Years ago, I got a call from a company asking me to quote for web content. It was a fairly big jobbie. Their website had 36 pages and they needed all of them to be rewritten. Obviously, my first question was ‘What’s not working with your current web content?’ Their answer? ‘Nobody understands what we do. We’ve never had an enquiry through our website.’ Oops!
I’m not surprised they didn’t get any calls. Their website was page upon page of pure gobbledygook. I mean, I gave it a damned good go. I read every page twice – something your customers ain’t going to be doing, that’s for sure – and still couldn’t get my head around what they actually did.
Now, see, there are lots of ways of attracting enquiries. And having content that people understand is pretty much top of the list. I mean, I’m a huge fan of packing content with personality – it’s what makes a business stand out and brings in raving fans – but there’s no point bothering if NOBODY HAS A CLUE WHAT THE F*** YOU’RE SELLING!
Sorry about the capital letters, the sweariness AND the exclamation mark. But, honestly, if you want to get people interested in your stuff you’ve got to have CLARITY.
Here’s how to get it…
Weed out the waffle
Potential buyers don’t have the time or patience to wade through a mass of meandering content. They want relevant information – and they want it fast. As soon as they’ve got what they’re looking for they can decide on their next move – which might be to make an enquiry, request a quote or sign up for your newsletter. Make it hard work and their next move could be to your competitor’s website.
So how can you stop fluffing about with your words?
* Use one word instead of two… or three… or four! Check back over what you’ve written and ask yourself ‘Do I really need all those words to say that one thing?’
* Break long sentences into several shorter ones. You’ll soon spot where you’ve used unnecessary filler words.
* Don’t be vague. Are you telling customers your product is ground-breaking, innovative or unique? Well, that’s a waste of words right there. Be specific from the get-go about why your product/service is different.
* Screw the grammar police and start sentences with ‘And’ and ‘But’. They’re good to keep short sentences flowing and stop them sounding abrupt.
* Use sub-heads to split information into separate sections. Look at all the words you save if you don’t write a load of old waffle like ‘Another thing you might be interested to learn about our product is…’ and just – bosh! – throw in a sub-head instead.
* Stop stating the bleeding obvious. You don’t need to tell your customers you’re professional, experienced and passionate. Ever done a Google search for an ‘unprofessional window cleaner’? Nah, didn’t think so! It goes without saying that you’re professional, experienced and passionate about your business – so don’t waste words writing it.
Two bonus tips for making yourself clear
Explain acronyms
Don’t assume all your customers will know what the acronym stands for. Spell it out first – eg, Applicant Tracking System (ATS) – then use the acronym from then on.
Ditch the jargon
Unless you’re absolutely sure your audience will understand what you’re on about, get rid.
PS: In case you were wondering, I didn’t get that web content job. Maybe they decided hiring a copywriter wasn’t worth it after all. Silly buggers!
* Need me to write clear, uncluttered web content or de-waffle what you’ve already got? I’m here for you
How much does it cost to hire a web copywriter? That’s a darned good question. But a more important question is: what will the copywriter be doing for the money? Because I get it. You ask for three copywriting quotes and they come back with widely different prices. It’s so confusing the obvious solution might be to choose the cheapest. But you get what you pay for – so what do you need to consider before picking your copywriter?
# The copywriter
Not all copywriters are equal. Found one that only last month was running a cattery but after a one-day writing course is now creating web content? Hmmm – maybe a more experienced copywriter would be best. Check out their history and expertise, read their testimonials, look at examples of their work. Oh, and do you like them? My clients come to me because they’ve had a nosey at my website and love my vibe. They’re pretty sure that as well as being the right copywriter for the job we’ll have a blast working together.
# Preparation time
Getting the measure of you and your business is key to doing a cracking web content job. I don’t write a single word until I’ve rooted out everything there is to know about you. My preparation and research could include:-
* looking at your current website and social media platforms
* checking out your competitors
* reading business plans, sales documents etc
* doing industry research to understand more about what you do
* familiarising myself with brand and Tone Of Voice guidelines
My copywriting quotes reflect the amount of time I need to do this all-important groundwork. Some copywriters may not do as much. Some might just do the minimum. Me? I go to town. Which is why you might find it costs more to hire this particular web copywriter.
# The interview
Every copywriter will need to factor interview time into their quote. Generally, the more web pages there are the longer the interview. A good copywriter will have done their research and prepped their questions. An experienced journalist-turned-copywriter like me will take it up a notch and use their interviewing skills to draw out every last little detail. The result? Your website will have all the information people need AND be pumped full of personality.
# Creative liaisons
My preferred way of working is to write the content ready for the web designer. But there are times when the design has already begun and the client wants me to liaise with their web person. That’s totally fine, but I’ll have to factor that into my quote. Why wouldn’t I? I’ll be spending time on emails and calls and I may even have to rethink the content so it fits into the design.
