors and signals to search engines that your website is active (and may boost your SEO rankings).
I hope this helps xx
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