Writing good website copy is an important part of running a business or organisation online. Good copy can help turn visitors into customers, build trust, and establish credibility. It can also help you make your message clearer, improve your brand, and get more people to visit your site. Here are 20 tips on how to write great website copy that will engage and persuade your audience.
1. Define Your Target Audience
Before you start writing, you need to know who your audience is. Who are they and what do they want? What are they saying? If you know who you’re writing for, you can write copy that speaks to them and answers their specific questions.
2. Know Your Purpose
What do you want the copy on your site to do? Do you want to teach your audience something, convince them to do something, or do both? Having a clear goal will help you keep your writing on track and make sure your copy works.
3. Keep It Simple
People who visit websites are usually in a hurry and don’t have much time to read long, complicated sentences. Make sure to use clear, short, and easy-to-understand language. Don’t use jargon or words that aren’t important, and get to the point quickly.
4. Use A Strong Headline
The headline is often the first thing people see when they come to your website, so it’s important to make it count. A good headline should grab the reader’s attention, tell them something useful, and be relevant to them. It should also match the rest of your writing.
5. Use Subheadings And Bullet Points
Use either to break up your copy and make it more visually appealing. They can also help draw attention to important points and make your writing easier to read.
6. Use Active Voice
It makes your writing clearer and more interesting. It also gives a sense of movement and action, which can be especially helpful in calls to action.
7. Use Descriptive Language
Using descriptive language can help bring your writing to life and make it more interesting to read. Use adjectives and sensory language to give your readers a clear picture of what you’re talking about.
8. Use Storytelling
Stories are a powerful way to get your audience’s attention and help them connect with your brand. Use stories, case studies, and other real-life examples to show your points and make your writing more relatable.
9. Use Testimonials
This is a great way to build trust and credibility with your audience. Think about putting quotes from happy customers or clients on your website to help persuade other people to act.
10. Use Social Proof
Social proof is the idea that when people see other people doing something, they are more likely to do it themselves. You could tell your audience how many customers or users you have, what awards you’ve won, or what the media has said about you to help them trust you.
11. Include A Call To Action
A call to action, or CTA for short, is a statement that tells your audience to do something, like sign up for a newsletter or buy something. Make sure your website copy has a call to action to help people get to where you want them to go.
12. Optimize For Search Engines
The main goal of your website copy is to engage and persuade your audience, but it’s also important to optimise your copy for search engines. This means using keywords and phrases that your target audience is likely to use when looking for your products or services.
13. Use Formatting To Your Advantage
Making your copy easy to read and scan can make a big difference in how well it goes over with your audience. Use short paragraphs, headlines, and subheadings to break up your copy and make it look better.
14. Use Images And Graphics
Pictures and graphs can help you show what you mean and make your writing more interesting. Just make sure to use high-quality images that go with your content and don’t use too many of them so that they don’t take away from your message.
15. Use White Space Effectively
White space is the empty space around your website’s text and other elements. It can help make your content easier to read and more appealing to look at. Make sure to use white space well by giving your text and other elements plenty of room to breathe.
16. Use Power Words
These are words that make people feel something and can help convince them to do something. Words like “free”, “guaranteed”, “proven”, and “you” are examples of powerful words. Be careful not to overuse power words, as this can make your writing sound spammy or fake.
17. Edit And Proofread
You need to edit and proofread your website copy to make sure it is free of mistakes and easy to understand. Make sure to give your copy a careful read and make any changes that are needed. You might even think about hiring a professional editor or proofreader to make sure your copy is perfect.
18. Test Your Copy
Once you’ve written the copy for your website, you should test it to see how well it works. You can track how well your copy works with tools like Google Analytics and make any changes you need. You can also get feedback from friends, coworkers, or customers to find out how your copy is being received.
19. Use Clear, Actionable Language
The words on your website should be easy to understand and encourage people to act. Use clear, actionable language instead of vague or general language. For example, instead of saying “We have a lot of products”, say, “Check out our selection of good products”.
20. Keep It Up To Date
Make sure to check and update your copy often to make sure it is correct and up-to-date. This can keep your audience interested and also help your site rank higher in search engines.
Conclusion
By using these tips, you can write website copy that is interesting, useful and gets people to visit your site. Keep in mind who you’re writing for, use clear and concise language, and add calls to action to help your visitors get to where you want them to go. So, these are some tips that can help you write great website copy that will engage and persuade your audience.
