Creating compelling and engaging written web content is a huge component of building an effective website. In fact, it’s just as important as a high-quality design in terms of engaging with your website visitors and in turn, increasing your conversions. Most companies struggle to determine how much and what type of content they should use on their site. If your content isn’t clear and concise, it will be very difficult for your visitors to understand exactly what you do and how you can help them.
Implementing the following 6 tips can help you to avoid common copywriting mistakes and ensure the best user experience on your website.
1. Start by creating your Million-Dollar Statement
Your Million-Dollar Statement is the content you should share in your homepage hero, the very first section visitors see when they come to your site. We call it the “Million-Dollar Statement” because it’s the make-or-break moment for your website, your golden ticket. Since it is the first thing visitors will read, it will likely be the determining factor as to whether or not they continue scrolling.
When defining your Million-Dollar Statement, address who and how you help with your services. Think about what problem your visitors are looking to solve or what outcome they’re looking to achieve. Use this as the driving force behind your statement.
For a financial advisor firm, something like “The number #1 advisor in the nation” might seem like the right approach. But what does that actually mean to your visitors? While this is note-worthy, it doesn’t provide enough information for your visitors. Who do you help? What do you help them do?
Be sure to keep your statement visitor-focused rather than using it as an opportunity to list your credentials or successes. So, if your firm focuses on retirees, you could consider a statement like “Helping retirees across the nation overcome their financial stress.” This answers who you help and what you do and can make your firm seem more approachable and relatable.
The written content you create for Your Million-Dollar Statement serves as the foundation of your website’s message and should be expanded on throughout the rest of your site.
2. Speak in clear and simple language
We’ve all seen websites filled with paragraph after paragraph of information and we’re all guilty of closing sites without reading too much. The fact of the matter is – people are too busy these days to spend too much time on your website reading your life story. They are more likely to scan a few pages to try to determine if you can help them or not, and if they can’t find obvious answers, they’ll move on.
Your best shot at grabbing a visitor’s attention is to keep your content concise and easily digestible. Short sentences and bullet points are great ways to convey high-level ideas quickly and efficiently so users can pick up the important points on a quick scan. Once they see the information they are looking for, they’ll be more likely to take a deeper dive into your site and potentially reach out.
Also, remember that your visitors will have various levels of knowledge about your company’s services or products. You are an expert in your field, but your visitors may not be. Be careful to not get swept up in technical or complex language. Make sure you use language and terms that your customers will understand.
3. Keep the point of view consistent
Consider the point of view of your content as you write and edit. We always recommend that businesses use the first person because it establishes trust and credibility while helping your visitors feel connected with you.
Think about how you address your audience. “We understand you” is much more impactful and relatable than something such as “We understand our customers”. Speaking to your customers directly with “you” can make it easier for them to connect to your business and find value in your services. Your content will become more personal and approachable and foster more conversions.
Regardless of which point of view you choose, stay consistent across your website. You want to make it feel like all of the content was written by the same person, which will further support your reputation and emphasize your brand’s voice.
4. Balance your design with your content
The visual presentation of your website will be the first attention-grabber for your visitors. But if your design doesn’t support or add to the message you’re trying to share, you risk confusing your visitors and losing out on potential customers.
By starting with a wireframe of your website’s key pages, you can develop a sense of what content is going to be shared and where. From there, you can select images and create designs that support your message and establish an emotional connection with visitors.
As you choose your images and design, make sure you select options that align with the text they’re next to. For instance, if you have a paragraph on your homepage that talks about your team, the image next to it should be of your team.
5. Keep your language focused on your customers, not on you
It’s easy to create content that revolves around your company. But, it’s important to take a step back and ask yourself, “what aspects of my company and products or services are important to my visitors?” At the end of the day, people want to know what they can gain from working with you. Step into your visitor’s shoes and share a message that will resonate with them.
This doesn’t mean you can’t show off a little bit. If your business has won awards or worked with note-worthy companies or customers, share that too, but in a way that doesn’t overpower the message your visitors care about most.
6. Incorporate strong calls to action
After simplifying your message and ensuring consistency throughout your site, you might be thinking that the work is done. But, unfortunately, that will only get you so far. A large piece of the puzzle is prompting your visitors to actually take action with specific calls-to-actions (CTAs).
Your primary CTA could be for visitors to call or email you, schedule a meeting, or make a purchase. Regardless of what it is, incorporate it throughout your website (without being too overpowering) so that visitors know exactly what action you want them to take.
Supplement your primary request with additional CTAs where applicable, such as adding a “Learn about us” button after an introductory paragraph or an “RSVP” button after sharing event details. Supplementary CTAs give those who aren’t ready to commit the ability to explore further.
While they should be enticing, your CTAs should also be short and very clear. Remember, your goal is to capture leads and get new business, not overwhelm or oversell your visitors.
Time to Clarify Your Content
The content on your website will be the determining factor for whether or not someone takes action with you. If you write clearly, simply, and in a way that resonates with your visitors, they will be much more inclined to work with you. If you need help reworking your website’s content, feel free to contact us!