Do you secretly wish your potential clients would check out your social media channels instead of your website?
Are you a liiiittle embarrassed with your website copy and know that it doesn’t convert, but really have no idea where to start?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone – we have all been there!
In today’s blog, you will learn the exact process I use with my clients to create copy that converts (insert sigh of relief).
You might be thinking:
- What information do I need to cover on my website?
- How much convincing do I need to do? Should I show my prices on my website?
- How do I write copy that converts without sounding pushy?
- Where do I start? How do I write copy that sounds like me?
Let’s get into it!
Understand Your Customer Journey
As with any of your marketing, you must understand your customer and know what NEEDS to happen the moment they land on your website so that you can strategically craft copy and organize your content to build the like, know, and trust factor.
By doing this, you set off the attract and repel cycle. Did you know that the average person needs to be presented with something about 8-9 times before they actually pay attention to it? Let that sink in! Don’t be afraid to repeat your core messaging throughout your website or even on your social media platforms. Repetition is a good thing; you want to be known for something.
Additionally, when you use keywords consistently in your content–continuously honing in on a few major topics and providing valuable answers to people’s questions–Google will start to recognize you as an expert. Google’s job is to help people find solutions FAST. If you do a good job of adding value and become a trusted resource, your website will organically rank higher.
Another thing to note is that your website is not just an information dumping ground. It’s meant to connect you with the right people who need what you have to offer. When you get super CLEAR on your messaging, that is where the magic happens. Clarity converts. You want to have a very clear brand statement that tells people exactly who you are, what you do, and who will benefit from your services.
Action step: Map out your user experience. Be as specific as possible in identifying important events throughout a user’s site visit journey, from them landing on your site to them taking your most desired action (e.g. making a purchase, filling out your contact form, etc.).
Determine Your Website and Page Goals
Great websites have an overall goal for the entire site, plus a goal for every single page. Remember, we live in a fast-moving world these days, and people will leave your website in a hot second if it is confusing in any way.
What action do you want them to take? Subscribe to your email list? Book a free call? Click on that page?
I see so many businesses making the mistake of just dryly describing what they do instead of using compelling copy to move readers towards a specific goal or action. You’ve got to hold your customers’ hands and tell them exactly what to do!
Brain Dump Any Relevant Information
As mentioned, your website is not just a place where you house #allthethings, but it’s important to give enough information to inspire action. Side note: keyword stuffing won’t do you any good either.
Your copy should only be as long as it needs to be. Here’s the hard truth: people don’t care about you (sorry). They don’t even care about your product. They care about themselves. Your job is to show them how you’re going to serve them and make their life better.
One of the best ways to ensure that there is no disconnect between what you sell and what people actually need and want is through market research.
I love using the interactive features of Instagram Stories such as polls, question boxes, and quizzes to pair my content and offers to my audience’s struggles. By anticipating their questions and concerns in my copy, this helps build trust with my audience.
Action step: Create an outline and brain dump all the important points you want to mention in your copy. Think: what do your customers need to believe, understand, and learn in order to trust you?
Pro tip: Once you have an outline, WALK AWAY! You’ve made significant progress and I want you to take a break and come back to it later with fresh eyes. Sometimes this makes all the difference, trust me!
Fill in Your Outline With Copy
Start with the most important pieces first—headlines, value and benefit statements—and ensure that they are in the right place. Fill in story and body copy to add dimension and reinforce those important and sticky headlines. Make sure you dive into your own personal experiences, stories, and quirks to make a unique impression.
Think: how do you want to make people feel after visiting your website?
Edit and Make Your Copy Skimmable
Copy and design are like peanut butter and jelly. You want to make sure your copy is not just a block of text. Creating shorter sentences and line breaks mixed with bolded or italic text will capture people’s attention. More importantly, it makes the copy SKIMMABLE!
As we chatted about earlier, your copy should only be as long as it needs to be. The best thing to remember is to use simple language and make it as clear as possible. We buy what we understand. There’s no need to overcomplicate and use fancy words that only people in your industry will understand.
If you want more help with nailing down your brand messaging, download my free guide here and start converting in no time.
Other posts you might like:
- Three Mindset Shifts to Help Nail Down Your Ideal Client Profile
- How To Create Content Effectively Without It Taking Over Your Life
- 3 Social Media Copy Hacks To Increase Engagement
I loved the comparison between copy and designer with peanut butter and jelly. Loved here! Thanks