Copywriting vs. Web Design: What’s More Important to Grow Your Leads & Sales?

Hey business owner, we’ve got a quick question for you…

If you want more leads, clients and sales (who doesn’t?!), what do you think is more important to the success of your website or landing page:

Copywriting or Web Design?

Answering this question can feel like one of those impossible hypotheticals that no one can agree on. You know the type. We’re talking about those open ended questions with no clear answer.

Tea vs. Coffee…
Summer vs. Winter…
Early Risers vs. Night Owls…
Facebook vs. MySpace…

OK, maybe we can all agree on that last one (sorry MySpace, it’s not you, it’s us. We’ve moved on). So when it comes to your website or landing page, it’s easy to assume the copywriting vs. web design debate is a matter of opinion too.

Turns out… it’s not. 🙅‍♀️

Copywriting wins (and it’s not even close).

In this article, we’ll show you how data proves that great design without great copywriting can be a waste of your time and money (no matter how flashy your website is). If you’re wondering where to confidently invest your time and resources, read on to find out.

You might be making a HUGE mistake with your website…

Paying for a website is pretty much non-negotiable in the 21st century.

Your competitors have one. Your customers expect one. And deep down you know that no business can enjoy its full potential without a website. But this investment is wasted if you don’t provide copy to support it.

It’s easy to splash anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 and up on a website (plenty of business owners do). But throwing cash at a brand new site won’t guarantee more leads, sales and conversions.

Without expert copy, your messaging won’t land, your words won’t connect with your audience, and you won’t be converting like crazy. So if you’re spending thousands on a new site, that money is gurgling down the drain if you make the mistake of skipping quality copy.

The truth is, copy can’t be an after-thought that’s added at the last minute because great web design is informed by copy – not the other way around. You might hear confident web designers claim they’ll include copy in your package, but you wouldn’t trust an electrician to remove your wisdom teeth, so it’s always best to let experts do what they do best.

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to pick up the phone RIGHT NOW and ask us to help fix your copy (though we leave the phone plugged in and charged just in case 😉).

But if you’re going to invest in a stunning, professional-looking website that WOWs your audience, you’ll want to invest in stunning, professional copywriting that WOWs your audience just as much.

“Hold on, you’re professional copywriters. Aren’t you biased?”

Honestly, we’d be worried if you weren’t asking that question.

We’ve helped clients generate hundreds of thousands of leads and tens of millions of dollars in revenue, so we’re experts through and through (we even wrote copy for Sylvestor Stallone and Gary W. Goldstein, producer of Pretty Woman… but those are stories for another day).

Chances are you want to have a greater impact through your business, work with the right type of clients, and enjoy financial freedom doing what you love. So it’s only natural to make sure the marketing advice you receive is honest and fair.

The truth is, we’re not just saying that amateur copy can sink your sales because we’re a team of direct response copywriters with a track record of jaw-dropping results (even though that’s true).

It turns out, the importance of copywriting is backed by data. This is according to the super smart folk over at Unbounce who studied 36,928 landing pages and applied the best AI models in the biz to predict conversion rates for each page.

What does the data say about copy vs. design?

*drumroll*

Copy was TWICE as important for conversion rates as design.

Hang on while we pick up this mic that just dropped 🎤🔽

But let’s pump the brakes. We can practically hear you yelling at your screen from here…

“How does that study relate to MY industry?!”

And that’s a great question (we’re glad you asked, gold star for you). That same study of 36,928 landing pages showed there wasn’t a single industry where design was more important than copy.

None. Nada. Not one.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a coach offering life-changing online courses. An entrepreneur looking to sell more products. An expert in your field trying to grow your audience and authority. Or a service provider who wants to have a greater impact (and get paid good moolah for it). Copy has TWICE the importance of design across ALL industries.

Why is copywriting so important?

Most people browse online with a purpose in mind.

Maybe they want to lose weight. Or learn new skills. Or update their wardrobe. Or become healthier and happier. Whatever their goal, they’re looking for someone who “gets” their problem and can offer an irresistible solution.

Great website copy shows people what their life will be like if they do business with you – and that’s something no website design can ever do on its own.

You might be thinking, “oh, well I can write about my services and products, no one knows my business better than me!” – and that’s true!

But here’s the catch… your potential customers don’t want to hear you talk about your business. In fact, they don’t give a ‘you know what’ about your business. Anyone landing on your website or landing page is asking the question “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?”.

If you can’t get inside their head, answer that question quickly (the average visitor stays for just 15 seconds!), and make them feel seen and heard, you’ll leave that sale on the table.

Now, multiply that lost sale by hundreds, or thousands, of lost customers.

Great copywriting can be the difference between a browser being closed, a lead being missed, a sale being lost and a flood of new business. That’s why working with professional copywriters is so important.

Savvy Copy Tip: The words you use aren’t just valuable to humans – but Google too. Your copy helps Google understand what your page is about and improves your chances of ranking for the keywords your audience are searching. The better your SEO, the more organic website traffic you receive, and the more chances to turn traffic into leads and sales.

Does web design still matter?

Absolutely.

Copy has twice the relative importance of design, but design is still hugely important.

Think of it like setting yourself the goal of improving your body. Eating healthy and hitting the gym are both going to be crucial. You can start to improve your physique through training, but you won’t see the best gains without also nailing your diet.

In the same way, copywriting is crucial but you won’t see the best results without nailing your design too. You’re just not going to win customers and impress people by cutting corners, skimping on your visuals and taking a leaf out of 90’s era web design.

Need a little proof? Check out this example of Apple’s website in the early days of the internet.

Ooooh boy, that one stings the eyes (sorry Apple!).

Remember, a great looking website or landing page will still help your conversion rate – but not as much as powerful copywriting that captures the specific problems your audience is suffering from.

Think of it this way. Imagine a website with only pictures and a website with nothing but words. Which do you think will be more successful?

You guessed it.

The words are more powerful than images, which is why you need to nail both of these crucial aspects to unlock the full potential of your kick-ass business.

Takeaway: Web design matters but great copywriting is more important

Formula	Result
Terrible Copy + Amazing Design	Poor conversions
Amazing Copy + Terrible Design	Below average conversions
Amazing copy + Amazing Design	Flood of leads, sales & conversions

Alright, let’s wrap up the closing remarks in this debate.

When it comes to increasing leads, sales and revenue, copywriting is the clear winner. But (there’s always a but), while studies show copy to be twice as effective as design, that doesn’t mean you should ignore web design completely.

Combine a great lookin’ page with compelling, problem-focused copywriting, and you’ll have the best of both worlds.

So have a look at your own website or landing page and make sure you’re getting the conversions you deserve by giving your website the copy it deserves. And if you feel your copy could be stronger, we can help.

Are you ready to save time and trust your brand’s copy to a team of direct response superstars with a track record of success? Book a strategy call below to chat with a Savvy Copy expert.

Let’s Chat About Your Copy (It’s FREE and Only Requires 45 Minutes of Your Time)