13 Tips for Writing Website Copy: Effective Gateway to Increase Sales
Your website is your business's online front door. It needs to provide the right information, in a way that feels welcoming and trustworthy, so clients can feel confident about booking an appointment with you.
But what if you're not sure how to write copy for your website? What if it sounds too salesy? Or what if it doesn't sound like you at all?
Don't worry! We've got some tips on writing effective copy for your small business today.
What is a Website Copy?
Website Copy is the text on your website. It includes the words you use to describe who you are, what you do, and why potential clients should work with you.
It is also known as "web content," or simply "copy." Website Copy is a significant part of your website, and it's also one that requires a great deal of skill to write.
The words on your website exist to help potential clients form an impression about you and ultimately decide if they want to work with you.
The copy needs to be informative, but not boring; it should feel like a conversation between two real people. It also needs to be persuasive, so that it encourages visitors to take the next step in your sales process.
What is the Purpose of Website Copy?
The most important function that website copy serves is communicating what your business does and why it's unique, so potential clients feel inspired enough to contact you about working together.
However, there are many other ways in which this text can help you:
• Attract traffic from search engines
• Establish trust and authority with potential clients
• Prompt visitors to take the next step in your sales process (such as filling out a contact form or scheduling an appointment)
Why is it important?
Because your website copy serves as the first impression that potential clients have of you, it's important to write the text on your site carefully. Â
It should convey an accurate idea of who you are and what services you offer in a way that leaves visitors feeling informed and confident about their decision to work with you.
What Should My Website Copy Look Like?
Your website copy should be welcoming and easy to understand. Avoid complicated or industry jargon that isn't immediately clear to your potential client base, as this will likely confuse them and leave them feeling unsure about whether they can trust you with their problems.
Instead of using long words or sentences, convey the same ideas in short, simple sentences.
You can include some industry jargon if it's absolutely necessary for understanding your services or products but make sure to define the terms you use within parentheses after you've used them once.
How do I write copy for my website?
There are many different ways you can "write" web content on a website from writing an entire blog post to simply selecting some photos and uploading them with short captions explaining what is going on or why the picture is significant.
However, there are a few guidelines that you should keep in mind:
1. Use active voice instead of passive voice
The tone and the voice of your copy are perhaps one of the most important aspects to consider.
In general, your website copy should feel conversational and warm, not stuffy or dry. Avoid using words like "utilize" as this may make you sound formal or technical instead of relatable. Instead, use more casual words such as "use."
2. Use strong verbs in place of nouns
In general, using strong verbs "we help" rather than "our services are," for example will make your copy more engaging. Instead of saying that you offer a service or product, use a verb to convey the same idea: Â we provide, we assist. This will keep the reader engaged and draw them further into your site.
3. Include a call to action in your web copy
Your website needs to have an overall goal, and this should be reflected by the content you include on it.
When writing copy for your home page or other landing pages (such as service descriptions) make sure that there is always something visitors can do next: sign up for your newsletter, request a quote, or contact you.
4. Use persuasive language to encourage visitors
Your website copy should be written with the goal of convincing people that they need what it is that you provide and why they should work with you instead of someone else.
You can include some information about who you are and how you operate, but it should always be framed in a way that is beneficial to the reader.
5. Use bullet points or numbers for lists and subpoints
If you have several different thoughts or pieces of information about something, consider using bullets or numbering them so people can scan your content quickly without needing to read everything word for word.
This is particularly useful if you have a lot of content or are trying to convey complex ideas.
6. Use visuals, graphics, and images to reinforce your message
Although writing the text for the web is important, it can get cumbersome sometimes when there's just too much information to communicate in words alone.
If this is the case, consider using photos or other pieces of visual content to emphasize your point or reinforce what you're saying.
7. Use subheadings and pull quotes
If there's a lot of information that needs to be included on one page, consider using subheadings so people can scan the text more easily. Pull quotes are also useful if you want certain sections of your copy to stand out.
8. Make sure to proofread your copy
It's important to make sure that everything included on your website is accurate, relevant, and free of spelling or grammatical errors so people don't get the wrong idea about you or have a difficult time understanding what it is that you do. If English isn't your first language, consider hiring a native speaker to help you out.
9. Use keywords that are relevant to your business and industry
You should also make sure that the web content on your site includes words or phrases that will attract people who are actively searching for what it is you provide this makes them much more likely to find you when they need your services or products.
This is particularly important if you're a local business since people will likely search for your company by name.
10. Include links to social media profiles or other sites
If you have accounts on different social networks, it's helpful to include the appropriate link so that visitors can follow you there as well. Links are also useful when providing additional resources or information that may be useful to your visitors.
11. Make sure you're not just repeating what people search for
If you simply include phrases and keywords that are popular in searches, it will make you seem like an unoriginal company with nothing new or interesting to add.
Instead, use the right words so they accurately describe who it is that you are and what it is that you provide.
12. Include a sitemap
If your website has a lot of content, consider including a site map so people can easily navigate through the pages to find the specific information they need without having to search for it or go back and forth between different parts of your site.
You may also want to consider using breadcrumbs so people stay on the right path as they move through your content.
13. Consider hiring a professional copywriter
If you do not feel confident in yourself or simply don't have time to write web copy for all of the different pages and sections on your website, it's always an option to hire someone else to do it for you.
Professional copywriters are experienced in writing content that will attract the right kind of attention and get people interested in what your business does or sells without coming off as too aggressive or unoriginal.
Benefits of Using a Good Website Copywriter
- Higher conversions
If you have a website, people should be able to find it and know what your business does. If they can't do that because the copy is lacking or written poorly, then there's no point in having a presence on the web at all since nobody will take interest in what you're selling or who you are.
- More effective marketing campaigns
The content on your website should focus primarily on the unique selling proposition of what you offer, which is why it's important to have a copy that tells people how your products or services are different from everyone else.
This will make it much easier for both prospects and customers to know if they need to work with you or not.
- More effective marketing campaigns
The content on your website should focus primarily on the unique selling proposition of what you offer, which is why it's important to have a copy that tells people how your products or services are different from everyone else.
This will make it much easier for both prospects and customers to know if they need to work with you or not.
Conclusion
If you have a website, people should be able to find it and know what your business does. If they can't do that because the copy is lacking or written poorly, then there's no point in having a presence on the web at all since nobody will take interest in what you're selling or who you are. Keep these things in mind as you're writing for web content, and always remember that it's about quality over quantity.