Do You Need New Website Copy? 9 Signs You Do (ASAP!)
Your business website already has a sleek design that looks all profesh, but… what about the words that fill it? Are they effective and strategic, or do you need new website copy?
Here’s the thing:
your website copy should ACTIVELY bring you clients, make you money, and help your business grow.
Has it been doing all that for you?
Mmh. If you’re not sure, let’s look at the most common reasons why you might need new website copy.
9 unignorable signs that you need new website copy for your business
From boring self-centred pages to strong SEO-deficiency, we’re about to find out exactly what’s been secretly conspiring against you.
1. A new client wouldn’t get a clear and compelling overview of your business before scrolling down
First impressions do matter.
In fact, only 2 out of 10 people will read beyond your headline.
That’s why the top copy on your home page is the most important section on your ENTIRE website!
Your above-the-fold website copy (=everything your visitors can see before scrolling down) must be clear, compelling, and strategic.
If it doesn’t grab your audience’s attention and give them a reason to scroll down? It’ll be all they’ll ever see!
They’ll leave your website—poof—and head to your competitors instead.
Your above-the-fold copy should consist of an attention-grabbing headline, some explainer text, and a call to action (or two).
Together, these elements must clarify:
Exactly what you do/what type of business you are
Who for
How this benefits them
What they should do next
Unfortunately, many service providers rely on above-the-fold copy that’s incredibly vague, all about themselves, and full of buzzwords (e.g. “I’m passionate about being a coach” or “I provide cutting-edge business solutions”).
Feeling brave? Ask a friend (who doesn’t know much about your business and industry) to go to your homepage, look at it for less than ten seconds WITHOUT SCROLLING DOWN, and identify those 4 points.
If they can’t, you need new website copy, my friend.
For example, this homepage would clearly fail that test. I mean, what do they actually specialise in? And WHY should we scroll down and keep reading?!
Instead, here’s an example of some clear and compelling above-the-fold copy that I wrote for a lovely client:
See? As soon as you land on her website, you can tell:
Exactly what they do/what type of business it is – “Boutique web design agency, digital consultancy, and learning platform”
Who for – “Female high-flyers”—like them
How this benefits them – “Take off by starting your own business”, “propel it forward and higher up” and, overall, “fly their business to their dream destination”
What they should do next – “Find the right flight for you” (services page) or, if they’re not ready, subscribe to their newsletter to “learn from our free tips & in-flight magazines”
THAT’S the kind of vibe you should aim for on your website!
2. You say ‘I’ more often than you say ‘you’
This is one of the mistakes I see the most on service providers websites: extremely self-centred copy (often peppered with the same cliches and buzzwords their competitors are also using).
“I’m delighted to announce that…”
“I pride myself on…”
“I’d love to hear from you…”
“I’m passionate about providing…”
“I live and breathe coaching…”
These kinds of sentences have become so common that… they no longer mean anything to your bored readers! They’re white noise.
Not only that but (truth bomb incoming) that’s just NOT what your audience actually cares about (#soz).
Don’t get me wrong: I KNOW this can be hard to accept as a service provider. After all, I’m sure you are passionate about what you do, and you could talk about it for hours.
But if you want to get actual clients through your website? Your copy must:
Speak to them directly (using ‘you’… a lot!)
Focus on what matters to them
Which takes us to the next reason why you need website copy…
3. You’ve positioned yourself as the hero of your brand story
“But Giada! It’s MY business. Shouldn’t I be the hero?!”
Unfortunately, no.
Not if you want your copy to connect with your dream clients and sell, at least.
To grab their attention and keep them interested, you need to make THEM (=your target clients) the hero of your story. You? You’re the helpful guide who will help them reach their happy ending.
So, that’s the brand story that your website copy should spin:
Connecting with (and stirring) the pain point that your target audience is experiencing right now
Showing them you’re there to help (and why)
Positioning YOU as the best possible solution
Teasing how you’ll change their current situation
Painting a picture of how this will make them feel
And the rest of your content should always keep this brand story consistent too, from your social media posts to your newsletters and so on.
