Top advice for non-writers and website DIYers

Encore careerists, founders, and small business owners are often plunged into learning the type of business-critical tasks that entire teams of people would handle in the corporate world.

Suddenly, you're jack-rabbiting your own HR, marketing, budgets, sales, IT, and website-building like a pro.

Now, you must learn how to write website copy that magically increases rather than repels sales. Okay, exhale. There are fundamental principles to crafting website copy that has the power to keep your website visitors onside.

Read on for professional techniques on how to write website copy that resonates and common 7 deadly copywriting sins to watch out for.

I've got you, Ernest Hemingway, so let's go…

What  Exactly Is  Website Copy?

Website copy is a fancy way of describing the words on your website. Your copy’s purpose is to inform, persuade and sell in line with your branding and goals.

• Your words should make people feel super-confident they have landed in the right place. 

• The headlines, information and buttons should be uber clear, concise and helpful. No messing!

• Smart copywriting nudges people smoothly around your website.

• Your words drive sales or bookings.

Put Yourself In The Client's Head

Picture your dream client and wiggle inside their mind.

Now imagine they have landed on your website. They might be interested in your service, expertise, products or comparing prices.

Assume they know nothing about your business. Da nada.

Now ask yourself what the first thing is they need to know. Write it down.

If you feel overwhelmed or don’t have time for copywriting, get in touch and I’ll help you.

What The Hell Do You Do?

This is an important question and the one that needs answering first. Your newbie website visitors should grasp precisely what you do in a millisecond. It's amazing how often small businesses struggle with this, often going all-out on logo and branding without explaining what they do.

The trick is to keep things simple.

Let's start by deconstructing the copy at the top of my own home page for Wordy Girl Design:

• Wordy Girl Design’s services are obvious: Exceptional Copywriting and Website Design.

• The mission statement is prominent: Elevate your online presence / Because this crazy life is too short for mediocrity.

Clarity is your friend. Don’t be afraid to be obvious!

Now, take a look at Colorsmith, a male hair dye company. In under a second, you understand that they make custom-blended hair dye exclusively for men:

• The product description is apparent: Custom Hair Color For Men.

• The Call-To-Action button also describes the service: Craft My Color.

Clever, huh? Simplicity works like a dream. 

Here’s A Blooper

Just to be naughty, would you like to see a wrong ‘un? Of course, you do!

Bafflingly, one of my local high-street dentists has placed their online payment service on prime real estate on their homepage. “Why,” we scream, “WHY?” 

After some faffing and scrolling, you get to the part where they tell you they are a physical walk-in high street dentist, but it takes a moment.

For a writer and web designer, this is more painful than a root canal. I have scribbled out their company name to anaesthetise us from further agony.

How To Write Website Copy Like A Pro

Let’s move on from bloopers to copywriting deadly sins to watch out for. I have seven for you, naturally.

1st Deadly Website Copywriting Sin: Assumptions

The first deadly copywriting sin is assuming your website visitors want to see your logo before your products or service. Think of it this way:

If you're in the market to buy a razor, you want to know about the razor. 

DIY website designers and copywriters often position their logo or brand name as the most prominent element on their homepage and assume people know what the business does. 

You’re in luck if your company names is self-explanatory, e.g. 

Manchester Dave The Plumber / Holistic Beauty Salon & Spa, Colchester / Mindhealth Online Counselling. 

If your brand name is not descriptive, it's time to create a one-line describer or tagline.

My company is called Wordy Girl Design. Those three words need padding, so I have a short tagline:

Wordy Girl Design 

Exceptional Copywriting & Website Design

Quick Salvation: If your brand name doesn't describe your business, try this: Grab a pen and describe your business in a few words. If your location is relevant, include it.

If you’re really stuck, ask AI to come up with 30 tag-lines for your type of business. None of them will be original, and many of them will be cheesy, so be careful! Check this out to understand about AI and plagiarism. It’s important you understand the implications for your own business.

2nd Deadly Website Copywriting Sin: Ego

If your pages are littered with "we, me, myself, I, " you're missing a sales trick. Remember, the service or products are the heroes. You might be passionate about your service, but there's a time and place to tell that story!

