Using engaging and persuasive copy is crucial for websites to make a good first impression on visitors. But I must admit, I have been asked many times …

What is website copy?

As a copywriter specialising in website copywriting, I will peel back the layers to explain and describe what web copy is.

So, whether you’re an entrepreneur or part of a company that wants to build or improve its website …

This post has got you covered.

What is website copy?

Website copy is the text you see on any website. It delivers relevant information and/or attempts to persuade readers to take a specific action.

This will include headings, body copy and calls to action and will cover many pages on the site … For example

• Homepage
• Product pages
• About Us page
• Services page

And any other text on pages across the website.

What is the purpose of website copy?

The purpose of website copy is to communicate with your target audience.

It’s designed to persuade, inform, and encourage the audience to take action. That could be to buy a product, sign up for a newsletter, get in touch for more information …

Or to browse more of your website.

So, the words you use can influence and direct user behaviour.

Well written website copy can be important for search engine optimisation (SEO).

By including relevant keywords within your copy, you can improve your site’s visibility on search results pages (SERPs) and attract more visitors.

What’s the difference between website content and website copy?

Web content and web copy are both critical for an online presence. They serve different purposes.

Website content aims to inform, educate, engage your audience and offer value that builds trust and authority in your industry.

Web content includes:

• Blog posts
• Articles
• Videos
• Images

So, website content builds a relationship between the brand and the reader.

And as I mentioned earlier …

website copy is to persuade and get the reader to take action.

In fact, compelling copy is what drives engagement.

Together, they form a complete strategy to get website visitors and convert them into customers, using the strengths of each to optimise your website.

Why does website copy need to be easy to read?

You need to make your web copy easy to read to grab and hold the reader’s attention. Why?

According to Original Box Co, visitors decide in 10-20 seconds whether to stay or leave your website.

Short sentences help the reader understand the text quickly. The text should also be clear and concise so the reader can scan the most essential information.

This way, the reader can get the essential details and navigate the website easily.

So, getting the reader’s attention in the first few seconds is vital!

How to write website copy?

Writing excellent website copy is both an art and a science.

Below, we’ll look at the principles and tactics to take your website copy from good to great.

So that it delivers essential information quickly to your visitors and compels the readers to take the desired action.

1. Know Your Audience

Knowing your target audience is key to writing good website copy to make a good first impression.

You can do this by creating your brand voice that will help your brand stand out from the rest.

It means digging deep into the needs, problems and desires of those you want to reach.

This will make your copy a mirror of their experiences and aspirations, helping you write copy that connects with your audience.

Another tool that will help you if you don’t have a brand voice is a customer avatar. This is a complete profile of your ideal customer, which will include details such as:

• Demographic
• Behaviour patterns
• Motivations and goals

A brand voice and customer avatar will allow you to direct your message to your target audience.

Researching and including keywords your target audience uses will make your copy resonate with potential customers.

Engage with your audience through surveys to get direct feedback. Then, you can refine and optimise your copy.

Remember, the goal is to make a real connection with your audience. Address their needs and offer solutions. This will build trust and motivate them to take action.

This strategic approach will get your website to make an impact and turn casual visitors into devoted customers.

2. Write Compelling Headlines

Writing headlines to grab your audience’s attention and get them to read more is an art.

A good headline is a gatekeeper to your content. It turns the casual browser into the engaged reader.

To write headlines that create a desire to read more, the written copy should:

Be Clear and Concise

Your headline should convey the value or message of your content. Clarity beats cleverness when it comes to communication.

Include Keywords

This is for SEO purposes. It also means your headlines match keywords from your audience’s search queries and interests.

Leverage Emotional Triggers

Words that create curiosity, urgency, or emotion can increase engagement. Phrases like “Book Now!” or “Don’t Miss Out” can trigger an emotional response, motivating readers to take action or find out more.

Promise Value

Your headline should promise the reader a benefit or solution. A clear, compelling value proposition will immediately tell the reader what they want to get.

Test Headlines

Use A/B testing to test different headlines. This will show you which one performs best in click-through rates and engagement.

This data-driven approach will give you detailed insights about what resonates with your audience and what doesn’t.

Well-crafted headlines pull your readers into your content and play a big part in your website’s effectiveness.

Remember, the headline is the visitor’s first impression, …

So make it count!

