If you’ve recently set up a business, you either:

A) have a website already

B) agree that getting one set up is top of your priority list.

To keep costs down, you may be using a platform like WordPress or Squarespace, which allow you to set up a template and add or remove sections and pages as and when you see fit. But how do you go about writing your site - surely that’s a task for a professional copywriter, isn’t it?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

While writing may not be your forte, no one knows your business quite like you do. So, you may feel you’re the best person for the mammoth task of writing your website.

If you’re on a budget and want to craft your own content, here are some pointers…

Do Your Research

You want to populate your website with the information your customers want and need - and that may involve doing some research into who they are and what they’re looking for. You don’t want to make your website a vehicle for sales, as such, but keep it a nice, light place for people to dip in and out of content that they will enjoy.

Make the most of a blog and post regular, useful content - and share your company’s backstory to let customers know a little more about how you got into business. Make sure things are relatable, if you can - and easy to read. Your customers want to know there’s a human behind your brand.

Don’t litter your content with too many keywords, either; remember, content should be written for people, first and foremost, and not the Google algorithm.

Sure, the right keywords may mean more people land on your site. If when they get there, though, they don’t stick around, filling your site with relevant keywords and phrases will have proved counterproductive.

Be a Stickler for Grammar and Spelling

By having a go at writing your own website content, you’re allowing your personality to shine through in your marketing messages - which is rarely a bad thing. If you do choose to forgo help from a copywriter, though, just make sure you check, check and check again when it comes to proofreading your content.

Spelling and grammar errors won’t look good, so be meticulous when proofreading your site and you’ll be glad you were.

Get a Second (or third!) Pair of Eyes on Your Site

Written your site? Ask a friend or some family members to take a look over it. They may spot things you’ve missed - or have some suggestions you haven’t thought about yet. They will also be looking at your site as a potential customer might - and if they don’t find it easy to navigate (or read!), neither will your target market.

Take comments on board - but if you really believe in what you’ve written, too, try not to get too bogged down if criticism comes from just one person.

Don’t Be Afraid to Tweak It

If your site content doesn’t seem to be working for you, wait a little while but then don’t be afraid to tweak it. When you do, though, always back up your content - just in case you lose what’s already there.

Plus, if you change the order of key pages or swap their URLs, ask your web developer to ensure the old pages ‘point’ to the new ones, technically speaking. That way, any benefits you have built up on your site in terms of search engine optimisation won’t go to pot.

Get an Expert to Do It

If all else fails and you’re tearing your hair out trying to write your own website content, get a copywriter to do it for you. As well as a full website copywriting service (whereby I write your website from scratch), I also offer a more affordable ‘Content Audit’ option.

The latter sees me provide you with a document which offers some hints, tips and suggestions - as well as some minor edits - to help you refine your website content yourself. Giving you an element of control and relieving you of a bigger website copywriting bill, a content audit is great value for small to medium-sized businesses. Just get in touch with me - a Huddersfield copywriter who can help you stand out online - if you’d like to learn more.

Until next time…

Want a (very) mini masterclass in how to write for the web?

Oh, you don’t? Okay, no bother…I’ll see you back here next month when I’ll be sharing something that’s a bit more to your liking.

For now, though, pop and read the first post in my new ‘Good News Guide’ series, this piece on becoming a copywriter (if that’s what you so wish), or this article which delves into the myths people believe about what it’s like to be a freelancer.

Everyone else…stick around - and make yourself a brew before you dive right into my top tips.

Writing for the web, then: what are my top tips?

In a nutshell…

1. Know Your Audience

Made a bad ‘Dad Joke’ in a room full of teens? Or perhaps you heckled someone with poor presentation skills at a funeral. In either case, your attempt at ‘wit’ probably didn’t go down well, did it?

Knowing your audience is less of a skill and more of a given - especially if you’re in business.

You’ve probably heard the expression ‘Read the room’ - and it’s a phrase that’s been coined for good reason. Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing (writing marketing messages being one), knowing your audience is essential. So, if you haven’t already, take some time to get to know them - and what makes them tick.

2.Less is (Usually) More

I should take a leaf out out of my own book - as that last point dragged on a bit, didn’t it?! If you’re still here, remember this: people’s attention spans aren’t what they used to be, with so much info coming at us from all angles. Keep your online messages concise to grab your customers’ attention, then.

3. Use Keywords

Now, there’s nothing very ‘s*xy’ about using keywords, is there? In fact, litter your content with them too freely and Google (it’s a clever so and so!) will know - and maybe even penalise you for it by not showing it to as many people. Pah.

Use keywords ‘naturally’ though, weaving them into your marketing messages with ease, and you’re onto a winner if you want more site visitors. I’m always keen to bring more people to my freelance Yorkshire copywriter site, which is why I add key words into my site cleverly (and some may even say, sneakily). You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

4. Don’t Overthink It

Comedians often write from experience. So do novelists. So, see if you can resonate with your customers by just being ‘real’ and sharing stuff people can relate to. Don’t overthink it by trying too hard to make everything you post online solely about making a sale.

5. Know Your Platform

I’ve mentioned getting to know your audience; you should also know a little about the platform you’re posting your content on - whether it’s your Squarespace or WordPress website; Facebook; Twitter or LinkedIn.

Some sites have a character count limit and others are designed for longer-form content like blogs. Get an understanding of who’s using the platform - and what for - and write your content with those two things in mind.

6.Use Headings

Break up long-form text - in bullet point form, with headings or images. Trust me; it’ll please those (i.e. most of us) with a short attention span and, well, it’s just easier on the eye.

7. Pay Attention to Spelling and Grammar

Trust me when I say you could lose a reader or two if your content is littered with errors. Check, check and check again.

8. Have Fun

When you enjoy putting your content together - and coming up with fun ideas regarding what to post - it’ll shine through. You may be a business owner but you don’t always have to be so ‘corporate’. Not if you don’t want to be, that is.

9. Try Something New

Tried and trusted content not working? Now’s the time to give something completely new a go. A silly poll, a ‘blast from the past’ type post to appeal to your customers’ sense of nostalgia, or even a cheeky giveaway.

10. Get Some Help

If you feel your time is better spent elsewhere because writing content just isn’t for you, outsource it to a professional. A professional like ‘meeeee’.

Yep, you knew where I was going with this post, didn’t you? Joking aside, though, as a business owner, you probably enjoy the fact that you don’t always have to do what you don’t want to do. That’s the beauty of being self-employed.

So, get in touch and let me see if I can take a task or two off your to-do list.

Until next time…

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