The Ultimate Guide to Writing Website Copy That Elevates Your Brand

Writing your website copy can be daunting, especially when you’re already juggling a bajillion other business responsibilities. 

Your copy needs to be engaging and informative and showcase your brand's unique voice. You also want it to resonate with your target audience and compel them to action. 

It feels like a lot, but mastering your website copy is absolutely doable. 

I’ll walk you through the ins and outs of writing copy that speaks to your audience and turns them into loyal customers. No jargon, no fluff, just practical, hands-on advice to get you started. 

So grab a cup of coffee, get comfy, and let's turn your website into a captivating platform for your business.

Understanding Copywriting

So, what exactly is copywriting? Let's demystify it.

Defining Copywriting

Copywriting is writing persuasive text, known as “copy,” that inspires the reader to take a specific action. The action could be signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or even developing a positive brand perception.

Copywriting vs. Content Writing

While most business owners don’t differentiate, there is a difference between copywriting and content writing. 

Content writing is writing informative material that educates, informs, or entertains, like blog posts or ebooks. 

Copywriting, on the other hand, is sales-oriented. It's about getting your audience to take action.

Your Businesses Needs Good Copywriting

Good copywriting can make a world of difference for a small business. 

It can help you:

• establish a strong brand

• build trust with your audience

• boost your sales

• improve your website's SEO

Understanding copywriting and how to do it well is a crucial skill for a business owner. Let’s look at how you can develop this skill and put it to work for your business.

Knowing Your Audience

Writing effective website copy begins with understanding your audience. After all, you can’t connect with potential customers if you don't know who they are, what they want, or the problems they're facing.

You need to start with audience research.

Audience Research

Audience research gives you valuable insights into your customers' behaviors, preferences, and needs. These details help you tailor your copy so your ideal customers feel heard and understood. 

While the research might feel like one more thing to do on your already lengthy list, it’s too important to overlook. This information can significantly impact your engagement and conversion rates.

You can conduct audience research and gather data about your target customers through various methods. 

Start with identifying your ideal customer personas, which might include things like:

• their age

• occupation

• interests

• and pain points

Then use surveys, interviews, and social media analysis to collect insights directly from your potential customers. 

Analyzing competitors' websites and social media platforms can also give you a comprehensive view of your audience. 

Tools like Google Analytics or customer feedback forms can also help in identifying trends and user behaviors that influence the way you craft your copy.

The goal is to align your website copy with the genuine needs and preferences of your audience so your copy resonants. 

Creating Buyer Personas

Once you have a handle on who your audience is and what they need, you want to create a buyer persona. 

A buyer persona is a detailed description of your ideal customer. Your persona should include demographic information, interests, behaviors, and, most importantly, the goals and challenges your persona faces related to your product or service.

Creating a buyer persona might seem intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. To start, focus on building one primary persona. Think about your most common or ideal customer – what are their needs? What problems are they trying to solve?

Building the buyer persona requires some legwork. You'll need to dig into your customer data, conduct surveys, or have direct conversations with your customers. The goal is to get a holistic understanding of your customers, what they care about, and what drives their purchasing decisions.

And please remember, the objective here is not perfection. Over time, as you gather more information about your customers, you can refine your persona and create additional ones if necessary. However, even one well-thought-out persona will determine how effectively you communicate with your audience through your website copy.

Understanding the Buyer's Journey

Next, you need to consider the buyer’s journey.

The buyer's journey is the process your customers go through from the moment they become aware of a need or problem to the point they decide to purchase a solution. Mapping out this journey helps you write copy that speaks to customers at each stage.

Buyer's Journey Stages: Awareness, Consideration, Decision

The buyer's journey can be broken down into three main stages:

1. Awareness

Your customer realizes they have a problem or need, but they aren’t sure what it is. They're looking for information and insights to help understand their situation better.

2. Consideration

Your customer clearly defines their problem or need and is actively seeking solutions. They're comparing different options to determine which best fits their needs.

3. Decision

Your customer is ready to purchase. They're looking for specific details about products or services before finalizing their decision.

Tailoring Your Copy to the Buyer's Journey

Your website copy should cater to customers at all stages of their journey. 

Awareness stage

In the awareness stage, you want to offer insights to help them understand their problem. Awareness stage content includes blog or social media posts or ebooks.