3. Clarity and Conciseness

To make your writing clear and concise, try the following:

• Simple Language: Avoid technical terms unless you’re writing for a niche audience that expects it. This will make your message more accessible to a broader audience.
• Active Voice: Using active voice makes your sentences clearer and more direct, making it easier for visitors to follow your train of thought.
• Cut Out Redundant Words: Review your writing for words that add no value to the message. Remove them, and your writing will be tighter and keep the reader’s attention.
• Short Sentences and Paragraphs: Short sentences and paragraphs can clarify your message. Break down complex ideas into shorter, bite-sized chunks.
• One Idea Per Paragraph: Dedicate each paragraph to one idea. This organisational technique will create a logical flow and help the reader process the information.

These tips will make your writing more precise, concise and compelling.

4. Persuasive Language

To write persuasive copy on your website, you must understand and apply the key strategies influencing decision-making to get them to take action.

Here’s how:

• Know Your Audience: This will help you write messages that use their language, reflect their expectations, and address their pain points and desires.
• Benefits Over Features: While features are important, benefits resonate with readers. Write how your product or service makes life better or solves a problem. Focus on the emotional and practical payoffs of taking the desired action.
• Social Proof: Include testimonials, reviews, and endorsements in your copy. Real-world success stories are very powerful. They show the value of your offer through the experiences of others.
• Scarcity: Highlighting the scarcity of your offer can create a sense of urgency. Use phrases like “limited availability” or “offer ends soon” to get readers to act fast.
• Powerful Calls to Action: End your pages with a strong call to action (CTA). The CTA should leave no doubt what the reader should do next. Whether it’s “Buy Now,” “Sign Up Today,” or “Get Your Free Trial,” make it compelling and easy for them to take the next step.
• Simple, Impactful Language: Choose words that have an impact and create images in the reader’s mind. Powerful verbs and precise adjectives will make your message more memorable and impactful.

By using these tactics in your website copy, you’ll persuade, resonate, and inspire. This language will turn passive readers into active participants, driving engagement and action toward your desired outcomes.

5. Strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

Strong CTAs on your website copy are vital. They’re a navigation tool that guides your audience to take the action you want them to take and become active users or customers.

A good CTA goes beyond using persuasive language. It’s also about placement and design.

A good website design will generally have a call to action button placed in the hero section of the homepage.

The structure of the hero section should use a hierarchy for the text and contrasting colours to make the CTA button stand out from the rest of the content.

Your CTAs should be direct and action-oriented. Using urgency or benefit.

Phrases like “Act Now to Get an Exclusive Offer” or “Get Your Free Guide Today!” are great. They clearly tell users what to do and what’s in it.

Also, aligning your CTAs with your audience’s interests or needs can make them much more effective. Tailor each CTA to the content on the page, so the visitor has a natural progression to take the next step.

For example, a blog post about the benefits of email marketing could end with “Start Your Free Email Marketing Trial” directly linking the content topic to the offer.

By following these, you can write CTAs that persuade and convert.

6. Optimise for Search Engines (SEO)

We’ve examined the art of writing web copy; now let’s discuss the science—SEO!

Why, you ask, does this matter?

Well, more visibility on search engines will help gain more website traffic, which means more opportunities to convert visitors into customers.

Start by conducting thorough keyword research. This will help you determine what your target audience is searching for.

Include those keywords in your website content, including headings, subheadings, and body copy, to help search engines understand what your website is about.

Also, make your website search engine friendly using logical URLs and easy-to-follow navigation.

This will index your pages and improve visitor experience …

Which is crucial to ranking for SEO.

7. Test and Refine Based on Feedback

Testing and refining your website copy based on feedback is vital to optimising your online presence.

Start by using analytic tools to gather insights on user behaviour on your site. Look at the bounce rate and time on the page to see if your content is engaging and meeting the visitor’s needs.

A/B testing is another way to test your website copy. Try different headline versions or CTA versions to see what works better with your audience.

Also, try CTA placement to see what gets better results.

User feedback is vital.

Use surveys or feedback forms to get visitor’s opinions on your content.

Direct customer feedback is like gold to any business, especially when it provides relevant information on how your audience interacts with your site.

Once you have the data, refine your copy based on what you’ve learned. This might mean:

• Rewriting unclear sections
• Rearranging for better readability
• Focusing on topics that drive engagement

Regularly monitor the results of these changes, and you can improve your web copy.

Remember, optimising website copy is an ongoing process. Test and refine to get a high-ranking website.

FAQs

Who do I get to write website copy?

If you want someone to write good copy, you should get a professional copywriter.

How do I promote my website?

Promoting your website through social media, networking at industry events, and guest blogging on other industry blogs are good ways to do so.

What’s the point of guest blogging for my website?

Guest blogging is critical to website promotion. It builds credibility, broadens your audience, and funnels traffic to your site via links.