Got a website? Hire a copywriter. 

That's what the marketing nerds would say, anyway. 

"Just outsource it! Get a brand specialist or a copywriter on board! They'll only charge you..."

"What TF?! How much??"

The price will make you heave, I'm sure. 

(Possibly even collapse to your knees in shock horror.)

So, I wrote this post to help your nervous system recover.  It'll help you - if you apply the principles outlined in it. 

Read on, my friend, read on!

Good Website Copy

Copywriting is essential to every website.

Words make your site come alive and draw in potential customers!

Contrary to widely held beliefs, having a great website design is not enough – you actually need fantastic copy (and content) that resonates with your audience to drive those all-important conversions - and capture attention (and keep it.)

A lot? Uh-huh.

Of course, if you can afford to, go ahead and invest in professional copywriting for your business website. 

But most of us are going through a cost of living crisis right now.

So that's off the cards. 

But hang on a sec...

What is copywriting?

Simply put, website copywriting creates effective marketing and promotional material with persuasive language, aiming to drive action from the reader.

It's a form of writing (and/or speaking) words that get put on website pages, blog posts, and other forms of digital content. 

Copywriting should be clear, concise, and compelling – addressing the needs of the target audience in order to convert potential customers into buyers. 

The words must be tailored to a specific product or service and the website used to deliver that message.

Profitable copywriting requires knowledge and understanding of search engine optimization (SEO) and good writing skills. 

Good copywriting skills include:

• Short sentences
• Using the active voice 
• Short paragraphs (break it up)
• Engaging words
• Entertaining sentences
• Fast rate of delivery
• Giving answers in the first paragraph

I could go on.

The list of "good" copywriting skills is impossible to lay out in bullet points. Plus the more experienced you get in writing copy, the more you learn. The more it becomes natural to you, and easier to do!

These days, websites compete for attention more than ever – meaning businesses must create unique and engaging content to stand out from the crowd (and attract new eyeballs.) 

Professional copywriters understand this. 

We know how to craft compelling words that grab readers’ attention. All while delivering handy info about products or services (without overwhelming them with too much detail at once!!)

With meticulous attention paid to SEO, keyword optimisation, analytics, targeting the right audience, understanding customer needs, and using powerful words appropriately throughout all webpages – all these things work together to achieve fantastic results from your website.

Understanding your target audience (needs, wants & desires)

Getting to grips with your target audience and what they want is essential for creating content that resonates with them. 

To create great copywriting for your website, you need to identify who your ideal customer is and what they want from you?

Start by researching the demographics of your customers. 

This means looking at their age, gender, location, income level, education level, interests, and any other data that can help you paint a picture of who they are. 

You can use this data to craft messaging that speaks directly to them and appeals to their unique needs. 

Knowing your target audience will also help you choose the right platforms to advertise on and create content for. You gotta understand what motivates and drives your target audience. 

What do they value? 

What kind of language do they respond best to? 

Knowing these facts can help you create copy that speaks directly to them at an emotional level. 

Go ahead and use market research tools like surveys or social groups to gain insights into how your people think and interact. 

The language used in copywriting should reflect the values of your ideal customer. 

For instance, if you’re targeting a younger demographic, perhaps using more modern language, maybe even slang or emojis is worthwhile to connect with them. 

If you’re targeting an older demographic, perhaps more formal language that shows respect and trustworthiness is needed - but always be careful of stereotyping!

Basically, do your research!!

Pay attention not just to words but also the tone – try using active words rather than passive ones, as that'll engage readers better. 

Finally, when it comes time to craft your website copy, ensure each page serves a purpose.

That purpose is - to help customers reach their goals or solve their problems.

As always, keep it simple; good web copywriting should be short, clear sentences with lots of white space so visitors don’t feel overwhelmed by walls of text when visiting pages on your website!

Creating great copy for your website

Building an effective website for your business is so important for driving conversions and engaging with your target audience! I cannot stress this enough. 

To give context, ALL my clients come to me through my website - not social media or adverts. 

Your website is your gold mine, believe me! To ensure your website is successful, here are a few key steps to take:

1. Choose a domain name that is easy to remember (and type out!) It should reflect the brand identity of the business and be memorable enough to help customers find your site again in the future. Make sure it's available across all social media channels, too - this will help build consistency across platforms when promoting content.

2. Design a user-friendly website with clear navigation so potential customers quickly find what they want. This includes plenty of white space between sections, correct spacing, sound design, and simple language without any jargon or industry-specific terms. Utilise search engine optimisation such as relevant keywords in the copy, crafting meta descriptions, optimising images, etc., so your customers can easily access search engines when looking for something related to your business.

3. Include relevant content for your target audience. Doing so helps build trust and encourages higher conversion rates. Incorporate visuals such as photos, videos, and infographics into content to help engage readers more effectively than words alone. Oh, and make sure all links lead to active pages - nothing kills credibility faster than dead links! 

4. Ensure the website is secure by implementing measures such as SSL encryption technology.

These steps will mean visitors have a positive experience while protecting their data from potential phishing attempts or malicious attacks.

Use the right words 

Creating compelling words in website copy is vital for connecting with readers.

Using straightforward and concise language ensures your message is understood loud and clear, while choosing terms that are particular and descriptive helps customers recognise the value of what you offer. 

Including relevant keywords in your text also helps strengthen SEO rankings on SERPs.

However, be mindful not to overload it with technical jargon which will confuse the everyday reader.

Sticking to a uniform style across all pages is important for building strong brand identity as well, so ensure each page adheres to the same tone, sentence structure, punctuation, and formatting. 

Best practices for writing different pages

Cultivating effective web copy is an art, I admit.

However, some practices can aid businesses in crafting words that resonate with their intended audience. First, it's essential to use active language which guarantees your sentences have a sense of excitement and urgency. 

Additionally, keep sentences and paragraphs short when constructing website material.

Long-form textual blocks are downright boring for readers, so incorporate visual elements such as images, GIFs or videos to break up the text. This creates a more engaging website that is easier for readers to ... read! 

Using customer reviews or case studies in your writing is another great tip; this provides possible customers with social proof of why they should trust you with their business. 

It's also important to include a clear call-to-action at the end of each page in order to drive conversions - ensure these CTAs are suitable for the page content and motivate visitors' desired action (e.g., purchase a product or sign up for a free trial). 

When creating website material such as product descriptions or service pages, it's good if businesses imagine from the perspective of their ideal customer:

What do they need? 

What do they want?

What type of language appeals most? 

Write for those points alone - I'm sure your copy will be great. 

Lastly, the golden glow question!

How can you construct words to capture your reader's attention?

Answer: Make your writing fun, friendly and engaging. It's that simple!

Looking For a Freaking Awesome Copywriter?

You're reading one right now! This post was written by me, Sophie, a superb, utterly adorable freelance copywriter and the founder/CEO of Sophie Copy Company.

Simply fill in this contact form if you're curious about me writing for your brand!