You want professional looking web copy? That when people read it, every paragraph connects and flows to the next. That It sounds professional when they read it and seem revolutional? That they can tell you've done your research? Then answers these 3 questions, which will make you seem like a professional copywriter instantly.
But first, there’s a reason why your high school/ secondary school English teacher always told you to create an outline before you wrote your essays... Improv doesn’t always work so well when it comes to writing, especially when it's for your website.
Your website is your shop window. It can look simplistic or artistic. It can look great to you but if you're getting little to no website traffic, then you have no business? Not entirely true, in a way, but the right words pay and makes you a leader in your niche/ industry. Why not dream of dominating your niche with words that work? With words that bring in money everyday to your bank account?
"Creativity is still a large part of what makes copy great. Crafting compelling copy that combines authenticity with proven marketing principles is vital; but did you know that customer analysis, market research, strategy, positioning and understanding the client's tone of voice are the first things copywriters do before they've written a single word? SEO for the specific industry, Google analytics and understanding the client's target audience are other things we do first before writing anything even a single word"
I'm not just writing for the Music Business/ Professionals, Live Events/ Festivals, Architecture & Interior Design, Hair & Beauty, Apps, Coaches, Creative and Black/Diverse Led Businesses, which are the main industries I do web copy for. Dats Muzik is writing this for many creative industries too e.g. Food & Restaurants, Fashion and others that align with Dats Muzik ethos- diversity, individuality, acceptance and inclusion.
So here goes...
What do your customers or clients really value?
Customers don’t want “high-quality” to an extent. High quality is a description of an experience, but it’s not the mechanics of what makes a service, product or experience worth having. “Quality” is an outcome of answering a pain point. Let me explain:
A 5* restaurant is one that is a smooth operational business, where you are greeted at the front door and treated like a king or queen. These resturants give you artistic looking food on the plate. Is one where the staff open the doors for you, take your coat and hang it, walk with you to your designated seating area and pours wine in your specific wine glass etc. The customers want to feel like a king or queen, not get "quality".
If you want to make your message more compelling, start by identifying the underlying pain points and problems your customers have. Here's one example...
"I need a trendy outfit for my party tonight - I need an outfit that's cheap and fast."
When you know the pain points a customer is trying to avoid, you can then start addressing the specific ways you meet those pain points. You can structure your copy to do more than make a bland claim and instead offer up an answer and a promise to deliver what they’re really coming to you for.
Next, What actions do you want your audience/ target market to take?
If you want your website and/ or landing page to convert, you can’t let the copy wander aimlessly. Instead, you have to make sure it’s focused on your #1 goal... Getting people to follow your "call to action" (CTA).
Your "call to action" (CTA) is what you want your audience/ target market to do after they finish reading your webpage and/ or landing page. Do you want them to sign up for a free resource? Follow you on social media? Buy a product? Book a service? Once you know exactly what you want your audience to do, you can write web copy that’s focused solely on persuading them to take this all-important next step.
Lastly, How do you enrich your customers? What does you audience need to know? I believe they are 2 questions in 1.
Your business has to keep growing to provide things that your customers or clients value more, than the money they have to pay for it and the time they have to give up to use your product or service. When people find something enriching, that they need or want, they'll keep on buying and spread the word to friends and family and let's not forget online (InstaStories, TikTok etc), without you asking.
Sustainability is where every business owner wants to be at... A business that keeps on going, doesn't stand still, moves with the times and is able to adapt to situations like Covid19 and keeps making money. Easier said that done but you can do this!
Also, you now know what you want your audience to do once they read your webpage and landing page. What’s the next step? Figuring out the information you need to give them if you want to convince them to act to your CTA. No matter what kind of web copy you’re writing, you’ll have to tell your audience what’s in it for them. Simple!.
To end this blog post.... Show some personality, mirror their values and start with your “Why”, and you’ll be on your way to writing copy that the competition will wish they thought of first but would you like some free proofreading and editing for your copy? Just for one web page, from your website, of your choosing? With both of these, you'll see more sales and profits from your business. Now contact me and we'll go from there.
Why proofreading?
It sells your brand message and ethos clearly, which persuades people to visit your website (your website is your shop window... Remember that).
With no grammatical errors etc... It gives you and your business the professional image, making you look like a leader in your field/ industry.
Why editing?
There are 5 decision makers- followers, charismatic, thinkers, skeptics and controllers - So the trick is to know how to structure your online marketing, brand and ethos messages + paragraphs, so that your sentences flow and hit the things that are common between all of the decision makers first, and then prioritise the rest of the messages and paragraphs for their individual traits, which will persuade them to visit your website (enter your shop/ store).