The Art Of Website Copywriting - Crafting Words That Sell

Is your present website, on the other hand, really working hard for you right now, or is it reverting to a part-time role? Aside from design and user experience (two critical components of a website designed using HubSpot's growth-driven design methodology), language is also critical.

Because your website is such a vital business tool, it's critical that you convey the exact message you want your target audience to view so that your site can begin working for you.

Determine Who Your Audience Is

COPYRIGHT_MARX: Published on https://marxcommunications.com/website-copywriting/ by Keith Peterson on 2023-03-10T02:14:29.299Z

First and foremost, you must be aware of who you are conversing with. One of the first things you should do is construct your buyer personas, which is part of the strategy phase of the growth-driven design methodology. Why? Because, as a company, you want to build a website that is based on your consumers, with a deep grasp of their lifestyles, requirements, and preferences.

Using personas, you can tailor your website content (and related inbound marketing materials) to speak directly to the correct individuals in the way they want to hear it.

Create Clear, Concise, And Interesting Headlines

If you expect your website visitors to read every page of your site (or even all of the copy on a single page), you could be disappointed. That means your first impression, particularly on your home page, must be excellent.

So, how does this affect us as writers? Make scanning a priority. To tell you the truth, you're probably doing it right now. Because, with today's glut of content on the internet, you're in the minority if you're not scanning for the main takeaways.

Wherever Possible, Avoid Using Negatives

When it comes to setting a tone for your brand, you want to be remembered for the positive, solution-oriented tone you set in your copy—not for the negative content that would deter a buyer from learning more about your company.

Do you see the distinction? Users will acquire trust in your brand if you employ a positive tone and deliver a positive answer to their problem or desire. While there are times when instilling dread or a sense of urgency to act is warranted, a solid rule of thumb is to start with the positive.

More Than Yourself, Talk About Them

To be more direct, use the term "you" more frequently in your website material.

The word "you" ranks #7 in Entrepreneur's article "10 Powerfully Persuasive Terms Your Customers Want to Hear," behind other emotionally arousing words like "free," "easy," "guaranteed," and others.

Simply put, saying the word "you" causes people's ears to perk up. Humans are hardwired to consider what's best for us when making decisions, so we naturally gravitate toward content that speaks directly to us. Because the writing is more personal, conversational, and accessible, it makes us feel special, included, and connected.

Appeal To Their Emotions And Relative To Their Experiences

Similar to the last point, the copy on your website must speak directly to the emotions of your visitors.

Unbounded produced a fantastic article a few years ago that explains how to utilize content to appeal to visitors who are suffering from one of the seven deadly sins. What they outlined was a succinct and to-the-point strategy on coping with various emotions through content:

Do they have a "desire" for each other? In your copy, appeal to "desire." What about the word "pride"? Return the dish with "assurance." “Gluttony”? "Self-interest" is a good choice.

Speak To Them In Their Language

I discussed some best practices for producing personalized, engaging copy that speaks your audience's language and entices them to relate in a blog post I wrote in 2015 called Humanizing Your Brand: 8 Tips for Making Your Voice Real (and Heard).

On the other hand, if you're a technological company, you should employ industry-standard technical language and jargon to establish credibility. If you work for a personal injury firm, you should use language that is respectful to car accident victims and their families who have just gone through a horrific experience.

The idea is to communicate with your audience in a way that allows them to better absorb your brand's content. Consider "search" rather than "SEO."

Wherever Possible, Trim The (Content) Fat

Is it significant? Is it really necessary? Is it adding value to the user's experience?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions, it's time to get rid of the excess. Some people believe that a website needs a lot of material to rank well in searches, but the reality is that unless the content is valuable and obvious to the user, a lot of content will just keep them from taking action (be it making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, scheduling a consultation, etc.). And, if the end goal is for people to take action, why would we want to make it more difficult for them to do so? That brings me to my second point: don't make them think; make them act.

To Make It Easier For Users To Navigate, Include Hyperlinks Within The Copy

Internal and external linking (as appropriate) not only pleases Google, but it also provides your users with the most seamless user experience possible. It gives them the ability to learn more about your company (internal links) or a related topic to your company (external links) without having to do any work other than click. Internal connections to other pages on your website should constitute the majority of your website copy, but external links to other content (blogs, e-books, infographics, etc.) can be good for both educating your readers and gaining "link juice." Both show that your users' best interests are in the forefront of your mind.

How Much Should I Charge For Copywriting A Website?

The average cost of website authoring services in 2021 will be between $25 and $25,000 per page. This wide pricing range is due to a number of factors, including the type of material, page length, and topic. It also depends on your copywriter's or copywriting agency's expertise, experience, and background.

Do You Need A Website Copywriter?

However, if you aren't confident in your copywriting abilities or don't have time to make the high-quality copy your website needs, hiring a copywriter might be the way to go. The copy on your website is what clients initially base their impression of your firm on, so you want it done right.

Do Copywriters Design Websites?

No, is the quick response. You don't have to develop the material that will hold your work as a copywriter (print ads, billboards, websites, etc.). I'm sure some copywriters do, but most clients aren't expecting it. Having design abilities, on the other hand, does not hurt because it boosts your value.

About The Authors

Keith Peterson - I'm an expert IT marketing professional with over 10 years of experience in various Digital Marketing channels such as SEO (search engine optimization), SEM (search engine marketing), SMO (social media optimization), ORM (online reputation management), PPC (Google Adwords, Bing Adwords), Lead Generation, Adwords campaign management, Blogging (Corporate and Personal), and so on. Web development and design are unquestionably another of my passions. In fast-paced, high-pressure environments, I excel as an SEO Executive, SEO Analyst, SR SEO Analyst, team leader, and digital marketing strategist, efficiently managing multiple projects, prioritizing and meeting tight deadlines, analyzing and solving problems.