Consideration Stage

In the Consideration stage, highlight how your product or service can solve their problem. Consideration stage content might be product comparisons or case studies.

Decision Stage

And finally, for those in the Decision stage, provide the specifics and reassurances they need about your products or services so they feel confident about choosing your business.

Decision stage content includes consultations or free trials.

By tailoring your copy to each stage, you provide relevant and engaging content that helps guide your customers from awareness to decision. 

Now let’s explore how understanding your audience's pain points can make your copy even more effective.

Identifying Your Audience's Pain Points

A pain point is a specific problem or issue your target audience faces. It’s something that causes them frustration, inconvenience, or pain. 

How do you discover these pain points? 

Start by listening. This could be through customer surveys, feedback, social media conversations, or one-on-one interactions. Look for common themes or concerns that arise. 

Market research and competitor analysis can also provide insights into the common issues your target audience faces.

Once you've identified your audience's pain points, use them to shape your copy. 

Show empathy and understanding, then present your product or service as the solution. This builds strong connections with your audience. It’s a way to show them you genuinely understand and care about their needs. And you’re the one to help them.

Once you have a firm handle on your audience's pain points, it’s time to communicate what makes you different from your competitors. 

Articulating Your Value Proposition

Your value proposition is your unique selling point—the factor that sets you apart.

A value proposition isn't a catchy tagline. 

It’s a clear statement that helps your customers understand what you offer, how you can solve their problems, and why you're a better choice than the competition.

Your value proposition should be concise and easy to understand. It should answer the question: "Why should I choose you?"

Let’s look at an example.

Nike’s Value Proposition

Nike’s value prop is: 

"To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world.
*If you have a body, you are an athlete.”

Nike’s value prop effectively communicates its offer and why it matters.

The offer? Inspiration and innovation.

For who? Athletes…and that’s everyone with a body.

Why it matters? Because Nike’s target audience wants inspiration to do more and be more. And they want to wear the best footwear and apparel while they’re doing it.

And as part of its value prop, Nike models inclusivity by making it clear they aren’t like other athletic companies. A Nike athlete isn’t just someone who plays organized sports or is athletic in the traditional sense. Nike customers are diverse, with bodies of different sizes, shapes, and abilities.  If you have a body, you can be a Nike athlete.

Steps to Create a Compelling Value Proposition

How do you create your value proposition? Here's a simple process to get you started.

1. Identify Your Customers' Needs 

Leverage the audience research and pain points you've already identified.

2. List the Benefits of Your Product/Service

What does your business offer to meet these needs? Go beyond features—focus on the benefits.

3. Determine Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

What makes you stand out from the competition? It could be your quality, price, customer service, or something else entirely.

4. Combine These Elements into a Clear, Concise Statement

Make sure it communicates the unique value you bring to the table.

Remember, your value proposition is the heart of your business's identity. It should be reflected in every piece of copy you write. 

Up next, you’ll take these elements and combine them to write your website copy.

Writing Your Website Copy

If you want to create website copy that converts, several critical elements are in play. They all impact the effectiveness of your website copy.

Maintaining a Consistent Brand Voice

Before we dive into the nuts and bolts of writing copy for different website pages, let's quickly touch upon brand voice. 

Your brand voice is the distinct personality your business exhibits in its communications. It's a blend of the tone, style, and language you use, and it should be consistent across all platforms and types of content.

Whether you're writing a homepage, a blog post, or a product description, maintaining a consistent brand voice helps you build brand recognition and trust among your audience.

Writing Copy for Different Website Pages

Each page on your website has a specific purpose, and the copy should reflect that.

Homepage

Your homepage is your business's first impression. Your copy should clearly communicate who you are, what you offer, and how you can solve your customers' problems. It's also an opportunity to showcase your value proposition and make a compelling call to action.

About Page

While your audience and their needs should be the primary focus, your About page is where you can share your mission, values, and the people behind your brand. You can talk a little about your story and why you’re the person who should be trusted to help the reader with their problem. 

Services/Product Pages

Your service or product pages should focus on the benefits your products or services provide. Highlight how you solve customers' pain points and differentiate yourself from competitors. 

Contact Page

Your contact page should make it easy for visitors to get in touch with you. Provide multiple contact methods if possible, and consider a friendly, inviting tone to encourage communication.

It’s also a good place to answer FAQs.

