Writing your own website copy? Read this first

With all the hibernation going on right now, it can be tempting to hibernate when it comes to your business, too.

Don’t do it!

Now is not the time to leave a sub-standard website as it is. It’s not the time to ghost your mailing list.

Internet usage is at an all-time high. Last week, even pre-lockdown, Vodafone said it was experiencing a 30% rise in internet traffic, while TalkTalk reported a 20% rise.
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Just because not so many people are buying right now, it doesn’t mean they’re not watching. They’re still browsing. They’re still searching. They’re still bookmarking. So, we’d all better make sure we give those hungry eyes something worth looking at.

Here are a few tips to get you started if you’re currently DIYing your website copy (this applies mainly to Service based businesses, but is also applicable to those with physical products).⠀

1. Make sure you’ve done your SEO research before you start writing

If you want to reach the right people organically (vs direct traffic, which comes when people deliberately seek you out) you’ll want to ensure you’ve done your research around keywords and phrases your ideal client is searching for. Google Adwords (using the free Keyword Planner) & answerthepublic are both good for this - type in what you think they’ll be searching, and then take a look at what else comes up. Google Adwords shows you the number of average searches as well as the competition. You want high monthly searches but low competition phrases and keywords threaded throughout your copy.⠀If you don’t have a Google Adwords account, Google Trends is a good alternative. Search by country or worldwide, and then compare and contrast the number of searches for competing phrases over a period of time.⠀⠀⠀

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2. Spend way more time editing than you do writing your website copy

Excessively editing and rewriting doesn’t mean you’ve done a bad job. It just means you’ve actually given yourself something to work with - so just bloody write something! Even if it’s useless it gives you a starting point to refine. Chip away at a page or two a day. Starting with Services is usually easier, then do your About page and Homepage (including mission statement and attention-grabbing headline etc) later.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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3. Your About page isn’t about you

Well, OK, it is a tiny bit... But it needs to be the relevant bits. The bits that speak to your customer and their challenges, and show them why YOU or your product are the thing to turn to. Make sure you show them how you can answer their problems.

People don’t buy a service, they buy a solution. Give them the solution.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Good luck! And, of course, as always, I’m here to help - get in contact if the DIY approach just ain’t cutting it, and we’ll team up.