Have you ever cringed when someone says they’ve looked at your website?
I have. When I was new in business and before I refined my website copy, I dreaded people seeing my site.
Yes, even as a copywriter, it took me a while to nail my message. By the time I was ready to overhaul the copy, I was already embarrassed by what people had read.
My website copywriting checklist gives you the tools to overhaul your copy. To banish the fear, brush up your web copy, impress prospects and – ultimately – win more business.
Why your web copy matters
Now, perhaps I was being a little bit hard on myself. Maybe my site wasn’t as bad as I thought! The thing is, I didn’t have confidence in my website copy.
And if I wasn’t confident with it, how could I expect anyone else to have confidence in me?
That’s why your website copy matters. To give confidence to the people that might buy from you. As freelancers, contractors, self-employed professionals, that confidence is key.
Clients want to understand that you get their pain, that you can resolve it and that you’ve done so for other people.
A miniature guide to website copywriting
There are a few things you need to get right with your website copy. It starts with the most common web pages:
Home – It needs to signal immediately to your potential customer that they’ve landed in the right place; show them you understand their problem and can resolve it. Clarity and concision are vital.
About – Keep it friendly and professional, and keep the focus off yourself; empathise with client needs and highlight how your skill and experience meets those needs.
Services – Focus on the outcome for the client, rather than simply listing features; ensure there is a clear call to action e.g., ‘book meeting’, ‘share project details’.
Projects / Testimonials – Be realistic, factual and don’t shy away from challenges in your project write-ups; demonstrate the outcome the client enjoyed.
Contact – Include a phone number and/or email address, don’t simply add a contact form – the former is more convenient for your client, the latter less so.
For a comprehensive guide to writing website copy, take a look at my blog, Website copywriting: a guide for beginners.
Start over with your website copywriting?
The good news, is that you have a website. Yes, that’s good news, even if you don’t like the copy.
You’ve got words to work with. The kernel of everything that will take your website content from ‘meh’ to ‘wow’ is already there.
My website copywriting checklist is written with you in mind. I get it. Not everyone is a copywriter, not everyone enjoys marketing. And when there are millions of other things to do, I’ve tried to make it quick and easy to craft great copy.
How to use the website copywriting checklist
With a series of ‘yes/no’ questions, it’ll help you salvage what’s possible, polish what’s almost there, and ditch what’s not working.
Download and print the PDF below, use it on your computer as a reference, audit your website copy bit by bit or all in one go… the point is that you use it!
Good luck and may it serve you well.
And if you need any copywriting help, please do get in touch.
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