Now, I see you, secretly thinking that your 'About' page is the place to wax lyrical about yourself. Stop right there, sinner! Check out How To Write A Killer About Page before you craft a single word.

Quick Salvation: Count the I's and Me's on each page. If there is a lot, rewrite those areas describing what your product or service can do for your customer/client.

3rd Deadly Website Copywriting Sin: Word Salad

"The road to hell is paved with adverbs", Stephen King. 

Adverbs are part of everyday language, but many can be ruthlessly erased from your website copywriting. Common culprits are:

really / very / generally / basically.

Quick Salvation: Seek and destroy unnecessary adverbs. If a word doesn't add value to a sentence, cull it without mercy. 

4th Deadly Website Copywriting Sin: The Passive Voice

Part of understanding how to write website copy is that you’ve got make your point, pronto!

A passive voice is a long-winded and waffly. 

Passive: These words have been written by myself.

Active: I wrote these words.

Passive: The road was crossed by the mouse in an attempt to escape the crazy cat.

Active: The mouse crossed the road to escape the crazy cat.

Caring, healing and holistic business often slip into using a passive voice. Try and edit your way into passively caring.

Quick Salvation: Run your words through a grammar checker. Grammarly is my bossy go-to. Learn to love it when Grammarly proactively scolds you for using a passive voice! 

5th Deadly Website Copywriting Sin: Thinking People Read Everything

People do not read website copy line by line, and they seldom read long paragraphs. Their eyes are zipping all over the place.

Your copy’s job is to help those eyeballs grasp the relevant issues so they can decide whether to linger or continue scouting your website for more information.

Compose crystal-clear headlines, images, and call-to-action buttons that make navigation easy for visitors. Strategically position your words in obvious positions.

Paragraphs should be broken into short chunks with clear subheadings. Huge swathes of unbroken text can be a turnoff. Knowing what to leave out is all part of understanding how to write website copy that resonates.

Don't be shy. Headlines, subheadings, short paragraphs and buttons are everyone's buddy because they save time. 

Quick Salvation(s): Check your headings, tag-lines, and buttons are clear and obvious. Break your paragraphs into readable chunks and chop out any waffle.

6th Deadly Website Copywriting Sin: Buzzwords

Ugh. Buzzwords and stock phrases in your website copy won't do you any favours. They are pompous and insincere. When planning your website copy, throw scorn on phrases like "end-to-end solutions" or "client-centric approach."

Neither do you need yawn-inducing stock phrases like:

"We strive for excellence in everything we do."

"Our dedicated team is here to meet all your needs."

"Delivering high-quality solutions tailored to your requirements."

To make you really wince, the dentist I referenced earlier has this questionable, waffling and confusing claim on their homepage:

[DENTIST COMPANY NAME] ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT TREATING OUR PATIENTS LIKE FAMILY WHILST KEEPING YOU SAFE.

Nurse! More anaesthetic, please.

Quick Salvation: There is no salvation for using buzzwords. Pop over and read more about buzzwords here.

7th Deadly Website Copywriting Sin: Resorting to AI

I’ve saved this blasphemous crime against copywriting for last.

It's blatantly apparent when AI writes website copy because it utterly lacks personality. 

Yep. The temptation is powerful, but stay strong, my friend. AI sounds robotic, which is problematic if your business is niche or personal. 

Remember that people do business with people, not algorithms.

Another pertinent issue is that search engines like Google crave original content. They detect AI copywriting and will penalise you for using AI generated copy and not show your website to people searching the web.

Quick Salvation: Use AI to generate ideas or a structure, then edit the pants out of it. Do not copy-paste it verbatim into your individualistic, personality-driven website. 

Now…Begin Your Saintly Typing!

The trick in writing website copy is to keep it legible, crisp and simple!

If you're stuck, or despairing or too busy to write your own website copy, get in touch. I’d love to help out.

I'll audit your copy or write the entire website copy for you, freeing you to get on with running your glorious business.

Thank you for reading. I hope it’s been useful.

If you’re pondering hiring a freelance copywriter or blogger, drop me a friendly line to arrange a no-pressure expectation-setting chat.

It’s good to talk.

Headline photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash.