What Is Website Copywriting? The Quick Guide for Time-Poor Business Owners…

…Discover why your website is underperforming and learn how to turn your business into a trusted brand that people are excited (and desperate) to do business with.

You know you’ve got the expertise, products, or services to impact your clients’ lives. But no matter what words you use to describe your business, you’re not seeing the volume or quality of leads you’d like. The problem and solution is your website copywriting. Here’s what you need to know about web copy (the short and sharp version).

No one knows your business better than you.

That’s why writing for your own website, crafting your own emails, or putting together your own blogs should come easy… but it doesn’t, does it?.

You (or your team members), might have tried writing your own copy but quickly run into “Blank Page Syndrome” when you’re not “borrowing” inspiration from other websites that leaves your copy devoid of personality.

We get it.

Perhaps you also feel like no one in the entire world understands your business the way you do so you think you “HAVE” to manage the writing process, but that means you’re spending nights and weekends writing copy (when you’d rather be doing *literally* anything else).

And we don’t need to peek into your mind to know that it’s frustrating when the words you work hard to come up with don’t have the effect you want. They’re not convincing people to pick up the phone and book a consultation or a meeting. And the gorgeous website you’ve spent plenty of time (and money) building looks great, but it’s not bringing in new business.

The problem? Writing is not the same as website copywriting.

In this article, we’ll tell you what web copywriting is, explain why your current copywriting approach isn’t working, and show you what steps to take to put persuasive power behind your words.

First Thing’s First, What Is Website Copywriting?

Web copywriting is anything written on a website that helps achieve your goals or hit your KPIs. This could be to educate, advertise, or inform a reader. To schedule a booking. To land a sale. You get the idea.

Whatever your goal, copywriting is the process you use to take people there.

This definition might sound simple, but most entrepreneurs and business owners only get the first half of the formula right and neglect the rest.

We’re guessing you’ve got plenty of experience writing for your own business already. It’s impossible not to wear the ‘copywriter’ hat from the very beginning when you’re building a brand from the ground up. Emails need to be written, the odd blog post needs whipping up, and social media posts need posting.

If that describes you, congrats. You’ve nailed the first half of web copywriting (hooray!). The remaining half (and the far more challenging half) is to write in a way that compels your readers to take action.

People often think that, because they learned to write at school, they can write their own website content. But those same people outsource design in a heartbeat because graphic design, logo-making, website building… Well, they’re all tough!

So why tackle writing your own online content when you defer to experts for the design of your brand?

Simply, website copywriting is MORE than the words you use – it’s also the effect those words have on your site visitors.

It’s the vehicle you use to convince people to take action.

Like a salesperson in print, great website copy engages with and inspires your audience. And this requires more than a grasp of the English language – it combines deep research, an understanding of psychology, and high-level sales skills.

Get that combo right, and you’ll be able to hook people, guide them down your page, and convert a helluva lot more visitors into clients.

Why You Might Be Writing About the Wrong Things

No one knows your business like you.

You’re a pro whether you’re talking about your product or service, explaining the new coaching program you’re cooking up, or describing all the awesome inclusions in your latest offering – but your target market doesn’t care about those things as much as you do.

Your perfect client – the one sitting at home in need of help right now – isn’t explicitly interested in the modules you offer or the training you undertook to get your qualifications. They have a problem. And that problem needs solving.

Only by nailing each step can you catch a reader’s attention, have an impact through the words you use, and lose that nagging feeling you’re leaving leads and sales on the table.

For example, let’s say you offer a weight loss program online.

You’ve created an awesome website that’s got all the design bells and whistles, then added all of your selling points. Lose weight fast, 6-week program, no restrictive diets, one-time payment. With features like that, you expect the sales to come rolling on. Except…

*crickets*

Remember, web copywriting is about finding, agitating, and solving a problem. In this example, you’ve done 0/3 of those things. Let’s start over and have a look at how successful website copywriting might tackle that same weight loss program.

Instead of talking about losing weight, you might describe a scenario where a client can head to the beach on a summer’s day in full confidence. You might talk about the relief that comes from wearing a pair of jeans that hasn’t fit for years (you know, the pair everyone has stuffed in the back of the closet). Or you could describe the freedom that comes with having more energy to spend time with friends and family.

You’re offering the same program, but you’ve moulded your website content around your audience’s problem, i.e. a lack of confidence and energy that’s stripping joy from their life. Benefits have replaced features. Solutions have replaced selling points. Before, you were talking about yourself. Now, all the details are focused directly on your audience’s pain points.

That’s an example of exactly what great website copywriting does and it’s how you turn up the dial on conversions.

Does My Business Need Professional Website Copywriting?

Great question, we’re glad you asked.

You’ve been building your personal brand or business for years and we’d guess this isn’t your first time looking into new copy for your web pages. But trusting your brand to any old copywriter is tough, right?

