Good design gets someone to stay on your page for three seconds. Good copy is what gets them to actually do something. Most website projects spend weeks on design and an afternoon on copy, which is backwards. Here's how to think about it instead.
Start with what the visitor needs to know, not what you want to say
Most business owners write copy from the inside out: what we do, how long we've been doing it, what makes us different. Visitors read from the outside in: what's this, is it for me, and what do I do next. Lead with their problem, not your history.
A simple structure works for almost any page:
- What you do, in plain language, in the first sentence.
- Who it's for, or what problem it solves.
- Why you, briefly: proof, not adjectives.
- What to do next.
Write for scanning, not reading
Most visitors scan a page before they read it. Short paragraphs, clear headings, and bullet points aren't a style choice; they're how people actually process a webpage. If a sentence needs a comma to explain a comma, cut it in half.
Avoid these common mistakes
- Leading with "Welcome to [Company Name]." It tells the visitor nothing about what you do.
- Vague claims instead of specifics. "Quality service you can trust" says nothing. "Same-day quotes, licensed and insured" says something.
- Burying the call to action. If someone has to scroll to find how to contact you, the page isn't done.
- Writing for yourself instead of your customer. Industry jargon that makes sense internally often means nothing to a first-time visitor.
Homepage copy
Your homepage has one job: make it obvious what you do and who it's for within a few seconds. Save the details for service pages. If you're not sure what belongs on this page versus deeper pages, see what to include on your website's homepage.
Service and product page copy
This is where specifics matter most. Name the problem you solve, describe the outcome, and answer the objection a visitor is silently having ("is this expensive," "will this work for my situation"). This is also the copy doing the heaviest lifting on landing pages, where a single page has to carry an entire conversion.
About page copy
Visitors read your about page after they're already interested; it's a trust check, not a first impression. This is a good place for your story, but keep it in service of why someone should choose you, not a full history.
Copy and brand voice
Good copy is consistent with how your brand looks and sounds everywhere else. If your website copy reads formal but your Instagram is casual, that inconsistency is noticeable. This is part of what a brand identity is really doing behind the scenes.
The bottom line
Design gets someone to look. Copy gets someone to act. If you're investing in a website redesign or a new site, budget real time for copy, not an afternoon before launch.
Need help with your website's copy?
Copywriting is part of the digital marketing design work I do alongside web design. If you have a site that looks right but isn't converting, get in touch, and I can take a look and tell you where the copy is working against you.