Most small business websites have the same problem: the content was written in a hurry, often by the business owner, and it describes what the business does rather than speaking to what the customer needs. Good website copy is one of the most neglected elements of web design, and getting it right can make a bigger difference to enquiries and conversions than almost any visual or technical change.
Here are six principles that will immediately improve the quality of your website wording.
1. Write for your visitor, not for yourself
The most common mistake in website copy is writing from the business's perspective rather than the customer's. Phrases like "we are passionate about what we do" or "our team has over 20 years of combined experience" tell visitors about you. What they actually want to know is whether you can solve their specific problem.
Before writing anything, ask: what is this visitor trying to achieve? What question are they arriving with? Write your content to answer that question directly, and position your services as the solution to their specific need.
2. Be specific and concrete
Vague language undermines trust. "High quality service" and "professional approach" mean nothing without evidence. Replace generic claims with specific details: how many projects have you completed, what kinds of clients do you work with, what results have you achieved? Specific, credible statements do far more to build confidence than broad assertions.
If you have case studies, testimonials, or examples of past work, these are among the most persuasive content elements you can include. Real evidence beats promotional language every time.
3. Use plain language
Industry jargon, overly formal language, and unnecessarily long sentences are all barriers between your visitor and the action you want them to take. Write as you would speak to a client in a face-to-face meeting: clearly, directly, and without unnecessary complexity.
Short sentences are easier to read. Short paragraphs are less intimidating. Active voice ("we build websites") is clearer and more engaging than passive voice ("websites are built by us"). These are small choices, but they add up to a noticeably better reading experience.
4. Structure content for scanning
Most visitors do not read web pages from top to bottom. They scan, looking for the headings, bullet points, and key phrases most relevant to what they are trying to find out. Structure your content accordingly: use descriptive headings, break long sections into shorter chunks, and put the most important information near the top of the page.
If a visitor lands on your services page and has to read three paragraphs before discovering whether you offer what they need, many of them will leave. Make the key information easy to find at a glance.
5. Include a clear call to action on every page
Every page on your site should have a clear next step for the visitor. What do you want them to do when they have finished reading? Call you, submit an enquiry form, download something, read another page? Make that action obvious and easy to take.
Vague sign-offs like "feel free to get in touch" are less effective than specific, direct calls to action: "Call us for a free consultation" or "Send us a message and we will get back to you the same working day." The more specific and low-risk you can make the action sound, the more likely visitors are to take it.
6. Keep it current
Outdated content is a subtle but real credibility problem. If your website still references services you no longer offer, prices from three years ago, or news that is years old, visitors will notice. A site that looks unmaintained suggests a business that may be less active or less reliable than one where the content is clearly current.
Set a reminder to review your website content at least once a year. Update your services, refresh case studies and testimonials, and remove anything that is no longer accurate. It takes less time than you think and makes a noticeable difference to how your site is perceived.
If you would like help reviewing and improving the copy on your website, get in touch and I can take a look.