What Exactly Is a Website Copy Review? (& Do You Need One?)
So, you’ve heard about website copy reviews, but… what do they actually include? And, most importantly, are they the right investment for your business right now?
Let’s find out (objectively).
Website copy reviews 101
First of all, a simple definition:
What is a website copy review?
A website copy review (or website copy audit or critique) is an unbiased analysis of the written copy that’s already on your website, with feedback and actionable suggestions to show you exactly how you can improve it.
Basically, a website copy review:
identifies what’s been holding you back
finds untapped opportunities to reach your goals (like getting more enquiries from clients who already want to work with YOU
tells you how to bridge that gap, step by step
That way, you can then fix your website copy on your own following that plan. Easy!
What’s included in a website copy review?
Well, this really depends on who you work with. In most cases, however, a website copy audit looks at things like:
Is your core messaging clear and simple to understand for your specific ideal clients, or is it muddled and confusing?
Does the top section of your homepage immediately clarify exactly what you do, who your products/services are for, and how they will benefit them?
Does your website copy include aaaaall the conversion elements NEEDED to take someone from prospect to paying client, from their pain points to their most common concerns and much more?
Is your tone of voice consistent?
Is your copy easy to skim and digest, or does it compromise UX and readability?
Have you used your SEO keywords correctly to give yourself the very best chances of showing up in front of your ideal clients’ eyes on Google?
Does it include clear and unmissable calls to action (the kinds your audience will be ITCHING to click on), or does it expect them to figure out the next steps on their own?
Plus, I usually end up catching many more technical website copy mistakes that have secretly been working against my clients.
For example, did you know that using headings just to highlight your text visually is one of the worst things you can do for your SEO? And that you shouldn’t have the exact same clickable text more than once on the same page (like “Find out more” for every single service)?
I can’t blame you if you didn’t because… well, that’s not your area of expertise! But there are all kinds of problems that can be identified during a website copy review—and, without one, you wouldn’t get a chance to fix them.
At the same time, though, I want to be clear:
What’s NOT part of a website copy review?
Let’s make sure we’re on the same (website) page. A website copy review isn’t synonymous with any of the following.
❌ An actual rewrite or full website copywriting services
A copy review is about helping you optimise what you already have. So, a website copywriter will tell you what needs changing and how. Then, you will be the one who puts their actionable advice into practice.
That’s why a copy review is more budget-friendly than traditional website copywriting services. But if you’d rather let a copywriter do aaaaall the hard work and write new copy for you, you should consider the latter.
❌ A proofreading service
Most website copywriters will also point out obvious grammatical and punctuation mistakes. However, that’s not the point of a copy review because:
You’ll probably be rewriting most of it anyway (with clear guidance)
It goes BEYOND that! It’s about the actual strategy behind your words. I’m talking about psychology and marketing tactics to get your dream clients to click your “Buy/Book now” button while cheering in front of their laptop
❌ A technical/SEO audit
A website copy review isn’t a full website audit! Copy reviews are usually carried out by copywriters, so that’s what we deal with: the word side of things (not website speed, Schema markup, and stuff like that).
Plus, once again, a review is about optimising what’s already there. If you haven’t got any keywords at all, you can’t expect a copywriter to create an SEO plan from scratch during an audit.
However, if you did optimise your current copy for certain keywords, most writers will let you know how to use them to maximise your chances of ranking higher than your competitors (I sure will!)
So, is a website copy review the best option for my business?
I’ll be completely honest: it depends.
If your current copy hasn’t been bringing you (m)any clients or helping you sell your services more easily, the best option is to invest in brand new website copy written from scratch by a professional copywriter.
However, hiring an expert to review your website copy is indeed the (second) best option if you genuinely can’t afford full copywriting services just yet.
And anyway, a website copy review is DEFINITELY better than:
Hiring the cheapest writer you can find on Upwork, only to get more directionless copy written without a strategy
Using AI (ugh, don’t let me get started!)
What are the benefits of a website copy review?
In a nutshell:
✅ As they say, “You can’t read the label from inside the jar”. Being so close to your business makes it much harder to write about it in a way that actually speaks to your audience. Plus, because you’re not a professional copywriter, it’s totally normal that you’re not familiar with the best practices to maximise conversions (as in, compelling people to get their wallets out and be happy about it). Instead, an audit is objective and carried out by an expert who’ll read that label for you and help you rewrite it. No more guesswork!
✅ You’ll simplify your message and start talking about your services in a way that speaks to your actual audience (without jargon, overused buzzwords, and vague or generic sentences that don’t mean much)
✅ You’ll increase your conversions (= more leads, sales, and money)
✅ Your website copy will finally start working in the background for you instead of feeling like a placeholder, and you’ll finally get to direct your leads to your service pages confidently (no more being secretly ashamed of them)
✅ From social media to newsletters and more, you’ll find it much easier to talk and write about your business IN GENERAL once you put those website copy review suggestions into practice
My website copy review for women entrepreneurs: shall I take your copy from “meh” to “heck yeah”?
Now that you know all this, does this one-off investment sound like the best option for you right now?
Then check out my website copy review package (I’m Giada, by the way).
It starts with a project planner for you to fill in so that I can learn all about your brand, audience, challenges, and goals. I’ll then review the copy of up to 5 of your current website pages (your homepage, since that’s the most important, and 4 more—chosen by you).
Within 3 working days, you’ll then receive:
An in-depth document full of comments, feedback, and actionable suggestions (no jargon or confusing instructions!)
A checklist to help you prioritise them and put them into practice without feeling overwhelmed. I’ve got you!
A screenshare video recording covering the most important points so that you can easily visualise those new changes
Optional: a 20-minute 1:1 consultation to answer your questions (should you have any)
All for a one-off investment of £500.
If the words on your website haven’t been bringing you (m)any new clients, they won’t magically begin to do that “one day”.
It’s clearly time to do something about it, don’t you think? Because the sooner you book your website copy review, the sooner you can start using those strategic pages to take someone from prospect to paying client more easily—without YOU having to do all the heavy-lifting
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