Copywriting for Websites – March 2022 Re-cap

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March 17, 2022

Copywriting Overview

What is it? My two favorite definitions are:

“Copywriting is content writing with the direct goal of making a sale” – Neil Patel

and

“Copywriting is the process of writing words intended to prompt a specific action by the reader” – Jacob McMillen

It is one of the key components of a website that performs well. Even if you have slick graphics, a fast loading site, and a great layout – if the words are confusing and do not convey what is offered on the site, you’ll get little to no conversions.

Responsibility

Who provides the copy? It is usually a combination of one or more of the following – the Client, the Web Designer, or a 3rd Party.

Getting the messaging and the goal of the website down before you even start will save you & the client time, frustration, changes, and the end result will be more effective.

Hiring or partnering a copywriter can help boost your bottom line too. Often more time is spent on this process than actually creating the website. A writer experienced in marketing will speed up the process and free you up to focus on design or other aspects of your business. If your client’s business is highly specialized and/or technical, hiring a writer who specializes in that field might be necessary.

Who is responsible for copywriting? The Client, Web Designer or a 3rd Party

What Makes Copy GOOD?

It’s about the reader
It’s clear
It’s relevant
It invites the reader to take action

It sounds simple, right? Often copy fails because it’s too elaborate or too vague. The other common reason it fails is because it’s all about the company, leaving the reader with no idea why they need the gizmo being marketed to them.

What Makes Copy BETTER?

Understand the audience you are writing for
Be clear and concise and use formatting for emphasis and scanability
Stay on topic
Be specific about what the reader should do next

Research websites for similar businesses. See what draws you in. Look at all the junk mail you get. What grabs your attention? What bores you?

Finally – read. While most websites should be written to a 5th – 8th grade reading level, that doesn’t mean they need to be boring. The more you read, the wider the variety of words, phrasing, and styles you’ll be exposed to.

Formats for Sales Copy

There are 4 common formats to keep in mind when writing copy. You can strictly adhere to them, or use them as a starting point as long as you stay on target.

AIDA – Attention, Interest, Desire, Action
PAS – Problem, Agitation, Solution
BAB – Before, After, Bridge
FB – Features, Benefits.

Structures of copywriting - AIDA, PAS, BAB and FB

Struggling with a Starting Point?

It’s easy to feel like you’re writing the same copy over and over. We also struggle if we are writing outside our experience. If this is you, and you (or your client) cannot afford a copywriter, AI can help. Yes, AI, artificial intelligence. It has come a long way in the last few years. While you likely won’t simply copy and paste content from an AI generator, it can be a great starting point, or inspire a new way to phrase copy.