Your website is the place to tell your dream customers who you are, what you do and why they need you to help them. Often, no one tells you how to write copy for your website. Figuring out what copy to have on your website can be overwhelming too. You’ll want to feature enough information to inform your visitors, but not too much that it’s information overload. There is a fine balance.

At this stage, it’s worth noting that I tend to recommend that you hire an expert to write the copy for your website. It’s very common for website copy to get completely overlooked and it can be an afterthought. Having worked with copywriters over the years, I have learnt that actually your website copy is just as important as the design of your website and that the two should work in harmony. 

However investing in a copywriter can feel like a big expense, especially when you’re right at the beginning of your business journey. That’s why I’ve created this guide to help you write effective website copy that will help your website reach its goals.

You can find out more about one of the copy writing gurus I follow here and learn more about her knowledge and wisdom too.

Before you start 

Before you get going on writing your website copy or get overwhelmed looking at a blank page, there are a few things to consider before you start:

Tone of voice

This may come as you write, but remember to try not to be too formal and write how you would speak. A top tip here is to actually record yourself talking and you, your business and what you can offer is a great way to stop your copy from being too formal. This can also help you with ideas and you can piece together your recordings as written copy.

Use ‘we’ or ‘I’

As you write, make sure to stick to either ‘I’ or ‘we’ when referring to your business and yourself. If you are a team then, of course, the use of ‘we’ is fine. Some solo business owners can be tempted to make their business sound bigger than it actually is as they can feel this makes them more legit as a business. However, if you are running a business that has you at the forefront and you are the face of the brand, using ‘I’ is a powerful way to connect with your audience and create a more personable feel.

Be clear

Make sure to be clear and concise in what you say and don’t overload your copy with jargon. It should be easy to read and discover what you do and who you help.

Consider basic SEO

There are some basic SEO (search engine optimisation) guidelines to keep in mind as you start writing content for your website. This is so that your website cane be ranked on search engines and your ideal customers can find your site when they type in questions or search for key words.

Those guidelines include having a headline (H1 tag) and paragraph text on each page. As far as SEO is concerned, shorter paragraphs help with readability and keep the visitor engaged on the page.

For SEO purposes you’ll also need to consider making your website copy scannable, relatable on a human level and emotive. Google is more likely to consider your site trustworthy if your copy is a little longer than you might think. Most SEO experts recommend aiming for around 250 words for each page if possible.

Now I have laid out the basics, let’s get into writing the copy for your specific website pages.

Copywriting for Your Homepage

First impressions count here and your homepage will usually be the first port of call for your website visitors. A website homepage should clearly guide visitors on the journey you want to them to take. Think of it as the the index page of a book that leads them to the next steps, lets people know they are in the right place and set the tone for the whole site.

Use your homepage to create a flow and make it completely obvious what your visitor is supposed to do next. Is it to watch a video, sign up to your newsletter or buy your latest product?

It’s important that your homepage has what’s called a hero section. This is the section of the page above the fold, so before any scrolling is done. In this section it needs to be immediately clear exactly what you do, who you do it for and there needs to be a call to action. You can find out more about home page hero sections in this blog post.

In general, throughout your homepage should include clear, big, and obvious calls to action (CTA). Your home page may allow for several different CTAs and several different sections.

For your homepage’s copy, some things you’ll need are:

• A short description of what you do and who it benefits
• A short description of your services
• A short description of you and what it’s like to work with you
• Your brand’s vision or mission statement
• A section to sign up for email newsletter

These are all a chance to show off your voice, your personality, and introduce your website visitors to you and how you can help them solve their problem.

Copywriting for Your About Page

Ok, stop right there. First things first, your about page isn’t actually about you at all. Ultimately you’re the guide and the friend, but you’re providing a path to success, and your customer is the hero in this story. 

An about page that’s filled with information on your life story, your hobbies and what you like eating for breakfast might fill a page, but is it really going to convert your visitors into customers? As well as featuring the above, it’s also necessary to give people the context of who you are, your values and why you’re the best person to help them get to where they want to be.

An about page that’s written with converting your website visitors in mind can show off your skills as well as help them see themselves on the page and see how they can achieve their goals with your help.

When you write your about page copy, think about what information is most important to your reader. This key information will need to be above the fold. This way you can answer their questions without even making them scroll.

