If you know you’re amazing at what you do and yet feel as though the copy on your website is laying a bit flat, you are most definitely not alone.
Please take solace in knowing that writing about ourselves and our services is one of the hardest things we’ll ever have to do as business owners. I think the reason it’s so hard is that it requires a unique kind of empathy – the ability to fully step outside of ourselves and see things from the other side of the table, through the eyes of our audience.
However! The good news is that with a few small mindset and tactical shifts, you’ll be speaking directly to your audience’s needs and desires in no time.
I hope the following five nuggets of website content writing wisdom will help to kick start your creative juices and get you on your way to writing copy that captivates.
1) Write in the “you” voice.
It’s all too easy to slip into writing in the first person (me, me, me) because, after all, we’re the ones talking. But the more you can use the word “you” and keep the focus on your prospect, the one you’re speaking to, the more impactful your copy will be.
2) Interview yourself (yes, really).
Try this: come up with a list of juicy interview questions for yourself i.e. What place are your clients in when they come seeking your help? or What process do you take your clients through during your work together? and then record yourself answering each. Listen back, transcribe, and see what it gets you. My guess is it will be ten times as compelling as what you might have come up with sitting down cold to write.
3) Pare down, and then pare down some more.
When you’re first writing, write tons. Ramble on and on and on. Let it flow. Write until you have way too much content. And then? Read through and get rid of anything that isn’t imperative to your message. Ideally, in the end, you’ll have just enough words to get this core message across. No more and no less.
4) Choose (carefully) between “I” and “We.”
While “you” should always come first, there will undoubtedly be times when you’ll need to make an “I” or “We” statement i.e. We look forward to hearing from you and learning how we can help. It’s a personal choice, but I’ll just say that if you yourself are the heart of your brand, you’ll most likely want to speak in the “I” voice, whereas if you’re trying to give the impression that you have a team behind you (even if you don’t), “We” will serve you well. Once you choose, keep it consistent across your entire site.
5) Tell your audience where they are and how they feel.
Have you ever found yourself on a website or landing page and found yourself thinking: “Yes! That’s exactly how I feel! That’s me!” It’s a pretty amazing feeling because we feel understood, as though someone truly gets where we’re at. That is how you want to make your audience feel. Tell them where they are i.e. You’ve had a DIY website for a long time and you’re fed up with it – you know your business deserves something better. Now you’ve got yourself some compelling copy.
Always remember: website content writing and starts and ends with your audience in mind.
Love this post? Enjoy these other quick reads on website copy from Janelle (that’s me!) at Ellanyze:
Three Pearls of Website Copy Wisdom
Creative Website Ideas: 5 Ways to Put a Little “You” Into Your Website