# SEO love
Will your web copywriter be giving you plenty of SEO love? I’m not just talking keywords in your content. For each web page I write a meta title and description and permalink. All of these have SEO value as they show what kind of content the user can expect – which reassures them that they’ve found what they were searching for and makes them more likely to click through to your site.
Know what you’re getting
A web content quote should give a full breakdown of what’s included so compare what each copywriter is giving you. Will they tart up your testimonials? Write micro-content like CTAs? How many rounds of revisions? Will they proof read the finished website before it goes live?
Once you know just how much you’re getting – and the value that brings – you can make an informed decision on the best copywriter for your website.
* Looking for a web content quote? Oh goodie – let’s talk
How do you feel about grammar and spelling mistakes? Irate, indifferent, in no way bothered? I ask because as a copywriter it bothers me big time. But maybe I’m being picky and pedantic and I should just get a life.
Thing is, I always equate poor grammar and spelling with sloppiness. To my mind if someone can’t be arsed checking these things then can they really be that bothered about their marketing. Or their business. Or their clients and customers. It’s not like it’s hard or time-consuming to do. Word and Google Docs have their own spelling and grammar check options and there are also free online resources like Grammarly.
I think bad grammar and spelling mistakes in your marketing can harm your credibility. It detracts from the rest of the content and could make you seem like less of an expert or authority. I mean, if the content appears to have been written by a child it’s difficult to take someone seriously.
But whatever your own view on the subject, your website is the one place you really need to pay attention to this kind of stuff. Why? Because it can mess up your SEO.
Suppose you’re a public health strategist but there’s a teeny typo on your web page and suddenly you’re all about pubic health. That’s going to confuse the hell out of Google when it’s trying to match search intent to the right websites. So – surprise, surprise – you may not get a whole lot of visitors to your site. Unless, of course, they’re looking for help with their nether regions.
‘We have to be able to recognise what a page is about. And if we can’t recognise that because there’s so many errors on the page in the text, then that makes it harder. The other aspect is also that we try to find really high-quality content on the web and sometimes it can appear that a page is lower-quality content because it has a lot of grammatical and technical mistakes in the text.’
It will soon be Valentine’s Day and everyone’s going to be blogging about love. So, to hell with it, I’m going to get in on the act, too. And anyway, it’s a serious question – because if YOU don’t love your website who else will?
A couple of weeks ago I was talking to a potential client who was thinking about revamping her website. So how do you feel about your current site, I asked. ‘Well, it’s OK,’ she said. ‘I mean it’s kind of fine…. It’s just that I don’t LOVE it.’ I thought that was sad. I mean, would you drive a car that was just OK? Would you buy a house that was ‘fine’?
And the thing about your website is it’s not just about you. It’s out there for all the world to see – which is obviously the point. If your website doesn’t bring you joy then, honestly, how can you expect it to excite your clients or customers?
‘I’ve changed – it’s not you, it’s me’
As your business grows, things change and maybe you’ve dropped one of your services or you’ve added different ones. Trouble is, you never got around to updating your website. So now your website doesn’t reflect your business and you don’t feel the same way about it anymore.
Thing is, you don’t have to go through a messy breakup to put this right. If it’s just one service you’ve dropped, you can probably get it sorted yourself – delete the service page and make a few amends to remove all mention of it on your Home page. Need to add services? If you haven’t already, maybe now’s the time to use a copywriter to create clear, focused content that perfectly sums up what you do.
‘I’ve been faking it…’
Oh dear, all this time and people didn’t know. That the person on your website isn’t actually you. I’m not suggesting you’re an imposter – but are you truly being yourself? I mean, I understand. You want to give the ‘right’ impression to sell your services or stuff. So maybe you’ve toned down your personality or diluted your message hoping to please everyone. Except you’re not feeling the love ‘cos you don’t love who you’re pretending to be.
It can be scary putting yourself out there as the real you. Honestly, when I wrote my own web content I worried that I’d put people off. Who was going to love a self-confessed sweary copywriter like me? Plenty, as it turns out, including ‘serious’ people like mediators, IFAs and accountants. Of course I’m not everyone’s cup of Earl Grey (decaffeinated, black, no sugar, thanks) but that’s perfectly fine. And it’s going to work out fine for you, too. Unleash your brand personality. Be yourself, be real, be genuine, be authentic. Though don’t tell people you’re authentic – cos that’s just an unoriginal cliché. Show your authenticity in the way you communicate your brand’s message, language and tone of voice.
‘Yes…. Yes… YES!’
You should love EVERYTHING about your website. The words, the design, the colours, the photos. If your website isn’t hitting the spot on all counts, no wonder you’ve lost interest. I’ve seen websites with great content and crappy stock photos that totally kill the moment. I’ve come across beautifully designed websites with hideously muddled content that makes me want to cry.
What about your website? Do you love every inch of it or is it a turn-off for you and your clients? Well for gawd’s sake then – give your website some love!