So, if you are still the hero of your brand story, you need new website copy.
4. Nobody can find you on Google
The biggest portion of your target audience does NOT know you exist.
So, when they look for a solution to their current problem, they don’t type your brand name. They google relevant keywords.
For example, some of my clients find me because they’re looking for ‘a website copywriter’ or ‘website copywriting services’.
Be brave, and let’s check if that’s the case for you.
Go to your website analytics – Do most of your website visitors come from socials and direct links? And when it comes to Google… tumbleweed?
Google the keywords that best describe your type of business – Can you see your website or… just your competitors?
Unfortunately, this means that the biggest portion of your target audience will never find YOU when they’re actively looking for your type of business. They’ll go straight to your competitors instead.
This is usually because of one of the following problems:
You never optimised your website copy for SEO keywords
You did, but your old copywriter aimed for very competitive keywords – So, you never stood a chance against the biggest players in your industry
You did, but those keywords didn’t match the actual search intent of your target audience – For example, most of the users googling ‘knitted clothes’ are interested in buying them. So, if you teach them how to knit these clothes themselves via workshops or online courses? Relying on that keyword would be extremely counterproductive
Your website copy is way too short to get traction – Google doesn’t really like pages below 300 words. It classifies them as ‘thin content’ and makes it even harder for them to climb towards page 1
Now, let me be very clear: nobody can guarantee that your website will show up on Google’s first page.
But when you invest in SEO-friendly website copy (written with an actual strategy and all the right keywords)?
You’re giving yourself the very BEST chances of attracting your audience through Google.
Seriously: imagine how many more clients you’d get if you started showing up right in front of them!
5. Your website copy is a huuuuuuuuuuuuge block of text
Does your homepage look like the opening of a Dickens’ novel? Have you been waffling about all the services you offer… without a single heading or section break in sight?
Then I’m afraid nobody (other than your most supportive friend) is going to read it.
Don't take it personally: people just haven’t got time! And they have a short attention span.
Your website copy must be easy to BOTH read and skim
No, NOT like this:
Think headings, shorter paragraphs, white space, bold text, bullet points, and so on. It should also work together with your web design—actively and strategically.
That’s why I always deliver my website copy with simple wireframes: to help you get the most out of it and pair it up with the right visual elements.
Here’s an effective example of some easy-to-read copy that I wrote for a client:
Much easier to follow, right?
6. Your business has simply evolved, and your current website copy no longer reflects it
Let’s face it: if it was written when you started your business 3 years ago, you probably need new website copy.
Simply because… it’s no longer relevant! (Maybe that’s why you’re so reluctant to send people that way?)
Think of someone who’s only just found about you, whether that’s through social media, Google, or a different channel altogether.
Your website copy should offer them a clear overview of your ENTIRE business: each of the services you offer (and which one is right for them at this stage), all the deets, how to get started, what they can expect from your lead magnet and newsletter, and so on.
So, if your website copy doesn’t do that (or if it mentions different services and details compared to what you share on social media)... it’s basically been sabotaging your sales.
7. Your competitors are standing out (and you’re NOT)
Ouch. It sucks to see your competitors get better results.
But that’s exactly why you need new website copy: to show your target audience that YOU are the one they should trust with their hard-earned money!
It doesn’t matter if you all work within the same industry or sell fairly similar products/services. The right messaging and website copy CAN position you as THE go-to solution in your dream clients’ eyes.
For example, here’s some website copy that I wrote for a client.
There are all kinds of business strategists out there, but I’ve positioned them as THE obvious choice for service-based founders looking for in-person strategy days:
Psst. When you show up as THE solution, you start attracting better clients, too.
Those who want to work with you and you only (NOT the prospects who book a bunch of discovery calls with 5 or 6 competitors—and then ghost you forever).