Maybe you’ve worked with a copywriter before and ended up getting burnt. Maybe you ended up re-writing everything yourself and can’t see the value of professional website copywriting. Whatever your experience, you’re probably wondering if getting new web copy from a pro is *really* needed if you’re getting site visitors.

Here’s the truth – studies of 26,928 websites show copywriting is TWICE as important as design when it comes to conversions.

*Mic Drop*.

That’s not to say your design isn’t crucial. But think of your design as the exterior of a car – and your copy as the engine that actually keeps it moving forward through the customer journey. The design initially attracts your target audience, but it is the words you use that actually make the connection and drive your visitors to take action.

One of the most potent marketing myths is that a great product or service will sell itself. Just because you’ve built it doesn’t mean they’ll come. But it’s tough to know what words will have the desired effect if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

To help out, we’ve rounded up the most devastating symptoms of bad web content for you to be aware of. If any of these sound familiar, you’ve got a serious problem.

Symptoms of underperforming web pages

✘ Your website gets visitors but few leads: There’s no shortage of website traffic but a frustrating lack of conversions to show for it while your competitors seem to have constant clients even though they offer the same service as you.

✘ Your audience is slow to take action (if at all): You find yourself in loooooong, slow sales cycles trying to convert leads who find one excuse after another to avoid doing business with you (even though you know deep down they need your help).

✘ You’re spending BIG money on paid campaigns (because organic traffic is dead): And you’re trying to squeeze enough revenue to cover your online ads but seeing low conversion rates without predictable results no matter how much money you throw at Google or Facebook Ads.

✘ Your website visitors judge you on price instead of value: So you find yourself in a race to the bottom trying to convince clients to choose you instead of your competition because – no matter what words you use – people can’t see how you’re any different to your competitors.

If you nodded your head at the psychic-like accuracy of any of these symptoms, it’s not because we’re trained mind readers, it’s because we’re trained copywriters and marketing pros. We’ve seen these symptoms play out over the past 10 years and have a thorough understanding of the common culprit – underperforming copy.

Where Can I Find an Example of Expert Website Copy?

You’re reading one right now. 😉

And if you want to see more well-written conversion-focused copywriting examples in action, you can browse our portfolio of past clients here. You can actually compare the before and after of each of these sites and truly witness the transformation.

And when we say ‘well written’ we don’t just mean all the words survived spellcheck.

Remember, web copy has an order and a purpose. At Savvy Copy, we don’t throw words on a page for the sake of it. We take the time to understand the problems our target customer faces and create website content to help provide a solution.

Our process of online writing includes the psychological influences that compel readers to take action. And the best way to drive someone to take action is to stir up the problems they’d rather not think about. This approach has several benefits.

A). You’ll show your reader that you understand their problem.

B). You’ll strike an emotional chord and position yourself as a solution.

For example, we know you spend countless hours working on your business. You’re passionate about what you do and always looking for ways to grow. That’s why it’s so FRUSTRATING to find a bottleneck on your website, right?

Maybe you already know how badly your website is underperforming. Maybe you tell yourself that your service is enough to distract people from your underwhelming words. Maybe your site reads like a corporate training manual instead of a friendly, personable conversation.

More than cosmetic issues, these are problems that can bury the online courses you’ve been working on, the life-changing coaching program you painstakingly built, or the game-changing eCommerce product you’ve sunk tens of thousands into.

And you know what? We’re not sorry for reminding you about your problems.

Because once you’ve identified a problem you can pose a solution. And when you create urgency by showing your clients that doing nothing will only make their problems get worse, they’re more likely to take the very specific path to action and reach out to you for help.

Who Is the Best Copywriter for Your Business?

That’s easy.

The best website copywriter is the one who understands your clients and the challenges they face. When a copywriter understands the pain points of your target audience, it’s easy to enter the conversation in their mind and communicate your value to separate you from the competition.

Forget having the best grasp of English and grammar (that’s what spellcheck was invented for, right?). The best copywriter can find your brand voice, distill your business down to simple benefits and use those benefits to soothe the wound of your ideal client.

Remember, every client has a wound that needs remedying. You’ve got a brilliant business but a serious conversion problem because your online copywriting isn’t communicating your value or relevant to your client’s needs.

We’re far too modest to say we are the best copywriters in the business (we’ll leave that to our clients, you can check out their glowing feedback here), but we do combine the art of copywriting with the science of digital marketing.

Like modern-day alchemists who turn traffic into gold, our experienced copywriters go beyond Googling your competition and trying to one-up what they’ve written.

Every word of online copy on a website service page, landing page, or sales page has the opportunity to help you achieve your business goals – they just need to be carefully crafted with psychological sales drivers in mind, so you can attract more leads and sales.

So, next time you think about your own website, sales pages, landing pages, email campaign or Facebook ads ask yourself: Do the words on my site have the sales skills required to actually get someone to take action?

If not, skipping the DIY and hiring a professional copywriting service to help is one of the smartest moves you can make.

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