Landing Pages

Landing pages are designed for specific campaigns or goals. The copy should be persuasive and direct, focusing on a single call to action.

Storytelling in Business

Let's talk about stories. Stories are not just for bedtime; they're a powerful tool in copywriting.

Take the example of a well-known brand like Warby Parker. 

Warby Parker made a name for themselves with their eyewear and their compelling brand story. Their website tells the tale of founders who were frustrated with the high cost of eyeglasses. They decided to start a company that provided affordable alternatives. 

The Warby Parker story resonates with the target audience who also wants affordable yet stylish frames.  The story positions Warby Parker as a relatable and customer-focused brand.

This is the power of storytelling in business. You want to weave narratives into your website copy that resonates with your audience emotionally. These narratives do more than entertain; they build trust, evoke emotions, and make your brand memorable.

Here are three quick tips for incorporating storytelling into your copy.

1. Your stories should be relevant. 

Your stories should relate to your customers' needs and the value you provide.

2. Your stories should be authentic. 

Authentic stories build trust and make you relatable.

3. Your stories should evoke emotion. 

Emotional connections drive action and help your brand stand out.

Now, let’s look at some specific best practices and tips to make your copy truly shine.

Website Copywriting Best Practices

Writing your website copy can be intimidating if you don’t ordinarily do a lot of writing. Heck, it can be a challenge even when you’re a trained writer.

But if you follow a few best practices, you can write website copy that you’re proud to show off.

Key Components of Effective Website Copy

Effective website copy is more than just stringing together catchy phrases. Your copy should be:

Customer-focused

Remember, your website is not about you; it's about your customers. Talk about the problems you can solve for your customers and how you can make their lives easier.

Clear and concise

Avoid jargon and unnecessary fluff. Keep your sentences short and your language simple.

SEO-friendly

Incorporate relevant keywords into your copy to help improve your website’s visibility on search engines. More on this later in the section “SEO and Copywriting.”

Action-oriented

Every page should guide visitors toward a goal. Use clear, compelling calls to action to guide them on what to do next.

Tips for Effective Writing

Headings and Subheadings

Headings break up the text, make it easier to read, and provide a roadmap for your content. Make your them descriptive and attention-grabbing.

For example, Make Your Website User-Friendly in 5 Easy Steps

This heading is descriptive because it tells the reader exactly what the article is about. It is attention-grabbing because it uses strong verbs and a clear call to action. And it is easy to read because it is short and to the point.

Call-to-Action (CTA)

A CTA guides your visitors on what to do next. Your CTA should be clear, persuasive, and action-oriented.

Stay away from ambiguous calls to action like "Learn more."

While not the worst CTA, it’s not specific enough. 

What does "learn more" mean? Does it mean reading a blog post, watching a video, or talking to a sales representative? It’s vague and doesn’t give readers a reason to take action.

A better CTA would be:

"Watch our video to learn how our products can help you save money."

This CTA is specific. It tells people they’ll learn more via video. It also offers a clear benefit to the reader—saving money.

Product Descriptions

Don't just list features. Talk about benefits. How does your product solve a problem or improve the customer's life? Paint a picture of what life would be like with your product.

Here are some examples.

Feature: A new car with a sunroof.
Benefit: The sunroof allows you to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while driving.

Feature: A new phone’s long-lasting battery.
Benefit: The long-lasting battery means you can use your phone for longer without having to recharge it.

Feature: A new computer with a fast processor.
Benefit: The fast processor means you can run programs and applications quickly and easily.

As you can see, features are the specific characteristics of a product or service, while benefits are the positive outcomes that those features can provide.

Buyers want the benefits. They’re less interested in the features.

Let’s look at formatting next. Because good copy isn’t just about the words you use. You also need to consider user experience in terms of readability and visual messaging. 

Formatting Your Copy for User Experience

Online readers typically skim through content. So, formatting your copy for easy readability is critical. And well-structured content helps users find the information they want. 

But beyond that, good formatting can guide your readers through your copy, highlighting key points and leading them to your calls to action.

A better user experience (UX) also leads to higher conversions. WebFX found that 89% of website visitors turn to a competitor to do business when they have a poor experience. Don’t give your potential clients and customers a reason to leave your website.

Here are some tips for formatting your text to improve the user experience. 

