Why Your Website Copy isn’t Converting
Typing & spelling errors
Your copy needs to be perfect to capture the SEO results you want and maintain your position as an authority in your industry.
Typos and misspelled words can cost you sales. Lots of sales.
Research by Website Planet discovered that an ad with a typo resulted in 70% fewer clicks compared to the same ad without the typo. In a separate test, typos on a landing page caused an 85% bounce rate increase in comparison to the typo-free version. Oof.
No personality
Though typos are a no-no, sometimes it’s okay to ignore the rules of grammar for the sake of letting your personality shine through. Using slang and popular phrases that you and your target audience say often is a good way to be relatable. Writing website copy that converts definitely leans heavily on being human and connecting with your reader.
Boring your reader with a lot of technical terms and copy that reads like a textbook is the best way to send your visitors straight to the (X) close page button or back to Google to look up a more approachable competitor.
Engage your reader with fun or interesting stories that let them know a little more about who you really are and demonstrate how you can solve problems and get them to the next level of success.
No call to action
A call to action (CTA) is key to conversions on any website. Your visitors need you to tell them what to do next, or they will likely leave your site without accomplishing what you had in mind.
Also note, a conversion is not always a sale. It also includes steps like signing up for your email list or newsletter, or even downloading a freebie. Be sure to instruct your readers to complete these actions at times that fit with where they are in the buyer’s journey.
A call to action is key in a successful sales funnel as it serves as a well-placed transition between phases in the buyer’s journey. Your CTA creates a better, more cohesive user experience by making it easy for your reader to take the next step.
No clear brand messaging
A clear, defined brand message is what makes your customers relate to your brand by inspiring and motivating them. In order to write website copy that converts, you need to tell a story that gets people excited about your products and helps them understand the value and purpose behind the brand.
Brand messaging articulates your values and brand promise— the experience your customers can expect to receive every single time they interact with your brand.
When writing website copy or any content for your brand, always keep your message in mind. While everything you write obviously doesn’t have to recite your message verbatim, it should all be in alignment with your values, mission, and overall vision.
Focusing on features instead of benefits
What exactly is the difference between features and benefits?
Features are surface level parts or aspects of your product and what it can do. For example, features of a single serve coffee maker might be a 75oz reservoir and less than 1 minute brewing time.
Benefits are outcome-focused and describe what users can do or accomplish with your product. They fixate on the positive impact it will have on the customer’s life. Benefits of a coffee maker that allows you to brew 8 cups before a refill are the time saved and a simpler morning routine.
Benefits are absolutely essential when writing website copy that converts. Customers buy transformations, not a list of specs.
No About Me Page
Though it is often an afterthought, your About Me or About Us page is a huge part of writing website copy that converts. This page is usually the second most visited page of your website.
Why? Because, with rare exception, people buy from people. Buying from a faceless company, devoid of any humanizing expression isn’t ideal for most customers. Your visitors want to know a little more about the person (or people) behind the brand to feel a connection before making a purchase.
Don’t be afraid to show some personality and have fun when you write this page. The reader should be able to easily find out what you do and what services or products you offer while also getting a genuine feel for who you are and a bit of the story behind your brand.
Next— and I know this one is a big deal for some of you— include a picture! Seeing who they’re purchasing from is a part of the connection. The pictures you use should build trust, so stock photos are not the best option. People respond best to photos of other people. Shocking, I know. But especially in times like now, when so many of us have been isolated from our typical level of human interaction, it’s very important to humanize your brand.
Last, but not least.. include a call to action. Yes! A call to action on your About page. Anyone who is visiting this specific page is showing a good amount of interest, so you should definitely ask them to make the next step, whether that is signing up for your emails, scheduling a call, or downloading your lead magnet.
Talking about yourself more than the transformation
While letting your readers know some more about you is definitely important, be careful not to make it ALL about you. Believe it or not, even your About page is a chance to write copy that converts!
While writing, ask yourself “how can I help my ideal client?” The content of your About page should be relatable and describe clearly the transformation you can give them. Describe how you take them from where they are to where they want to be— in DETAIL! Give facts and mention your specific accomplishments as they relate to the solutions you provide.
No SEO Strategy
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is how many of your website visitors will find you in the first place. This is the way to get your site to organically show up on Google, Bing, and other search engines. Knowing the basics of SEO is a major key to writing website copy that converts.
Three main types of keywords for your website copy are head keywords, body keywords, and long-tail keywords.
Head keywords are single word keywords with huge amounts of traffic and competition. It is very difficult to rank highly using head keywords.
Body keywords are 2-3 word phrases that get appealing amounts of traffic with a little less competition. Body keywords are more specific than head keywords, but still relatively broad. These are still pretty hard to rank highly when using in your website copy.
Long-tail keywords are 4+ word phrases that hit a more specific niche of a topic. The language is more specific so there is much less search volume. These keywords are especially important for writing website copy that converts because the more specific the language used in a search, the more likely the prospect is making a purchase.
