I love writing SEO website copy. It’s the service I built Raspberry Flamingo on in the early days. There’s a real art to writing great website copy.
Long gone are the days when a website should be all about the company it represents.
It’s not there to tell people all about you (even though you might think it is).
It’s there to explain the benefits of buying from you.
How you change your customer’s life.
Why they should invest in you.
Website copy has changed
Even up to a couple of years ago, the trend was to write the content of a website as though it were a printed brochure, which explained about the company and your services and products.
But that’s all changed.
When I see a website still written in that way it makes me cringe a little … but then I know better as a specialist, whilst many companies do not.
And I guess that’s why I’m writing this blog, to provide website copywriting tips.
Person-focused copy and content
At the end of 2022 Google released its new SEO guidelines.
These said that copy and content must be person-focused – ie reader-focused.
Now me and my team had been working to the guidelines for about 18 months by that point, but to many people this was all new.
When someone lands on your website, you have a couple of seconds to catch their interest.
To engage with them.
If the first bit of copy they see is about you, they’re gone!
Lost forever.
It needs to be about them.
So Website Copy Tip 1 – ask a question, or questions, at the top of every page which the reader can answer.
For example, for a cake company’s website:
“Do you need a cake for a special occasion?”
“One which will WOW everyone attending?”
“One which tastes just as good as it looks?”
You can see how that would get someone’s attention.
Short, digestible sections
No one wants to land on a web page which is copy heavy.
It takes them right back to school days and being forced to read texts they weren’t interested in!
However, that being said, you really want to be aiming for a minimum of 500 words on a web page – which if written in essay form would be approx. a whole A4 page of dense text!
Website Copy Tip 2 – break down your copy into short sections.
I’d say have a minimum of five sections per page.
Make sure there are some images interspersed too to break it up further.
And, Website Copy Tip 3 – keep your sentences and paragraphs short.
Website Copy Tip 4 – use lots of subheadings (H2’s) and use your main keyword in at least one of them.
Build on their pain
Always write compelling website content based on your customer’s pain. The pain that your product or service solves.
Think like them. You have to put yourself in their head.
They have a problem – pain. You have the solution.
The first step is to make them think about what would happen if they didn’t solve their problem.
Make it too painful for them to even consider doing nothing.
Then, next… consider… if you had their problem, what would you want to know?
What would make you want to enquire or buy?
Would you need evidence – social proof?
Would you expect to see certain facts or figures?
What would make you trust a company like yours?
Website Copy Tip 5 – think like your prospective customer and tell them what they want to hear… which may be very different to what, as a business owner, you want to tell them.
Writing engaging website copy
Website Copy Tip 6 – show personality in your copy.
The vast majority of businesses have many competitors out there.
You have to stand out.
Yes, your branding and the design of your website can help massively in that, but people are reading your words too.
Its why AI generated copy doesn’t work for long-form text such as web copy and blogs. You can tell its AI generated as it has no personality.
Incorporate phrases you use when you talk into your copy. Make jokes… Be sarcastic… Ask questions… Make it come alive….
It needs to represent the personality and values of both you and your business.
Great website copy is not a business report!
Links
It’s really helpful to your SEO if you have links within your copy.
I always try to ensure they are placed in the last third of the page and that they open up in a new window.
Google know if someone only gets part way down your page and then leaves, and it could damage your SEO if it happens often.
If you do let someone click a link and that action replaces your page on the screen with external content, many people will not hit the back button and return to your website.
In your website copy, I would recommend linking blogs you have published which explain more on the subject and links to other pages.
Website Copy Tip 7 – use links, placing them towards the end of the page and always opening in a new window.
One service, one page
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is having a ‘Services’ page and listing everything on there.
Your page title is your main keyword for that page.
Have you ever known anyone go to a search bar and type in ‘services’?
Of course not. Why would they!
Website Copy Tip 8 – Split your services down so they each have their own page.
That way Google will be able to understand the subject matter, understand that you are an expert in your field and know your stuff, and return the page on your website in organic searches.
What's next?
At the bottom of every page you must tell the reader what you want them to do next.
What is your call to action?
Do you want them to ring you?
Can they book online?
Do you provide instant online quotations?
Can they buy now?
Remember different people will be at different stages of their buying journey.
Some may have done all the research they need to and be ready to become a customer right away.
Others may need more information.
Website Copy Tip 9 – always have at least one call to action per page but, if you can, provide options.
The difference between a web page and a landing page (or sales page)
Website pages include your home page, about page, and pages for the different products or services that you offer.
If you want to encourage people to buy or book now and pay there and then, you need a sales page.
It is worth noting here that copywriters call them sales pages, where as your website developer and marketing agencies will call them landing pages.
Creating effective landing pages as part of an automated sales funnel can literally change the landscape for a business.
They’re almost like a whole website on one page.
I’m sure you’ve clicked through from an ad on social media and been taken to a hugely long page, which gives you multiple opportunities to ‘buy now’ and, if you do end up right at the bottom, probably offers you bonus products or services if you take the plunge immediately.
That’s a landing page with direct response ‘sales page’ copy on it.
Having landing pages which link to an automated sales funnel can provide huge jumps in income for a company.
The sales copy is structured in psychology and allows both the right and left brain to function and feel satisfied that they can invest in this product or service now.
Website Copy Tip 10 – if you are going to use landing pages, get your funnel built by an expert.
How to write great website copy in summary
So, there you have them. My top 10 tips on how to write great website copy.
Website Copy Tip 1 – ask a question, or questions, at the top of every page which the reader can answer.
Website Copy Tip 2 – break down your copy into short sections.
Website Copy Tip 3 – keep your sentences and paragraphs short.
Website Copy Tip 4 – use lots of subheadings (H2’s) and use your main keyword in at least one of them.
Website Copy Tip 5 – think like your prospective customer and tell them what they want to hear… which may be very different to what, as a business owner, you want to tell them.
Website Copy Tip 6 – show personality in your copy.
Website Copy Tip 7 – use links, placing them towards the end of the page and always opening in a new window.
Website Copy Tip 8 – Split your services down so they each have their own page.
Website Copy Tip 9 – always have at least one call to action per page but, if you can, provide options.
Website Copy Tip 10 – if you are going to use landing pages, get your funnel built by an expert.
But, if you don’t want to write your own, me and my team here at Raspberry Flamingo would be only too happy to help. Find more information here.
The author
Claire Taylor Foster is the founder of Raspberry Flamingo Copywriting and Content Marketing.
She started her copywriting and marketing after leaving school way too long ago to mention! Direct Response Copy is her passion. Read more on Claire here.
As far as Claire’s concerned, if copy and content doesn’t contain ‘on-page’ SEO, then it’s pointless publishing it! (Unless of course, paid advertising is going to drive the traffic.)