8. You’ve written your own website copy (or outsourced it to the cheapest writer)
Definitely one of the BIGGEST signs that you need new website copy for your business.
Unfortunately, many service providers seem to think they can write it all themselves (even if they’re too close to their business and… not copywriters).
Or that it’s ok to outsource website copy to the cheapest writer on Fiverr.
Or the friend of their neighbour’s cousin’s daughter because she’s good at English Literature.
But “crafting effective marketing copy” is NOT the same as “writing about your business” or “putting some pretty words together.”
Strategic website copy is about:
Clarifying your overall messaging
Researching your audience and their language/voice
Setting you apart from competitors
Adding all the right SEO keywords
Writing copy with readability and UX in mind
Spinning your brand story strategically
Including all the conversion elements needed to actually take someone from prospect to paying clients
And that’s why you need to invest in a professional copywriter.
Now, don’t get me wrong: we’ve all gotta start somewhere! Maybe that DIYed or cheap copy was all you could afford when you started out.
But if it’s been holding you back, that’s when you need new website copy.
9. Your current website copy hasn’t been bringing you clients
I guess this entire list boils down to this: has your website copy been attracting your audience and turning them into paying clients?
As in, do you get enough leads in your inbox that come directly from your website?
If you don’t, it means it’s not doing its job properly.
Your website copy should be working for you 24/7. And if it hasn’t been doing that, you’ve been playing a dangerous game.
It usually means you’ve been relying on:
Referrals – Not only are they unpredictable: your clients might refer you to business owners who just aren’t the right fit for you (what a waste of time)
Social media – These platforms are certainly useful, but YOU. DON’T. OWN. THEM. You could get banned (and trust me: I’ve seen it happen to so many people, both on LinkedIn and Instagram), lose your account, get hacked, or get restricted. And let’s not forget about their ever-changing algorithms: how many times have you already complained or felt frustrated because your reach has gone down and nobody is seeing your content?
You can’t control referrals, and you don’t own your social media profiles. Instead, your website is actually YOURS.
When it’s filled with strategic website copy, you can rely on it to:
Direct more people to the other channel you own – Your newsletter
Actively sell your services for you – Bringing you leads even when you’re taking some well-deserved time off
Make you money – Not just “be there”
So, if your current words haven’t been doing all that for you, you need new website copy for your business.
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS WITH new and strategic website copy
Enough with words that don’t help you attract new prospects and don’t convert them into clients!
Your brand DESERVES copy that works for you and turns your website into a lead-generating machine.
As a website copywriter and messaging consultant, I can fix this for you in two ways:
🧲Magnetic Message & Web Copy Makeover✨
This is actually oh-so-much more than ‘new copy!’
With my signature brand messaging and website copywriting offer, you’ll get my 5 Pillars of Magnetic Marketing:
🧲A clear and fine-tuned brand message – Let’s position you as THE go-to solution in your dream clients’ eyes
🧲A strategic brand story – Following a proven framework
🧲Powerful website copy that cuts through the noise, connects, and converts – Yes, even when you’re sleeping or on holiday
🧲All the right SEO keywords – Get the very best chances of attracting your audience when they’re looking for your type of business
🧲Bespoke guidelines and frameworks to keep your brand story and messaging consistent – Start amplifying them through the rest of your content, and always know what to focus on
Ready to become THE go-to solution in your dream clients’ eyes in 3 weeks?
Still haven’t got the budget for strategic, done-for-you website copy?
In that case, the second best option is booking a website copy audit.
For a one-off investment, I’ll review up to 5 website pages and send you a checklist and actionable tips on exactly how you can take them from ‘meh’ to ‘heck yeah!’
If you recognised one (or more) of those signs and realised you need new website copy, don’t delay it.
The sooner you get it fixed, the sooner you’ll start seeing the first results—showing up as THE go-to solution in your niche and finding new enquiries waiting for you in your inbox.
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