8 Stages of Working with a Professional Copywriter
7 Common DIY Copy Mistakes
Technically, anyone can write their own website copy. When you start your business, you may not have the budget to work with a copywriter, or you may simply believe that you are the person who will do the best job.
Aside from being a time-consuming task, issues can arise when you write your own website copy. There are core errors that service providers make time and time again, which can prevent your message from shining through, which ultimately prevents you from attracting your dream clients.
Here are the top seven mistakes people make when they DIY their copy.
- Self-centred language
When you start writing about your business, your gut reaction is going to be to talk about how wonderful it is! That’s understandable – you’ve worked hard to build your company and you want to show off all of your amazing achievements.
But if you want to engage with your audience, you need to make your copy all about them.
If you can show your reader that you understand the problems they’re facing before you introduce the service that can help them, you will build a connection with them much faster.
Make your copy more customer-focused by reducing your use of self-centred language like:
- I
- Me
- Our
- We
Your readers should feel like you’re talking to them directly. So, take some time to reflect not only on what your target customer is thinking or feeling now, but on how they want to feel in the future. That way, you can build a stronger connection with your client, and describe the transformation your service creates in their life.
Then, do a quick search throughout your copy for the words listed above, and see where you can flip the perspective to talk to your reader with ‘you’ based language. This is an effective way to help your reader feel like you’re talking to them directly.
- Focusing on features over benefits
Like changing the focus of your language from ‘me’ to ‘you’, emphasising the benefits of your service rather than its features will assure customers that you can provide the outcome they need.
Any time you make a claim about your service or describe your product, ask yourself:
“So what?”
The ways you help your clients, and what they gain from engaging with your business, have to be the central focus of your copy.
It’s all well and good talking about your achievements – decades of industry experience, professional qualifications and positive testimonials – but putting yourself in your customer’s shoes and highlighting how these accomplishments can help them will take your copy to the next level.
- Choosing the wrong tone
There’s a common misconception that your website copy should be formal to be taken seriously. But does that reflect you and your business?
If your tone in person doesn’t match the tone in your copy, it creates a sense of disconnect between you and your client. It feels as though they’re working with a completely different person.
If you’re a chatty, laid-back person when you speak to your clients face-to-face, don’t be afraid to reflect your personality in your copy. It helps to attract the right customers to your business and create a stronger relationship.
- Vague Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Once you’ve shown off all the benefits of your service, it’s time to encourage your readers to take the next step. A strong CTA can turn an interested reader into your next dream client.
Too often, business owners use vague CTAs on every page of their website, such as:
- ‘Find out more’
- ‘Continue’
- ‘Learn more’
- ‘Read more’
The problem with these prompts is that they are too vague. You need to give people a tangible next step to take, otherwise, they won’t feel like it’s urgent to act now. They also don’t tell people specifically what will happen if they take the next step.
Your CTAs should be clear and persuasive, such as:
· ‘Book a free consultation’
· ‘Shop new arrivals’
· ‘Become a subscriber today’
Your goal is always to inspire action - it’s in the name, after all!
- Too many filler words and technical jargon
When you’re delivering a presentation or pitching your services, you want to cut out as many ‘ums’ and ‘ahhs’’ as possible. The same goes for copywriting.
Here are four words to look out for in your writing:
· Really
· Very
· Just
· Almost
Every time you find one of these words on your website, ask yourself if it needs to be there. If you remove it, does the meaning of your sentence change?
Cut out the filler, and your copy will be more engaging and easier to read.
The same rule applies to technical jargon.
Using unfamiliar and complex language can make people feel intimidated. You don’t want your reader to have to work hard to understand your service. If they do, the likelihood is that they will look for a solution elsewhere.
Think about whether your audience will be familiar with technical terms. As a general rule of thumb, the simpler your language, the better.
- Out-of-date information
Updating copy can often fall to the bottom of your to-do list, and as a result, there might be outdated information on your website that you need to tidy up, such as:
- Details about events or offers that have already passed
- Old pricing information
- Information about services you no longer offer
- Outdated testimonials
These might seem obvious, but they can quickly get forgotten in the day-to-day operations of your business. Set a calendar reminder to regularly update your website copy.
- Spelling and grammar mistakes
A mention of spelling and grammar might feel obvious, but everyone makes mistakes. Proper proofreading will keep your copy to a high standard. You don’t want basic errors to distract from the great work you do!
Give yourself time to go over your copy and read it aloud to spot any mistakes. Ideally, leave a day between writing and editing so you can go in with fresh eyes. There are also plenty of spell checking tools like Grammarly to keep you in check.
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As you can see, writing copy for your website isn’t as straightforward as you might think, and there are a lot of different elements to consider to help your message shine.
It’s a time-intensive task that not every small business owner can take on. If you’re ready for another perspective, I would love to help!
Get in touch and we can discuss how to share your voice and make your website copy the best it can be.
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