Why Your Website Needs Great copy
I am so passionate about the importance of great copy when it comes to marketing.
And as for creating a website, then effective, concise copy that delivers your brand message is an essential element.
For small businesses looking to build and grow, getting your website copy right is possibly one of the most important things you can do.
Especially, if you’re a service provider. You need to use the copy on your website to educate, excite and ‘draw in’ your potential customers to get them closer to investing with you.
Without a physical product for them to touch, try and test, then it’s the words you use that will sell your service. Whether that be your own on your website, or the referrals and testimonials from happy clients.
Just why is copy so important?
Gold-standard copy not only grabs the attention of your visitors, but it also keeps them engaged. It has the power to captivate readers, compel them to continue exploring your website, and ultimately convert them into customers or clients.
Studies suggest you have less than 7 seconds to impress a new visitor to your website and intrigue them enough to read on. If that’s the case, then to keep your bounce rate low, you need to ensure the words you are using make the right impact.
Getting your copy right will communicate your brand voice and personality.
… capture the essence of who you are and what you offer. Get it wrong, and you risk losing your audience or working extra hard to attract them. Get it right, and that’s when the magic happens!
Tamsin Rennie, Monroe Creative Branding and Websites
The worst thing for any business is to get lost among all the other noise out there. You absolutely have got to ensure you stand out for all the right reasons. You need to differentiate yourself from competitors and create a lasting impression.
Your brand is so much more than a logo, it’s your purpose, your why. It’s the values you hold dear and the vision of what you want to create. To build that all important trust with your audience, it is imperative that you take the time to get this right. If all this has your mind reeling, check out this free resource from Tamsin, ‘Finding your brand essence workbook’.
Your website is the place you build relationships
It’s where you’ll tell your audience what you do and why, so you need to know exactly who it is you’re looking to reach. Brilliant copy does not come in a ‘one size fits all’ option. It takes time, practice and accuracy to make a connection with the right audience and to start building long lasting, mutual business relationships.
You need to understand who your dream client is, my workbook here will help. This will give you a strong base to start creating copy that resonates with them immediately, and keep them engaged in the long-term with what you have to say.
You should speak to their pain points and effectively communicate the benefits of your services and products. Illustrating to them that you really understand them and empathise with where they are struggling.
Let’s not forget it feeds the ‘creepy crawlies’
Of course, great copy is also crucial for search engine optimization (SEO), enabling your website to rank higher in search results and attract more organic traffic.
Those cunning little crawler bots are all over your website, all of the time. So by defining the keywords and questions that your customers will be typing into the search bar, and building them into your language you’ll become a trusted site that search engines serve up higher in the rankings on their results pages.
Now, I have to say that I’ll always put true connection and the opportunity to build relationships above the requirement to please AI, but it absolutely should only be ignored at your peril, so do your research!
your website designer will love you
I’ve worked with many fabulous website designers and they all tell me the same thing, when a client has great copy, amazing images, and a clear vision for what they want - then the project is a dream. If any one of those elements are missing then the dynamics change and the project can stall until they are in place.
It’s really common for website first timers to literally have no idea of what goes into the creation of an epic website. And why should they? They are a business whizz in their own zone of genius, not websites and copywriting. So, it can often come as quite a shock just how much input your designer will require from you, up front, before they will start building your website.
Your copy is one of those things. There’s very little they can do without having the words to fill the pages they create.
Do your business (and branding & website) justice with well written content and messaging. A beautiful design can’t stand up on it’s own if your values and purpose aren’t conveyed properly, or if the spelling/grammar needs work.
Katie Caldwell, Geek Boutique Design
Brilliant copy is a worthwhile investment
Ultimately, investing in great copy ensures that your website is not just visually appealing but is also a powerful marketing tool that drives results and helps you achieve your business goals.
By outsourcing your website copy to a passionate copywriter who really gets your drive and vision, not only will you have great confidence in what they create for you, but you’ll also get back all the time and headspace you’d previously been dedicating to the task. Allowing you to concentrate on what really lights you up and the reason you started your business in the first place.
If you’re looking to create your first website, or refreshing what you already have in place then I really recommend taking a look at Katie’s workbook ‘The Website Project Planner’, she details every aspect that you’ll need to consider, the average time-scales for different tasks and she even has a directory of her favourite freelancers to work with!
If you’d like to chat with me about your website copy, whether you’re starting from scratch, or giving your current online presence a refresh then book in a chat here or send me an email hello@suzannefrear.co.uk
Speak to you soon!
Sooz x
