How to write webpages people want to read

LEARN TO WRITE COMPELLING WEBPAGES

Every author would agree they need a website. But what makes the difference between a functional site and webpages people want to read? The copy on your site is a huge part of this equation. By website copy I mean the words you string together to encourage a reader to take an action of some kind. Now, since us writers are able to craft a story, we expect to be able to translate that into effective words on a website. But many of us miss the mark, because we don’t start in the right place. Read my conversation with Kristen Vanderhoek, Communications Strategist and Coach, to discover the secret to writing great copy.

Photo credit: Annemarie Gruden

What made you want to revamp your website copy?

My site was a couple of years old and my situation had changed. At first I’d started blogging for my own interests, then it had grown into a business. I realized the copy was focused on me and it wasn’t really written for my reader. I wanted to build a better connection with my ideal client and help the RIGHT people not just come to my site, but stay there.

That focus on speaking to the right people was critical to me. We often think we need to be all things to all people. We have that scarcity mentality when we start out in business – that we can’t turn anyone away because we need customers – but the dichotomy is that, if we focus in on only the people we truly want to help, we’ll have more success and enjoyment, not less.

I love that perspective. It feels scary, but if we hone in on a specific customer we’ll actually find we succeed at attracting more customers, not the opposite. So, where did you start with re-writing the copy?

I started with a deep dive into my own brand and messaging. Who I am, what I want my brand to be, my mission, values and vision. I tried to really clarify and refine these statements because they’re like your Northern Star. Your mission is how what you’re doing is unique to you. The values are what drive you. It’s important to be true to yourself, and consistent so you can make a connection with your reader and they can see themselves in that. Then I considered tone and voice – how do I want the copy to sound in my reader’s head as they’re engaging with it? You have to decide whether you’re going to be very professional or more edgy and irreverent like some brands out there, or maybe somewhere in between.

The second step was a deep dive into my customers. So, I did a customer survey to my email list to ask them what their frustrations were and what it would look like if those were solved. I spent a lot of time trying to understand their pain points and challenges, and how I could make their lives better. Specifically, I wanted to be really clear on the result or transformation they would experience when they work with me. People buy for emotional reasons — for example, maybe they want freedom, or an escape, or a sense of newfound confidence — so it’s about making sure your copy says, “I hear you, I understand you, I can help you.” You can use marketing formulas and statistics to buttress that, but you have to start with understanding your customer. People aren’t buying a product – whether that’s a coaching session or a book – they’re buying an end result so I wanted to be clear what that ideal end result looked like and focus my copy on highlighting that.

The third step was to get down to writing the copy. I made a list of the pages I needed, and my goal for each page – what do I want the reader to DO with the information I’m giving them on that page? It’s really important to clarify ONE goal for each page, because you can’t write a word without knowing exactly how you want the reader to respond and act. Once you know that, all of the words you write need to be focused on making that action step as easy for your readers as possible. I also thought about how the pages flowed together. How could I use my website copy to “direct traffic” and make it easy for them to find the information they need?

That customer research is crucial, but it’s one thing to ask the questions and another to weave it into your copy. How did you make sure you kept your customer in mind as you re-wrote your copy?

I think it’s a foundational issue. Your customer needs to be at the heart of your business, that perspective needs to infuse everything you do. Start by talking to your customer, whether that’s by finding beta readers, asking clients, gathering testimonials at the end of a project, or starting projects off with a questionnaire. Make a bank of what your customers say. Literally, I made a database, a copy bank. That becomes your messaging guidelines. I used actual phrases customers used in their responses to my survey.

My other tip is to keep a client avatar in your mind as you write, as if you’re writing just for one specific person. Then writing will feel like a conversation with thatperson, instead of a faceless ‘audience’. When I started editing a page, I wrote down the goal for that page. That also helps you keep your customer’s perspective in mind. Then I re-read what I’d drafted and asked myself, “how would my customer feel after reading that?”

That discovery work was so important, even if it was time consuming. It felt vulnerable asking customers for feedback in a survey, but I had to remind myself people love to help. It was worth it.

Those are great tips. So, how do you feel your new copy changes the experience for a visitor now?

I hope that visitors let out a breath, that they realize they’ve found the right place for them. It’s not aimed at everybody and that’s the point. Hopefully I’ve communicated who I am and who I’m not, who I serve and what’s important to them. I think the new copy gets people excited at the possibility of doing business together.

I think it does. Now, what would be your top tips for the Home page and About page?

Those are the two most important pages on your site but they do different jobs. You need to remember the job of each one and make sure you understand how each page is doing the heavy lifting for your reader.

I see the Home page like the moment you welcome someone into your living room. It’s a tour for a first time guest. You tell them what they can expect. You need to decide what you want your reader to pay attention to. You want to direct them to what’s important, get them intrigued, and let them know they’re in the right place.

Your About page is like when you sit down on the couch with a glass of wine. It’s an introduction. It’s about connection, letting your reader know you get them. IEven though you’re introducing yourself, the page is still about your reader, about how you help them and make their lives better.

I love those analogies. So, for a writer specifically, what would you advise them to focus on when writing the copy for their website?

Remember your website is not your book, it’s a marketing tool. We’re not talking about writing your book for an audience, but a website is different. The job of your website is to market your book, to communicate something specific to a certain audience. So, when it comes to your website copy, you do write that for an audience – whether that’s the end reader, or publishers, or booksellers.

It can be tempting for writers to feel that taking this kind of approach with their website somehow compromises their creative expression and they say things like, “I’m just here to create and share that creative vision with the world.” Yes, and that’s what your book does, and that’s a beautiful thing!

But if you and I were to sit down and have coffee, you wouldn’t read your book to me. You’d tell me why you create the way you do, why I should buy it, things like when you’re going on tour and where it’s available. That’s the job of your website.

Brilliant. Thank you so much for your insights.

Kristen Vanderhoek is a Communications Strategist and Coach for creative entrepreneurs. Check out her website to see how she put her tips into practise.

Would you like help refreshing the copy on your website so that readers are left wanting to take action? Contact me for a free phone call to assess the best next step for you.