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…