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Blog
How I’ll Write Your Website Content
From 1000 puzzle pieces to the complete picture
by Sarah Marshall
This article tells you the entire process I use to write website content. Minimal input from you, maximum output from me. An easy collaboration to give you purposeful copy that directly supports your business goals.
Defining your website outline
Your website content should support your business goals
Before I even start writing, you need to tell me your vision for your business. Think of it like the picture on the box. Because your end goal will determine the content of your website.
I’ll send you a detailed creative brief with very specific questions about what you’re offering, who you’re offering it to, how you’re different from your competitors and how you would characterise your brand voice. You’ll need to think about all the details of your offers: process, deliverables, outcomes and pricing.
You may not want to include everything on your website but it’s important to have all the answers so I can write the right messaging.
Have fun defining your service offers
Get creative and shape your offers in a way that serves your business goals.
If you’re starting a new business, we’ll work on messaging that defines your brand as well as your services. Words that show the value of your offers and your brand values.
If you’ve been running your business for a while, this is a fantastic opportunity to pivot to your strengths. We can target your favourite types of clients and emphasise your best-selling products. If you’re introducing a new service or want to stop offering something you no longer enjoy, let’s focus on creating this fresh version of your business.
Help with your positioning and messaging
If you need help defining your offers and identifying your USP, let me know and I can add it to the proposal.
We’ll work on the four pillars of your offers:
- your specific offers and packages
- what makes your offers different from your competitors
- a specific client persona to target in your marketing
- key phrases that sound like you.
Everything you need to make your messaging memorable and consistent, not just on your website but across all your marketing platforms.
Before we work together, this blog article will help you get started…
ARTICLE
Deciding your basic website structure
Once we have the four pillars, whether directly from you or as part of the initial process, I can start thinking about the basic website structure.
This is like the border of the puzzle. It includes:
- the main sections that will go on each page
- where to add your social proof, making sure that any testimonials, portfolio pieces or case studies are clearly visible
- buttons and internal links, including the primary call to action.
This last point is very important. Your audience needs to know what to do next and it creates a flow to guide them through your website. Plus, internal links improve SEO rankings.
I’ll send you the suggested structure for your approval. Then, it’s time for me to start writing the copy.
Sorting and categorising the website copy
First, I’ll sort all the information your audience needs to know about you, your brand and your offers into the relevant pages – a bit like the trays I use to sort my puzzle pieces.
As with the jigsaw, the more I do, the clearer the final picture becomes. This means some content may shift to a different page.
I’ll send you the first draft of a single page to make sure the copy is heading in the right direction.
Filling in the website content puzzle
Once you’re happy with the first page, I’ll set to work writing all the other pages.
By the end of the full first draft, you’ll have:
- A Home page that tells people exactly what your offers are and who they are for
- An About page that tells your brand story in a way that engages your audience
- Service and product pages that show all the benefits and features of your offers
- A Contact page with clear information and ways to collect useful data
- Hero statements at the top of each page to show visitors what you’re offering
- Persuasive copy written in your brand tone of voice from header to footer
- A clear call to action on each page, usually a button, to guide your visitors to the next step.
Sharing the big picture of the website copy with you
After I’ve sent you all the copy, we’ll have an online meeting so I can walk you through the structure, the messaging and the strategy. Then you can send me any feedback you have in writing.
The quote for writing your website includes two rounds of revisions to make sure you’re completely happy with the results.
After this first round, the second comes after your website designer has put all the copy into place. More on this later.
The final details: adding the microcopy to your website
Your website has extra texts that aren’t obvious at first sight.
For instance, all the messages your audience sees when they send a form. Known as microcopy, these snippets offer another opportunity to add brand personality to your website. I’ll make sure that all the responses give useful information in your brand’s tone of voice.
Visually pleasing and user-friendly website copy
As well as being a professional website copywriter, once upon a time I studied web design. So I think about user experience (UX) and the visual elements as well as the words before it goes to your website designer.
Your website copy will have a user-friendly layout with plenty of white space so it’s easy to scan, easy to read and easy to choose where to go next.
However, the final website design might mean some changes are necessary. This is where the second round of revisions comes in. I’ll edit or adapt the copy wherever necessary so it works with the design for each page.
The finished website content puzzle
Once it’s all done, you’ll have a beautiful, functional website with a logical flow and engaging copy in your unique brand voice.
- Seed words to create connection with your ideal clients.
- Seed words that show all the benefits and features of your offers.
- Seed words that guide your audience towards the decision to buy.
- Seed words that will keep your business growing.
Are you ready to invest in a website that works hard for you and your business?
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