9 Important Features of Successful Website Copy

What are the key features of successful website copy? How do you know if your words are attracting your dream clients? Let’s talk about it.

 

1. Remember that it’s about your client

When most people write website copy for themselves, they’re tempted to say “we do this for these people.” Phrased that way, you are the star of the show… which isn’t to your best advantage. Yes, I know it’s your company, but successful website copy should not be about you — it should be about your clients.

There’s an easy solution. Take what you have and flip it.

 

Example

Before:

“ABC Interiors designs relaxing, organized spaces for busy families.”

After:

“Your busy family deserves a place to feel relaxed, restored, and inspired — and ABC Interiors can help.”

The first? Bland as boiled chicken. The second makes your reader think, “Really? My busy family?” Yes, yours.

If you can change all of your we-do-this’s to you-get-that’s, you will be far more successful at attracting your target clients.

 

2. Identifying your clients’ problems

To write successful website copy, you MUST address your client’s problems. I touched on this in the Strategic Word Choice post, but this is work you have to do FIRST. You can’t market if you don’t know who your ideal client is. They can’t find you if you don’t even know who they are.

So think about your dream clients, write down their very real struggles, and then show how you can help them solve each and every one.

 

Example

Before:

“Your busy family deserves a place to feel relaxed, restored, and inspired.”

After:

“You’ve just moved into your dream home, unpacked all those boxes, and stocked your fridge with family favorites, but it still doesn’t feel like home… yet.”

In the first version, you’re simply stating the benefits your clients receive, which, again, isn’t all that compelling. You have to really describe the dilemma your clients face. Show them you feel their pain. Then, you can move on to solving it.

 

3. Solving your client’s problems

Now, you get to describe the solution to your client, and no, you’re not the hero here. (Sorry!) Let’s look at the problem again…

 

Example

Showing you understand your clients’ pain point:

“You’ve just moved into your dream home, unpacked all those boxes, and stocked your fridge with family favorites, but it still doesn’t feel like home… yet.”

Proposing the solution:

“What if your home made your daily routine easier? What if your rooms were designed for less clutter and more family moments together? What if you stepped through the door and felt instant peace and relaxation?”

Instead of saying “we do this,” you are very clearly painting a picture of what your clients’ life could like after working with you. This is far more compelling and intriguing! Which brings me to the next important feature of great copy…

4. Extending the invitation

Although the nice people on your website will probably know that you’re offering the peace and mental freedom you’ve described (or whatever your solution to their problem is), you still have to extend an invitation.

By that, I mean literally invite them to work with you.

 

Example

Building off the proposed solution above, this could look like:

“What if your home made your daily routine easier? What if your rooms were designed for less clutter and more family moments together? What if you stepped through the door and felt instant peace and relaxation?

Together, let’s make this your new reality.”

An important point to note here, again, is that your firm isn’t the hero of the story. It is something you are doing together, something you are helping your client accomplish. Making them the main character in your copy is going to resonate with people FAR more than if than positioning yourself as the superstar.

 

5. Insert your Call to Action

In website copy, your calls to action are usually buttons. I typically suggest that your first call to action (on your home page) be a link to your services page. If you’ve built up their excitement for your solution, by all means, show them the way!

Slight tangent here, but this is where many website designers will disagree. Should the first button be to book a call with you? Or should it lead to your services? Or somewhere else?

As a copywriter (not a website designer), I don’t think your first button should lead to your contact page or to booking a call. Yes, I know you want more clients, but do you really want to chat with someone who potentially knows nothing about you or your services? I’ve taken those calls before, felt the irritation of time wasted, and realized it was completely my own fault.

This is why I suggest linking to your Services page first — or having two buttons (like O&B does on our homepage), one to service and one to contact you.

 

6. How to Get Even More Specific

Before I dive into more of the important features of your Services pages, I want to mention specificity. I wrote an entire post about this topic in our Branding & Word Choice post, but I’ll repeat it here…

Being vague is not going to help you attract more people — specificity is. If you target client can’t recognize themselves in your website and marketing copy, they will go elsewhere, to someone who does sound understanding.

It’s the difference between “taking off your jacket” after work or “hanging up your blazer.” It’s such a small change, but the difference. is. HUGE. Everyone takes off their coat after work… but not everyone wears a sleek blazer to work and takes pride in their wardrobe. Think about it. 😉

 

7. Share Your Process on Your Services Page

I’ve worked with a LOT of designers, and I’ve noticed a big trend in their target clients: clients who can afford full-service design usually (but not always) fall into certain careers. These are the C-level executives, the doctors, the pharmacists, the lawyers, the bankers, the TV producers, etc.

Another good point? People in these careers are comfortable spending money but are also accustomed to budgeting money responsibly (again, a generalization, but mostly true) and work in environments that are highly organized.

I’m not saying that you need to discuss money management, but you do need to show that you are a fully capable professional. In other words…

Share. your. process.

Show them that you have very structured, organized and efficient steps. Create trust in your ability to manage their project, any construction, their budget and timeline. Defy the common misconception that designers just style pretty things, and show them you’re a professional who’s going to have their back.

8. Be transparent about your pricing

If you’re thinking “But Jaquilyn, I don’t want to scare people away!” — hear me out. Yes, listing your starting prices is scary, especially for a full-service design package, but if someone can’t afford your rates, you do want them to self-edit. Otherwise, it’s not a good fit, time gets wasted on both sides, and if you do work for them at a lower rate, you will go crazy feeling undervalued and under-appreciated. Not fun.

Another strategic screening process — in your contact form, you can include a drop-down menu for your potential client to select their estimated project budget. If their budget is lower than any of the options you’ve listed, they probably won’t reach out. Everyone’s happy.

Side Note: If you do get a lot of calls for one-off design consultations, another option is to create a lower-tier service, such as Virtual Design. Just be sure to clearly define what is being delivered in the service, and price your time high enough that it’s still worth your while. You want yourself to be happy.

 

9. Adding in your unique voice

If you’ve done everything I’ve suggested so far, you’re probably already doing more than your competitors. High five, friend. Now, the last piece — making it all sound like YOU.

This is where tone comes in, and to create tone, you need punctuation. I know, it sounds like we’re headed back to our lunchbox-toting days, but it’s actually something few people in the industry seem to do really well.

Now is the part where I wish you luck with all these awesome tips that will benefit your business. Or, if you’re thinking, no WAY am I doing all that, hey, that’s what we’re here for. You can check out our fabulous copywriting services here.

See you next time,
Jaquilyn