And on your about page, include at least one CTA. Remember, most people aren’t just looking for your life story. They’re looking for an opportunity to engage with you, so here it’s important to mention your brand values and all the ways that your dream clients will connect with you.

For your about page’s copy, some things you’ll need are:

• Your story/how you got started
• A few personal facts about you (so your site visitors can relate)
• your company values, vision, or mission
• your credentials, certifications, and experience
• the vision your dream client is looking at achieving, and how you can get them there

Copywriting for Your Services Page

Your services page is one of the most important pages on your website. It’s where you can take your website visitors on a journey from where they are today to where they want to be.

Use this page on your website to answer questions and make it super clear what you do and how it benefits your visitor. 

What are your services or products? 

What are their main features and benefits? 

How can they help your dream client achieve their goals? 

If you are a service-based business, be sure to outline the next steps in the process clearly. Explain how they’ll work with you and what they can expect if they’re hiring you. 

After you set those expectations, use this page to also encourage your prospective clients to contact you or learn more.

For each of your services, include the following:

• Name of each service offered
• Price of each service
• Deliverables of each service
• Your process and timeline
• Link to schedule an appointment or contact you

Copywriting for Your Blog & Blog Page

Having a blog is a massive plus to Google and other search engines. But aside from getting a good ranking from robots, a blog can help you build relationships and share value. It’s a free, simple way to continue bringing people back to your website.

For your blog page’s copy, some things you’ll need are:

• Short description of your blog and what you’ll be posting about 
• A list of your blog categories
• A call to action to read the latest blog, or subscribe to get notified when you post new blogs

You don’t need a ton of copy on your blog page, but what does matter is having content on your blog! I recommend having at least 3 keyword-focused blogs on your site from the start. So when you launch your site, your visitors can get a feel for you, your brand, and your experience in your industry. 

Copywriting for Your Get in touch page

Your website’s get in touch page is a simple page that features a contact form designed to collect potential client information. Wondered why I haven’t called it a contact page. In my view, contact seems a little formal, but you are of course fine to call it a contact page if you prefer and you feel that’s more relatable to your dream clients.

Quite simply put, make it extremely easy to contact you. Your dream client has scrolled through your site and decided you might be a good fit! You want to make sure it’s as easy as possible for them to connect with you

For your contact page, include the following:

• Any contact information you want to include, like your email address and phone number
• A contact form, with all fields you need to know from your prospective client- you can list these out.
• How long it will take for you to respond (E.g., 24-48 hours or 1-2 business days)
• FAQs

Copywriting for Your Testimonials

Rave reviews can be the “make or break” moment for potential clients to book your services. You should be using testimonials to help establish your credibility. 

You’re responsible for answering customers FAQs, describing your services, and making the process simple and easy on your website. But having testimonials are the cherry on top, sweetening your services and sealing the deal.

Testimonials work because they aren’t strong sales pitches. They come across in an unbiased voice and establish trust. On a testimonial page, you’re using real people to show success in your product or service.

For your testimonial copy, some things you’ll need are:

• At least 3 of your best testimonials
• An image of the person giving the testimonial for credibility

Copywriting for Your Opt-in Content

This is where your website can really start helping to convert your visitors into customers. A lead magnet is an offer or resource for customers to subscribe to. This could be a long-form downloadable PDF, checklist, or guide or sign up to your updates. It can tell users how to do something related to your services, or it could be as simple as a discount code.

Create copy for your opt in that’s enticing to your dream clients and makes it irresistible for them to sign up. What will your opt in offer them? Will it solve a problem? Set the scene here with the transformation and how the opt in will help them?

You might have a number of other pages on your website, but the above definitely covers the basics. Once you have started writing your website copy you should get into the swing of things and this will make writing the copy for the rest of your site more manageable.

Remember that you should be writing your website copy with your ideal customers in mind at all times. How can what you have to offer help them and remember what the aim is of each section of your website.

Your website designer will help your copy and your website design work together. They’ll help make sure your website copy is broken up into manageable and readable chunks, that it’s legible and that it helps convert your website visitors. And finally, remember that your website copy is just as important as the design of your website in achieving the overall goals of your site.

If you have any questions or need help with your website copy get in touch. I’ll be happy to help or refer you on to one of my trusted website copywriters to help you further.