* Would you love me to make your web content more attractive? Get in touch
Don’t want to frighten off your customers? You’d better read this then…
#1 Shocking spelling mistakes
If you have spelling mistakes on your website, you’ll lose credibility. Misspellings and grammar glitches look sloppy – and nobody will want you if they think you’re sloppy. Seriously, analysis by global web services comparison site Website Planet found that websites with rubbish spelling and grammar had an 85% higher bounce rate than sites that got full marks for their written words. And according to one successful UK online entrepreneur, just ONE spelling mistake could slash your online sales in half.
There are online tools that can help but personally I’m not a fan. Many change spellings from UK to US variations and incorrectly suggest changes. So, really, it pays to hire a copywriter. Or, of course, you can proofread your content yourself – check, check and check it again. Then check it again for good measure.
#2 Scary CTAs
You’ve got to love a compelling Call to Action. It’s the perfect way to direct your customers to the next step – whether that’s downloading a freebie, signing up for a newsletter or simply reading more info to help their buying decision. But a CTA that’s ambiguous will fall on deaf ears. Nobody’s going to click for ‘More’ if they don’t know what’s coming. I think it’s OK to be playful with CTAs, though, so long as it’s clear from the accompanying text what you’re clicking to get.
#3 More scary CTAs
Want to know another howler when it comes to CTAs? Sticking them on your website willy-nilly. So, you’ve just landed on a Homepage and the first thing you see at the top is the CTA for ‘Download brochure’. I mean, hold on, wait a second… I don’t even know who you are and how you can help me yet! It’s like walking into a networking meeting and someone asking you to take their brochure before they’ve even introduced themselves. Say hello, be friendly – and then come at ’em with your CTA.
#4 The Home page horror show
Imagine you’re in a long corridor with doors on either side. There might be a kid cycling along the corridor or there might not. If you haven’t seen The Shining, forget about the kid! On each door there’s a sign inviting you in. What door do you choose? There are soooo many doors. Are you getting spooked by all the doors?
A busy Home page can freak customers out much the same way. They want to feel safe and settled on the page so they can take in the key messages about your business. Throw a load of hyperlinks and CTAs at them and you’ll throw them off course. With so many options, they won’t know what to click on next – and they’ll probably run screaming from your website with their head spinning like The Exorcist. To avoid a horror show, keep your Home page clear, calm and uncluttered.
#5About page – be afraid, be very afraid!
It’s been such a pleasant experience looking through your website and I’m really interested in your services. I’m now going to pop across to your About page to find out more about you. But what’s this? No photo? Well that makes me feel nervous for a start. And why are you talking in the third person? It’s all ‘He does this’ or ‘She founded that’. You sound like you’re hiding behind a mask – and unless it really IS Halloween, it ain’t funny.
Your website is for engaging with your customers – and you’re scaring them off with your disembodied bio. Don’t be the bogeyman of your business. Use your About page to emotionally connect with the people you want to convert from browsers to buyers.
* Want to work with a frightfully good copywriter? Get in touch on 07894 669750
What’s this? A copywriter suggesting that hiring a web copywriter could be a waste of your wonga? Yes, that’s exactly this. But first, let’s start by recapping on why you SHOULD hire a copywriter…
1 They take your jumbled thoughts and garbled words and craft a clear message. Kind of important when you need people to understand what your business does and how you’re going to make their life a whole lot better by doing what you do.
2 A copywriter turns ‘sloppy’ into ‘slick’ – eyebrow-raising typos, inappropriate apostrophes, grammatical cock-ups, laugh-out-loud clichés… not on my watch, matey!
3 They supercharge your SEO. Hiring an SEO-friendly copywriter like me is a good start to getting into Google’s good books. I can sort you out with longtail keywords and meta tags, and I’ve got lots of useful SEO tips that I share with clients, too.
4 They make you look good. I’m not a trumpet-blowing copywriter for nothing. I work with brilliant businesses that need bigging up to get them in the spotlight. I take lukewarm content and make it hot, hot, hot – and warm up your prospects while I’m at it!
So you see, hiring a copywriter is a darned good idea. Now here’s why you might want to NOT hire a copywriter and save your moolah.
The copywriter has done their job, your website is tickety-boo and everyone is happy. Ten months down the line, the copywriter can’t resist having another look at the site they helped to craft. But what’s this? Someone has changed the words and added new content.
How bizarre! It would seem the client has woken up one day and decided they’re now a copywriter. ‘It’s only words – how hard can it be?’ they surely said to themselves as they faffed and they tweaked and they mucked up the copywriter’s good work.
Now here’s the thing. If you’re not confident about your writing, why pay for a copywriter then twiddle about with the words yourself? Honestly, either do it all yourself and save yourself the money or leave everything to the copywriter.
A copywriter takes pride in their work so they won’t leave you until you’re 100% happy. I include two sets of revisions in my quotes and if a client still isn’t happy I’m well up for a conversation to see what further amendments are needed.
And sure, a client will often need to make changes to their website further down the line. So why not contact your lovely copywriter and ask them to do it?
I mean – do you want to save your money or save your website?
Do you want value-added web content? Goodie – let’s talk
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