1. Use Short Paragraphs

A wall of text can be overwhelming. Break your copy into short, digestible paragraphs. Each paragraph should be no more than 2-3 sentences. 

2. Use Bullet Points or Numbered Lists

These are great for summarizing points or presenting information clearly and concisely. Like we're doing right now.

3. Use Subheadings

Subheadings break up your content and make it easy to skim. They should provide a roadmap of your content, allowing readers to quickly find the information they need.

4. Use Bold or Italics for Emphasis

Highlighting key points or important information can help them stand out. Just be careful not to overdo it. If everything is important, nothing is important.

5. Whitespace is Your Friend

Whitespace breaks up your content and gives your reader's eyes a break. It makes your content more approachable and manageable.

Choosing and Using Visuals

Words are powerful, but when it comes to website copy, your visual elements play a crucial role as well. 

Images convey emotions, infographics simplify complex information, and videos provide an immersive experience. 

A good balance of text and visuals can keep your audience engaged and make your content more memorable.

Here are some tips for choosing visuals that complement and enhance your messaging.

1. Relevance is Key

Every visual you use should support your content and be relevant to your message.

2. Quality Matters

High-quality visuals give your website a professional look and feel. Blurry or pixelated images detract from your credibility.

3. Use Visuals to Break Up Text

Long sections of text can be overwhelming. Use visuals to give your readers a visual break and keep them engaged.

4. Consider Different Types of Visual Content

Don’t limit yourself to only images. Infographics, videos, diagrams, or even gifs can add variety and depth to your content.

5. Use original photos when available and appropriate.

Stock photos have their place. But when you’re trying to stand out online, original photos add a lot of value to your copy. They’re something no one else has. 

Writing Copy that Converts

At the end of the day, your website copy is not just about telling your brand's story or offering free and valuable information to your target audience. 

You’re encouraging visitors to take action, whether that's making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form.

Let’s find out how to make your copy persuasive.

What Makes Copy Persuasive

Persuasive copy speaks directly to your reader's needs, desires, or problems and presents your product or service as the solution. 

Persuasive copy is:

• Action-oriented 

• Benefits-driven

• Customer-focused

Persuasive copy also establishes trust and credibility, often by using social proof such as testimonials or reviews, and it uses emotion to motivate action.

Tips for Writing Copy that Converts Visitors into Customers

1. Use action words. 

Strong verbs incite action. Instead of "Our product can help you," try "Our product will empower you..."

2. Leverage social proof. 

Testimonials, case studies, and reviews can reassure potential customers of the value of your product or service.

3. Showcase benefits, not just features. 

As we mentioned earlier, buyers want the benefits they’ll get from using your product or service. Show how your product or service will impact your customer's life and make it better.

4. Include clear calls to action. 

Be clear about what you want your visitors to do next, and make it easy for them to take that action.

5. Create a sense of urgency. 

Limited-time offers, countdowns, or limited stock can encourage visitors to act sooner rather than later.

SEO and Copywriting

Creating persuasive copy is only part of the equation. 

Your website copy should also be optimized for search engines so it gets found by the right people. Let's discuss that next.

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Ranking higher is the SERPs increases your website's visibility to people looking for products or services like yours via search engines.

SEO principles are the guidelines you want to follow to make your website more attractive to search engines.

This involves optimizing your website's architecture, using relevant keywords in your content, creating high-quality backlinks, and providing a good user experience.

The Role of Keywords, Meta Descriptions, & Alt Tags

Keywords, meta descriptions, and alt tags are important to SEO because they help search engines understand what your website is about. 

When you use the right keywords, meta descriptions, and alt tags, you can improve your website's ranking in search results and attract more visitors. 

Keywords

Keywords are the words and phrases that users type into search engines. Including relevant keywords in your copy can help search engines understand what your content is about and match it to these queries.

Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are the brief summary of a page that appears under its URL in search results. A well-written meta description can encourage users to click on your website when it appears in search results.

Alt Tags

Alt tags are descriptions of images on your website to help search engines and screen readers understand what the image is about. They can help improve your website's SEO, and they definitely help with accessibility.

How to Optimize Website Copy for SEO

1. Use keywords strategically. 

Include relevant keywords in your website copy, including headings, title tags, and meta descriptions.

2. Write for humans, not search engines. 

While keywords are important, it's crucial to write for readers first. Never sacrifice the quality of your content for SEO.

