A lot of effort and research goes into making website copy.
So it comes as no surprise that so many amateur bloggers don’t give their website copy a do-over when needed. Even if you are writing evergreen content with concepts that don’t change in response to the passage of time, it’s still important to update certain sections with new information.
It’s not simply enough to provide users with a visually good-looking interface and then call it a day. That’s just the hook that buys you a few more seconds with your prospects. The website copy gives them further reasons to not only extend their stay but also follow through with a desirable action (whether it’s signing up for your newsletter or buying a service.
Without a good copy, you’ll have a hard time trying to convince readers to part with their money.
So what are the hallmarks of good website copy?
Below is a rough overview that gives you a good idea:
- It should resonate with the reader’s pain points
- It should provide in-depth information that keeps up with the times
- It should provide actionable advice on how to solve a problem
- It shouldn’t be too sales-y
- It shouldn’t be too flashy
The last point needs a bit of clarification. Far too many website creators believe that setting up a flashy website with an eye-catching design is all that it takes to convince readers to stay. That’s just one part of the equation. You must also complement the visuals with accompanying text proving that you’re an authority on the subject.
Speaking of flashy design, if your website is too visually complicated, you run the risk of scaring off visitors (that is, even if your page loads in the first place).
In this blog, you’ll learn about 4 signs that it’s time to re-evaluate your website copy and give it a spruce up – if need be.
New Trends in Keywords Have Emerged
It is absolutely important for any SEO professional to keep monitoring keyword trends and updating their content accordingly.
This is definitely true in the case of webmasters who haven’t updated their copy in several years. There is a good chance that your niche has evolved to include new keywords that originally didn’t have any interest.
Here’s an example.
The keywords “cherry brown” and “mechanical keyword” were useful back in 2010 for keyword vendors. In 2021, new technology has emerged, and with it new keywords. So if you created a blog that includes keywords covering only Cherry MX switches, it’s probably time to include information about Kalih switches.
Customers Have Moved On
A savvy marketer knows that their prospective clients are always evolving in terms of the problems they encounter and the solutions they require.
This is why a good website copy should understand the problem, resonate with the reader, and then proceed with a solution.
Your goal in content isn’t restricted to selling stuff – it’s to demonstrate empathy. To be relatable.
Suppose you provide data protection services.
Making blanket statements such as, “data protection is complicated” won’t do anything to empathize with the problems your clients are currently facing.
You’ll have to properly address their pain points and understand the issues that they are facing.
In the data protection example, the problems businesses are facing today are a lot different than they looked a few years ago.
For example, the recent pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns required businesses to transition to the cloud.
In a matter of days, the pain point of most businesses changed to protecting their employees from data breaches.
IT vendors who were savvy sniffed the change in the air and updated their web copy to reflect the new dangers of a data breach now that most people were working from home.
This is just one example. There are countless others depending on the type of niche you operate in.
Your Competitors Are Getting More Traffic
This one requires quite a bit of introspection – and that may be a bitter pill to swallow. But it’s important to take a step back and go over your web copy to see if it’s lacking somewhere.
It’s a good practice to compare your web copy with that of your competitors.
Evaluate the other copy for the following markers:
- Does it cover more pain points?
- Does the author appear more empathetic to your prospects’ needs?
- Is their brand more credible and trustworthy?
- Do their products or services cover more ground than yours?
- Does it read better than yours?
This requires honesty.
The primary goal of your website copy is to empathize with the reader, present the solution, and give reasons as to why your company is the best provider of that solution.
If your competitor is doing better than you, chances are, they’ve got better website copy.
The Original Copy Was Written Without Research
Let’s face it. Not every marketer has all day to devote to writing.
Most entrepreneurs need to get something out and they don’t have the luxury of time. So they prepare something in a matter of hours. The final work looks rushed, plain, and very simple.
Content marketing in 2021 requires you to play dress-up with your blogs. This requires constant back and forth – and that can take several days.
Now we’re not asking you to write a Pulitzer award-winning copy – but something that looks like it was written by a professional.
An experienced copywriter will likely spend several hours (and maybe even days) coming up with the required research and text variations to truly wordsmith your content. They probably did several rounds of revisions before proposing the final copy to their client for review.
This kind of research, detail, and wordsmithing requires time and effort. To buy that, you’ll have to cough up more than $10 per page.
Find a bigger budget than last time – invest in a content writing service that can provide you with a succinct copy and reap the rewards.
By Brian H.
