8 tips for creating standout copy for websites

Your website copy is your brand. Not only does it define who you are and how you're perceived by visitors, but it can be an effective way to generate quality inbound leads - aka how you make money!

But we know crafting brilliant copy can be complicated; having to consider SEO, AI, and UX design (a mouthful, we know!) can get in the way of effective writing. Below, we list some dos and don'ts for those on the journey to building the ultimate website.

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Why website copy is important

As mentioned above, website copy is one of the most powerful tools for connecting with potential customers. Strong, well-written copy not only communicates your message effectively but also helps build trust and credibility with your audience. It plays a vital role in driving engagement and conversions. 

Good copy can help you:

• Build brand authority by presenting a consistent, professional voice

• Attract more sales through persuasive and benefit-focused messaging

• Increase website visits by improving SEO and capturing interest

  
  

Ultimately, compelling website copy turns visitors into loyal customers and sets your brand apart from the competition.

1) Use AI carefully 

We've all seen the signs... the long hyphenation, the overuse of dangling modifiers, and the obsession with words like 'explore' and 'connect'. In some ways, AI copy has made us more suspicious of content. We want brands that are authentic and care enough to put time and energy into producing good quality copy, not ones that spew out everything from a content generator. 

Despite this, companies can still use tools like Chatgpt and Gemini in the right way. View these tools as a way to generate ideas rather than as a final editor for your copy. 

2) Don't go overboard on style

When it comes to writing website copy, you can often fall into the temptation of more is more. Especially, if you're working on a creative site, you may feel like the copy should be bold, super engaging and fun to reflect your branding. 

However, it's important to get the balance of style and substance! When you try to be too creative on copy, you risk confusing visitors with mixed messaging, complicated navigational cues, and bizarre subtexts. Finding a balance between creative text and clear communication is key - if you aren't sure how your website reads, get an informed third party to give you some feedback!

3) Keep your voice consistent 

Your website copy should be an extension of your brand - this means it needs an identity. Is the core brand fun and creative? Professional and edgy? Warm and encouraging? Once that is defined, use your copy to reflect this. For instance, if your voice is fun, you could add humorous anecdotes on service pages, or if your voice is bold, you can add punchy punctuation rather than long, rambling sentences. 

4) Get inspired

Don't write in a vacuum. If you're in a creative rut, do your research and see what other websites and brands have written on their sites. Exploring companies that offer a similar product or service to you is great, as it can open your mind to different or interesting ways of presenting your offerings. But that doesn't mean you can't find inspiration from other sectors. Broaden your mind and check out how websites, from soap sellers to business consultancies, approach copy. 

Don't know where to get started? Check out these websites for some creative copy inspiration. 

5) Always keep your audience front of mind

One of the most important rules in copy is not to write for yourself but to write for your audience. Of course, if you find yourself as your primary audience, that's a huge benefit! But it's likely that you'll have to think outside the box of all the things that you personally like. If you don't know your audience or customer base, it's crucial to do research to find out who is most likely to buy your product, and if you want to get into the real nitty gritty, build some customer profiles for personalised targeting. 

6) Understand that different pages need different copy strategies

Different website pages have different motivations. Your Homepage should engage and effectively navigate people to other pages on the site. In contrast, your core Service Pages need to be more informative and delve into the particulars of an offering. Whereas your Blog and About Us pages might show off more of your personality and core offerings. 

A lot of this distinction will be represented in the page layout and UX design, but your copy also needs to reflect these differences. 

7) Avoid too much repetition 

Visitors to your site are curious. They want to learn more about your brand, your products and often your values. This curiosity often leads them to explore various pages on your website, especially if you have open navigation. You might find that people land on your homepage, check out your blog, read about who works in the company, and then find themselves on a product page. 

This is a lot of content to digest! One of the most uninspiring finds on a website is repetitive copy. As the reader, not only does it feel lazy, but it's also unnecessary, as there are often plenty of different angles and ways to explain a service or product. If you find this happening on your site, we recommend hiring a good copywriter or agency to conduct an audit and edit some pages. 

8) Optimise for SEO 

There's no point in having a beautifully crafted website with engaging copy if no one can find it! Make sure you optimise all your copy for relevant keywords - this means you'll have a higher chance of ranking on Google and you'll be found more easily by your customers. 

The world of SEO is big! If you don't know where to start, get in contact with an agency like ours, and we'll do an optimisation audit of your website, helping you get started on your ranking journey.