If your website copy isn’t doing what you want it to (aka, converting) it may be time to partake in a bit of website copy troubleshooting.
Knowing where to start when it comes to tidying up your website copy can feel a bit daunting, especially when it holds so much importance. However, it’s likely that you’ll only need to make a few small tweaks to ensure it’s benefitting your business.
To get started, troubleshoot the points below – you’ll be surprised by how much difference they make!
Troubleshoot your Website Copy
1. Less is More
When it comes to writing copy for your most important website pages (i.e. your home page) it can be tempting to throw everything and the kitchen sink at it.
You want to share the history of your business, your story, your goals, and your triumphs. You hope that giving all this information in one go will really help your potential customers to get to know you and your business, meaning they’ll be more likely to want to buy from you.
And they might! The only problem here is, they’re already halfway down your home page and they still don’t know what it is you do or whom you do it for.
When it comes to your homepage (and any other website page, for that matter!), clarity is key. Human beings have incredibly short attention spans – eight seconds to be exact. You’ll usually find that, if after eight seconds, that website user hasn’t found exactly what they’re looking for, they’ll click off on their merry way to find a website that does tell them what they need to know without beating around the bush.
Instead of blurting your entire business story out in one go, focus on a simple statement that explains what you do and whom you do it for. This statement should be the first thing to feature on each page.
This way, you’ll ensure that your potential customers are getting exactly what they need when they need it and they won’t be tempted to find the information they’re looking for elsewhere.
If your website pages are filled to the brim with info, get reducing and remember to highlight that key statement wherever you can!
2. Specify your Offer
As a business offering a service or product, you’ll likely feel the need to go above and beyond to help your potential customers in any way you can. But remember, it’s important to specify exactly what it is you’re offering, otherwise you may attract the wrong customers.
For example, if you’re a cleaning company providing services in the West Midlands, but you don’t specify your location, you’ll get queries from all over the country. And you’ll have to turn them down.
Specifying your exact offer right from the word go not only helps potential customers to feel fully informed so they can make the right purchasing decision for them, but it also saves you the stress of receiving leads that can’t be turned into conversions.
Read through your copy and specify any information you find that is far too general – it’ll help you find your perfect target audience and start converting.
3. Less Selling, More Showing
If your website copy really isn’t converting, it could be because you’re focusing on selling your product or service, rather than showing your potential customers how investing could benefit them.
Think about it this way. If someone tells you to buy something, do you do it immediately just because they said so? Or do you put some thought into it? Do you consider the pros and cons and then make a buying decision based on whether the benefits solve your problem?
We know what we’d do!
Instead of telling your potential customers to buy what you’re offering, persuade them to want to do so. Talk about your products or services in a positive light, include testimonials and case studies and let your potential customers decide for themselves.
Check through your copy and swap out anything that is bordering on being a little too sales-y.
4. How Many Keywords is Too Many?
Another area you should be aware of when troubleshooting your website copy is SEO. It’s frequently drilled into us that keywords are the be-all and end-all, and if you’re not using them, your website will die a slow and painful death (or something along those lines).
And, while it’s true that keywords do play a part in making your website visible to potential customers, going overboard can have the opposite effect. Using your keyword too often can give the impression that you’re writing for the search engine, rather than your human potential customer.
This takes away any authenticity your content may otherwise have and means those potential customers may be put off buying from you.
So, while it’s important to have your keywords in mind when writing your website copy, don’t overload it. Write for your audience first, and the search engine second. Always.
3. Break It Up
When it comes to website copy, the last thing your potential customers want to be faced with is huge chunks of text. In their minds, they already know they’re going to have to wade through said chunks of texts to find the information they need. Not something they want to be doing when they want a simple quick fix or a need-it-now piece of advice!
Instead of clumping all your text together, use the white space on your website and separate text out into clear, short, digestible sections.
This will allow your users to source the information quickly and easily they’re looking for, without risking them feeling frustrated and clicking off.
Writing website copy is a difficult craft to master, but by implementing these simple tips you’ll begin to troubleshoot some of the website copy issues that may have been preventing conversions.
Website Copy at The Edwards Company
If you’re still not seeing the desired effect when it comes to your website copy, we can help. We write tailored, targeted website copy for businesses, designed to appeal to their perfect potential customer.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our brilliant copywriting team.