How to Write Your Company’s Website Copy Correctly – Avoid the 3 Common Mistakes
Our websites are our online shops that remain open even when our physical businesses are closed for the day. They remain open every day for 24 hours and even on public holidays. This why we need to place a lot of importance on what we say on our websites, more so, when just about everybody resorts to Search Engines to find whatever they are looking for. Many websites are not written by professional copywriters, they are usually written by the website or business owners. However, just like copywriting, there are rules to website copywriting that many may not be aware.
Here are the 3 major mistakes many writers make in Website Copywriting and how to write it right:
- Use “You”, do not use “We”
Many websites are guilty of this Number 1 mistake – they use the word “We” to explain what the company does. People or potential customers are not interested in what we do or how great we are, how many awards we have won, or which big-shot is our company director. They are only interested in one thing – “Can you solve my problem; or Do you have what I’m looking for?” So, very quickly, we must tell them that we have what they are looking for, or we have the solution to their problem in our website’s main copy or headline. We have to tell them, “You have found your solutions here” or they will bounce (leave the website). In Copywriting, it is recommended to use the word “You” to make the communication personal to the reader. The reader has to be made to feel “special”, that nothing else matters in the world but the reader through our copywriting. Therefore, when we market our products and services to our target audiences, we have to write as if we are speaking to one person at a time and not a group, by using the word “You”. For an example, “Are you looking to learn Copywriting? You are in the right place.” This line quickly tells the reader that s/he has found what s/he is looking for, and the reader will stay on reading to find out more.
- Explain how you can solve the reader’s problem instead of blowing your own trumpet
When people search the internet, they are usually looking for one or some of the following – 1. A product or service they are ready to purchase; 2. Some information about a product or service; 3. A solution to their problem. Hence, telling people how great we are at what we do in our websites will not provide the answers web searchers are looking for. Instead, write your website copy to explain how your product or service can help the reader who has arrived at your website. The quicker you do this, the better it is, as the reader will stay on, and you may get some business or sale. You can write the trumpet-blowing copy in the “About Us” page, not on the homepage. Think of your homepage as an advertisement – you must communicate a “benefit” to the reader in your homepage headline copy to arrest the reader’s attention and keep her or him reading on. This shall result in a lower Bounce Rate of your website which is great for Search Ranking. The longer people spend on your website, the more valuable Google thinks your website is and ranks it high on its Search Engine, while providing the relevant information the reader is seeking.
- The colour of the website text should be dark
This is not directly related to copywriting, but more on the presentation of the copy which plays a big role. Most websites are designed by website designers who look at the aesthetics of a website and not its function. Many websites are designed with grey or light grey text. This is not reader-friendly as it may not be clear to some people reading the text on different kinds and sizes of browsers. Play it safe. It is advised to use black colour text, or at least not lighter than 80% black. We have to remember that our websites are our “Online Shops”. It is okay to forsake good looks over functionality to make sure that we cover all grounds and not lose a potential sale. A bonus point – also make sure that the font size is not too small. Trade fancy for function.
If you would like to learn how to write any kind of copy the right way, do consider the courses offered by the School Of Digital Advertising, where you shall be learning Copywriting and Content Writing from professional Advertising practitioners who have almost 30 years of Copywriting & Content Writing experience.
You may also get more Copywriting tips from my other articles:
“5 Copywriting Tips to Write Your Facebook & Google Ads That Get Better Results”
“3 Major Mistakes People Make in Digital Advertisement Copywriting”
“How to Become a Copywriter in Malaysia in 2020 – 7 Lessons” (a very popular blog).
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If you have any questions in the meantime, you may send me an email at – learn@joynandy.com.
By Joy Nandy – Founder of the School Of Digital Advertising – Malaysia’s ONLY Training Centre that specialises in Copywriting & Content Marketing for Digital Marketing success.
School Of Digital Advertising (SODA) – Malaysia’s ONLY Training Centre That Specialises in Writing for Digital Marketing
