Web Design And Good Copy Go Together Like Coffee And Early Mornings
You need a new website. You’ve spent hours researching what you like about other sites, choosing layouts and styles, then more hours finding the perfect website designer.
Finally, you select your designer and together you decide on your design. Hooray! You wait eagerly, approve the final site then – it’s time to go live.
But, at what point of this process do you realise – “Yikes, I have to write something to go IN the website!”.
Many people look at what they are spending on the design and think, “That’s totally worth it. I love the design and could never do that myself but the content? I’m sure I can bash out some words… how hard can it be?”.
To get the most out of your investment in a stunning new website you need to make sure the content is doing it justice.
The last thing your website designer wants is to create a masterpiece that no one will stay on for longer than 15 seconds, ultimately this whole exercise has been about getting traffic to your website. People have a high expectation for the appearance of online businesses today. You need a great logo, amazing website and clear, engaging content to catch their attention. Visitors click, quickly scan and, if not up to scratch, it’s straight to the ‘back’ button and off to find someone else.
As a professional website content writer, let me give you 4 reasons why you should consider the content of your website just as important as the design.
#1 – Connection with Your Audience
People want to know, like & trust who is behind the brand – and they get that connection from an equal balance of carefully crafted wording and great design.
If the first contact they have with you is your website – will they want to do business with you?
Good copywriting engages the reader, showcases who you are and helps your target audience connect with your brand. Boring, run-of-the-mill copy = disconnected audience.
#2 – Good Copy Builds Trust
Grammatical errors, repetition, confusing content… this creates the impression of an amateur. Your visitors will interpret this as someone who doesn’t care enough to take the time with their own business – so how well are they going to look after me?
You can lure them in with a stunning website design – but they won’t stick around if your copy isn’t at an equally high standard.
Good copy = trustworthy business.
#3- Your Content Sets the Tone
By ensuring you have the right ‘tone’ across your website, consistent with your branding, aka; Quirky, Professional, Upbeat, etc. you are creating a coherent online presence.
Tone helps you attract the right kind of client and set the scene for the kind of business you are.
If you are a fun and friendly person who is passionate about what you do, then you want that to come across in your copy. Showcasing your personality creates a better connection with your visitors – making them more likely to want to work with you.
#4 – Google & Reader-Friendly Copy
Your website might be set up as mobile responsive and Google-ready – but you should also be maximising your on-page SEO with your content. A copywriter WON’T just jam your content full of keywords. You might rank, but your copy will no longer be readable. No point being #1 if no one wants to stay on your website! A good copywriter will integrate your keywords into the content, preserving the flow and readability while optimising it for Google.
Your website is your online receptionist – it meets and greets your potential customers before you get the chance.
That means it needs to be easy to understand, quick to engage, well-spoken and have the right personality to represent your business well – otherwise you may find the design brings them in but the content sends them away.
If you want your website to work for you and are keen to see a return on your investment, then you’ll now understand that it’s just as important to spend time creating great, engaging and clear copy as it is on creating an amazing design.
Trust me, it will be worth it in the long run!
About the author
Cindy started Hats Off Copywriting to help business owners engage with their target audiences effectively through writing engaging and targeted content for their websites, blogs and other ‘wordy things’ along the way. If you need to hit refresh on your current website copy or are starting from scratch, she’d love to help out!
Subscribe to Keep Up With Our
Guides & Insights!
About 3am Ideas
We are Australia’s digital marketing agency for small businesses and startups. We provide an ROI driven service to our clients. We are especially dedicated to our Business Startup, Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Optimisation packages.
We always aim to work intimately with our clients because collaboration guarantees best results. From startups with big ideas or established small & medium sized businesses wanting to take the next step. Gain control over your online presence.