3. Optimize images. 

Use relevant file names and alt tags for your images. This helps search engines understand and index them appropriately.

4. Use internal and external links. 

Links to relevant content can help search engines understand your content and can improve user experience. You want to use a mix of internal and external links.

Internal links are hyperlinks that navigate to a different section on the same webpage or to a different page within the same website.

External links are hyperlinks that point to any domain other than the domain the link exists on, essentially directing the user to a different website. 

5. Update your content regularly. 

Regularly updating your website with fresh, relevant content can help improve your SEO over time.

Testing and Improving Your Copy

Effective copywriting isn't a one-and-done task. 

While following best practices and guidelines can set you up for success, the key to effective copywriting is continuous testing and improvement. Your audience is unique, and what works well for one business may not work well for another.

To discover what works best for your audience, you’ll want to use A/B testing.

What Is A/B Testing?

A/B testing, also known as split testing, compares two versions of a webpage or other user experience to determine which performs better. This can be an invaluable tool for improving your website copy. 

You might test different headlines, calls to action, or even entirely different versions of a page's copy to see which resonates more with your audience.

Use Feedback to Improve Copy

In addition to testing, you’ll want to consider the feedback you get from customers and site visitors.

Feedback can come from many sources, including user comments, reviews, or direct customer feedback. 

Tools like heatmaps and user recordings can provide insight into how users interact with your website. Use this feedback to identify areas of your copy that may need improvement. 

Common Copywriting Mistakes to Avoid

Even seasoned copywriters can fall into certain traps. Awareness of these common mistakes can help you sidestep them and create copy that hits the mark every time.

1. Writing for yourself, not your audience. 

Sometimes there’s a conflict between what you want to write and what you need to write.

The most effective copy addresses your reader's needs, wants, and concerns, not what you think is important.

2. Ignoring the benefits. 

Don't get so caught up in the features of your product or service that you forget to highlight the benefits for the user.

3. Being too wordy or jargony. 

Your copy should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and unnecessary complexity.

4. Neglecting the call to action. 

Every piece of copy should guide the reader toward a specific action. Don't leave your audience wondering what they should do next.

5. Skipping the proofreading. 

Typos and grammatical errors can undermine your credibility. Always proofread your copy before it goes live. While it’s awkward to do, you might find that reading your copy out loud helps you catch the mistakes your eyes miss.

Legal Considerations in Copywriting

While creating engaging copy is important, ensuring your copywriting is legally sound is crucial. Ignoring legal considerations can lead to lawsuits, fines, or damage to your brand's reputation.

I’m not a lawyer, but here are a few legalities to keep in mind.

Copyright Laws, Plagiarism, and Disclaimers in Copywriting

Copyright Laws

This is a form of protection provided to the authors of original works, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. Never use someone else's copyrighted material without permission.

One common mistake I frequently see is people grabbing random photos from Google to use in their content. You cannot do that. Unless you took the photo yourself, you must have permission from the original photographer to use their photos.

Plagiarism

This is the act of using someone else's work or ideas without giving them credit. Besides being unethical, it can also have legal repercussions and harm your SEO.

Disclaimers

These are statements that limit your responsibility. They can help protect you from legal liability. 

Typical disclaimers might include, for example, a statement that a customer's results from using your product or service may vary.

Avoiding legal issues in your copywriting

1. Always create original content. If you use someone else's work, ensure you have the necessary permissions and give appropriate credit.

2. Be careful about making absolute promises about your product or service.

3. Include appropriate disclaimers and be transparent about your relationships with other businesses (for example, in affiliate marketing).

In the world of copywriting, being aware of legal considerations isn't just about avoiding trouble; it's also a part of maintaining the trust and confidence of your customers. 

Final Thoughts on Writing Website Copywriting

So there you have it - your complete guide to writing website copy for your small business. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s normal. But remember, you're the expert on your own business. 

With this guide, you have the knowledge and strategies to write effective copy that resonates with your audience and drives them to action.

But don't feel like you have to go it alone. If writing isn't your forte, or if you'd rather focus on other aspects of your business, I'm here to help. 

As a professional copywriter, I can help bring your brand to life and create website copy tailored to your audience and business goals. Feel free to reach out at any time. Remember, excellent copy is a journey, not a destination. And every journey is easier with a guide by your side.

Now, it's your turn to get writing. You've got this!