Every time you write website copy, you’re selling. You may not be directly pushing a product or service, but you are still trying to persuade people to take some kind of action – whether that’s signing up for a newsletter, downloading an ebook, or making a purchase.
Most marketers in charge of crafting this copy know that the words they use matter, but they don’t give enough thought to the structure, format, and other strategies that can make a copy more compelling.
Here are some strategies marketers can use to write website copy that sells:
1. Know your target audience
It’s impossible to attract the right customers with your copy if you don’t know who those customers are. Spend some time researching and creating detailed personas of your ideal customers.
- What are their pain points?
- What motivates them?
- How can you best address their needs?
Leverage this information to craft a copy that speaks directly to your target audience. Use relatable language and phrasing, cover topics they care about, and focus on the benefits they seek.
2. Highlight benefits, not features
Any good website copy should start by focusing on the product or service’s benefits rather than simply listing its features. Sure, people care about what it looks like and how it works, but the benefits will capture their attention.
Focus on how the product or service can help solve their problems, make their life easier, or improve their experience somehow. Paint a vivid picture for readers of their lives if they had the product or service in question.
For example, if you’re selling a fitness tracker, don’t just detail how it tracks your steps and heart rate. Talk about how it can help people reach their fitness goals and stay motivated to exercise.
3. Tell stories
Clinging to facts and figures is useful, but don’t forget about the power of stories. People love stories because they make the copy more relatable and memorable – two things that can help it stand out from the competition.
An anecdote about how your product or service helped a real person can be more powerful than reviewing its features in detail. If you have customer testimonials or success stories, use those as part of your narrative.
Storytelling is a powerful way to engage readers and spark their interest while building an emotional connection that makes them more willing to take action.
4. Make it scannable
Most people don’t read web pages like they would books or magazines. They scan the page and look for keywords, phrases, and headlines that stand out.
Good copy makes it easier for people to quickly scan the page and get a good sense of what you offer, even if they don’t read every word. Make sure to use punchy headlines, relevant subheadings and bullet points, plenty of white space, and appropriate visuals to break up large chunks of text.
5. Optimize for search
The first thing people do when looking for a product or service is type it into Google. You may have a fantastic piece of copy, but it won’t do you much good if it doesn’t appear in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Do extensive keyword research to identify the terms and phrases your potential customers are searching for, then weave them into your copy naturally. Laying the groundwork for an SEO-friendly website copy will help you get more organic traffic and increase conversions.
Final thoughts
Writing website copy that sells requires more than just a strong command of the language. Every marketer needs to understand their target audience, focus on the benefits of what they’re selling, use storytelling, and keep the copy readable and SEO-friendly.
At Begin with B, our experienced copywriters are well-versed in crafting a website copy that reflects your brand, resonates with your audience, and produces tangible results.
Contact us today to transform your website copy and get the results you’re looking for.