3 Mistakes You're Making When Writing Your Website Copy
It’s no secret - writing the words for your website can be a DAUNTING task. Like, what do you even say?!
As a website designer, this is the #1 struggle my clients face during the website development and I hear it from non-clients all the time, too.
“How much do I write?” (not as much as you think)
“How do I talk about myself?” (with your brand voice)
“How do I sell without sounding salesy?” (by knowing what your audience wants to hear)
….and so on
Many people hire copywriters to tackle this task - but that’s not in the cards for everyone. Maybe it’s not in the budget, or maybe you don’t have the time to wait.
And so, you take it on. You’ve got this, I totally believe in you. And to show my support, I’m letting you in on the 3 biggest mistakes I see people making when writing the content for their site.
I also encourage you check out Write Your Website™️, my “part workbook, part course” solution to all your website writing woes. Plus, it’s only $37 so, like, why wouldn’t you?!
Okay, now to those big mistakes…
01. You’re skipping the prep work
You wouldn’t build a house without a solid foundation, and you shouldn’t’ write your website copy without a plan. By writing your content as you build your website, without thinking through your brand voice, goals (both yours and your audiences’s), and crafting a solid strategy, you’re missing out on the most essential elements of a successful website.
It might seem like extra work to go through some strategic planning for your website, but the truth is, while it does take a little time, it makes the writing part SO. MUCH. EASIER. Because you understand your ultimate objectives and what you need to do to achieve them.
In Write Your Website™️, we dive deeeep into the strategy phase, which makes the writing phase a total breeze.
02. You’re checking out the competition
I’m not saying you should never look at what others in your industry are doing or saying, but save yourself the frustration and worry by doing your own market research and owning your own voice. Too many of us want to make sure we’ve got an edge so we go peek at our competitor’s sites, and then end up worrying that we sound too much like them. By avoiding this method of “research” and sticking to building your own foundation, you can avoid sounding like you’re copying.
Instead, go back to that strategy you heard me talking about in the first mistake, and hone in on your unique brand voice. Then, do a little target-market research (you know, actually talk to them and use their words), and write to those people (or better yet person if you’re familiar with a dream client avatar) like it’s just the two of you in a room.
03. You’re trying to include #allthethings
Your website is an introduction - not an information warehouse. I see far too many people including paragraphs and paragraphs of content where there only needs to be a few sentences. Not only will all this information overwhelm your visitor, but your important points will get lost in the clutter.
Make sure you summarize (think numbered lists and bullet points) and always include your most important points in the first sentence of each paragraph. You want to give your audience just enough information to want to connect with you in other ways like social media, your newsletter, or an intro call.
In conclusion
Likely, you’re overthinking your copy, which is why it feels so dang overwhelming. By taking steps to avoid these common mistakes, you’re already ahead of the curve.
Want more? Check out Write Your Website™️ to write bomb.com copy in as little as an afternoon!