Capture Their Attention

I have a job right now: to keep you reading this blog post. Why? Because it contains something that is valuable to you. 

And yet, it is difficult to get people to stay on a website. 

In fact, almost everyone skims through text blocks, and most people hang around for only 8 seconds. That means you only have 8 seconds to get your website visitors on board with your vision and inspire them to work with you. 

So how do you draw them in? Simple: write really good website copy. 

You might be wondering, “What is website copy?”. It’s just the text of your website. Website copy can include things like headings, descriptions of products and services, your bio, and media captions. And here’s the good news – even if you feel like you’re not a great writer, you can definitely write website copy that works. 

I’m going to lay out 7 tips for writing website copy for you to steal and utilize. I know you care a lot about your business. The key is getting other people to care too. 

That’s where copy comes in. 

7 Components of Good Website Copy

VISION 

First thing’s first. Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and take a deep breath. So far so good. Now sit down with a blank sheet of paper. Write a few words or phrases about your vision, product, or service. Why is it important that your website exists? 

Don’t worry about how “good” it sounds! You’ll be editing this later with a vengeance. For now, just focus on getting the essence of your vision down on paper – something that feels true to you and your brand. 

Throughout your copywriting process, keep referring back to this original vision nugget. It’ll help keep your website copy direct and engaging. 

VALUE 

Website copy isn’t just about explaining what your business does. It’s about explaining the benefits of what you do. You’ll want to answer the question a website visitor is secretly asking: why should I care? 

On that same vision-nugget paper, jot down the features and benefits of what you’re offering. Again, keep it simple, straightforward, and honest. This is still your scrap paper. 

What makes your product valuable to people? 

What’s special, funky, or unique about what you’re offering? 

What problem are you solving for your clients? 

Answering these questions will set you up to write convincing website copy and keep the quality of your content consistent throughout your website. Now you’re ready to dive into writing for real.

VOICE

This is a huge one. Here’s where you roll up your sleeves and get into the actual writing part of writing your website copy. Good copy is consistent in tone throughout the website so that your core vision is always expressed, no matter what page the website visitor happens to be on.

Do you want to sound friendly, wise, or both? Is it important to you to appear approachable and open, or would you rather establish a sense of trustworthiness and authority? Your voice will depend on your own approach to business and working with clients, your brand, and who your audience is. 

For example, you might use words like “unexpected” and “thrilling” if your audience consists of college students just leaving home for the first time, and words like “peaceful” and “rejuvenating” to homeowners in their 40s taking care of young kids. 

Still don’t know what your “voice” is for website copy? That’s okay too! You can hire a professional to write your copy for you, or find an AI copywriting tool. The goal is to express your vision and to inspire people to believe in your vision, so if outsourcing works the best for you, go for it. 

VIVID STORYTELLING

Tell a story. People can relate to vivid imagery and narrative. Draw them in by giving them real experiences to chew on and process. 

If your copy reads like a field guide, website visitors will tap out and leave your site. They are real people, and they want to read something with personality. Don’t be afraid to write as if you’re in a conversation with a human being – because you are!

VARIETY 

This one’s a biggie. It’s easy to get carried away using buzz words, but your job is to explain the core vision that you scribbled on a piece of scrap paper in Step 1. How do you make your products? How do you source things? How do you communicate with clients? What is your educational background? 

By varying your descriptive language and using multimedia, you can express your vision (products, services, and offerings) from many different perspectives. If you keep it interesting in your website copy, people will reach the end of their browsing time convinced that their lives will be better off with you and your services. 

(DON’T) VERBALIZE

Aim for short and sweet. That’s how good website copy gets the message across. 

Edit your writing down. It’s tough, but necessary. Think you’ve made it short enough? Make it shorter. Make every text block scannable. Start with the most important information first. Though today’s search engine algorithms are now favoring longer-form blog posts, it’s still about quality over quantity. Adding extra words that don’t contribute to your core message in a meaningful way is just wasting everybody’s time.

VITALITY 

Here’s where you sprinkle in the fun stuff. These might seem like small potatoes, but they’re very important to increase engagement on your website. I’m going to write this section as a bulleted list because it’s easier to read that way: 

  • Add CTAs (Calls To Action) into your text 
  • Add internal links to send readers to other parts of your site
  • Use SEO keywords to increase your searchability

It’s also helpful to carry out monthly maintenance on your website by doing a website audit. You can do this on your own, or contact us to get some help. 


Simplicity Matters 

Good website copy is simple. It’s inspiring, and it’s not stuffy. It can convince your audience to believe in your vision, and understand how your service or product will benefit them. I hope this gave you some ideas on how to go forth and create some awesome copy for your website. You got this! 

The Option to Outsource

By default, we include a budget for full website copywriting in all Wheelhorse Web flat rate web development packages. We work with writers within our trusted team and network, but we can also make a recommendation for you if you’re looking to hire a freelance copywriter. Don’t hesitate to reach out. We work often with Jodi Lawaich at Rural Solutions and Heather Frechette-Crowley at Root Marketing.