Are you a business owner juggling all the things? Because, same. And every day the things I add to my to-do list battle for my time, attention, and resource.
But, there are some things on that list, that like a leaky pipe, drip, drip, dripping in the background, will one day mean I'm gonna come home to a full-on flood (meltdown optional). For most small business owners, the leaky pipe is their website.
I meet far too many freelancers and founders, who have left their website quietly dying a slow and painful death in the recesses of their mind, to the point that it becomes a heavy burden. And I don’t want that for you, boo.
So, if you needed to know when “fix website words” should finally get its moment in the spotlight...
Here’s 5 signs that scream sort out website copy, like, yesterday:
1) Your website isn’t bringing in perfect-fit leads
You jump on a discovery call, full of that ‘first date’ energy… only to find out a few minutes later that your shiny prospect think they can pay you in compliments and good vibes instead the actual price. The joy.
Or they’ve misunderstood what you actually do and you need to spend the entire intro call acting like a real-life search engine, while their eyes glaze over (Been there: “no I’m a copywriter, not a copyright law specialist”).
Speedy website copy fix for: Better leads
Pre-qualify your leads before you end up on a Zoom call that’s going no where fast. And, yes, you guessed it, this can be done with the words you use in the lead up to the call: on your intake form, on website, even on the discovery call confirmation page.
Ask questions like: What stage are you in right now (researching/read to action)? Describe what you do and who you do it for in one sentence. My prices start from £X. Are you in a position to invest right now? (Yes/No)
2) You resist/avoid sharing your website URL
Ever wondered why you’re quick to share your LinkedIn profile/Instagram/Facebook group, first? That’s because you don’t back the story your website is telling about you and your business.
Maybe it’s stuck in the past and it doesn’t speak to what you offer anymore? Maybe it’s so broken, it’s like a black hole of doom and you don’t want anyone to spot the inconsistencies? Or maybe it doesn’t have the ‘wow factor’ like your picture-perfect grid or the authority, like the viral views on your videos.
Speedy website copy fix for: The "ick" factor
Without chatting to you and giving your website my full attention (but, if you want it -> Hello, an intro call is over here) I wouldn’t know the reason why you’ve got the major ick.
But I do know that one of the quickest ways to feel better about your website is to head to your Homepage and re-write that top section (aka the first thing people see).
Tell people why they should work with you–and this is key–from their point of view. So, now “I’m an expert blah, blah”, but “Do you want to [insert goal] without [insert pain point that you’re solving].”
3) A stranger doesn’t understand what you do + the next steps to work with you
The people in your inner circle can read in between the lines. They’ll add details and context to the words on your website, which means they are NOT a reliable checkpoint to ask the question: Can you look at my website and tell me what you think?
Instead…
Speedy web copy fix for: Clarifying the basics
If you want a true understanding of what your website words are telling a completely cold lead, ask a stranger the following: Go to my website [INSERT URL] and tell me:
1) Do you know what I do?
2) Do you know how to book my services?
3) How easy was it to get the information above? How long did it take? How many pages did you click until you got the information?
The results will reveal whether your website is doing its primary function, which is to give people the information they’re searching for, easily.
BONUS: This is the perfect time to tell you that every week I share copywriting best practices and tips for squeezing the most out of your website copy, for FREE. Sign up here.
4) Your website goal is unclear and/or undefined
Do you know what you want someone to do when they land on your website? The primary goal? Is it that you want to get them on a discovery call? Sign up to your email list? Buy your low-ticket offer? Join your community space? The list can go on and on.
Speedy web copy fix for: Setting a primary goal
I usually hear: “Elena, I want all of the above!”. To which I say, awesome, but what’s the primary goal? What’s the most effective gateway to your work? Is it to sign up to a webinar? Or learn more from you over on Instagram?
Whatever that goal is, you want to push it across your site (not just in the penultimate section on your homepage and hope for the best). By repeating the same call to action, you're increasing your chances of getting your own way (aka your goal) and limiting the option for leads to simply *poof* disappear.
5) You’ve briefed in website designer
If you've already reached out to a web designer/branding designer/web developer, because you feel the visual elements on your website are letting the side down...
First up: that’s a great investment and I encourage you to do that, but also: they WILL ask you, day one, “do you have all the copy and images?”
You might think you have all the copy, but really it exists in the cloud storage of your mind (but it’s OK because you’re going to block off an afternoon and brain dump it all). Or you might think... Well, I'll see what the design looks like first before I think about the words stuff.
But, often, when I work with website designers - and this is them, not me saying this - not only do they need to see the website copy and structure of content first, but they need the words to be well-considered, because that builds the narrative and influences key design choices.
A great design will NOT compensate for effective storytelling. But, together they work beautifully. So, if you've done the part where you've spoken to a designer and are about to drop thousands on a shiny new website, take a beat and really consider if the words you're working with, are pulling their weight. And if not...
Speedy web copy fix for: Tag-teaming web design + copy
If you’re on team DIY copy and you’ve got all the words down on the page, how do you know if it reads like a well-told story or like a 5-page resume? Well, you can call in for an expert second opinion. I designed my Website MOT workshops, for us to sense-check, live-edit, remap and reroute, and to squeeze the most out of every word. In just 60-minutes we can whip those words into shape.
Find out more here.
OK, this one isn’t speedy. But, if want to work with an expert website copywriter the best time to brief them in is at the same time you brief in your designer, so they can collaborate, and strategically tell the best visual and verbal story on your website. Here’s where to start that conversation with yours truly.
Final Thoughts:
Your website copy needs your attention, regularly.
But, the MAJOR red flags are:
🚩Your website's not bringing in perfect-fit leads
🚩You have a visceral response to sharing your URL
🚩A stranger can’t navigate/understand it
🚩Your primary goal in unclear/undefined
🚩You’ve briefed in a visual pro, without a word pro
And when you’re ready here’s how I can help:
Hey, I'm Elena 👋 creative copywriter on a mission to get you falling back in love with your website, because, oh my, that thing gets dusty real quick.
I've been in the copywriting game for over a decade, tap-tapping my keyboard for big brands that you know and love, and now I'm bottling up all that marketing good stuff (that takes a lot of time and budget to finesse) and sharing it with freelancers and founders to get them to strutting into their growth era without having to figure out their black hole of a website all on their own. Here's how:
Done-with-you: Website MOT
1: 1 live workshop with an expert copywriter (that’s me!) to get your website words connecting deeply and converting, TODAY. No twenty-page action plan you’ll never actually action, in sight. We do it all, on the spot, for quick and impactful results.
Done-for-you: Complete Website Copywriting
Tell me your business story, including the chapters that haven’t been written yet, and I’ll tell it on your website in a way that makes you say “woah, get out of my head!”.
