How to Write Good Website Copy
Having trouble writing your website content? You’re not alone.
Writing about your own work is one of those things that sounds easy… until you sit down to do it.
As a website designer, I have read through hundreds of websites for my clients and always focus on editing their copy to ensure it’s strategic and ready to convert.
Here are a few principles I always come back to when guiding clients through the process.
1. It’s not about you, it’s about them.
This might sound counterintuitive because your website is about your business, but the focus should always be on your ideal client. Your visitors are asking one key question when they land on your site: “Is this for me?”
Instead of leading with what you do and all your credentials, start by naming what your clients needs, wants, or is struggling with. Reflect their experience back to them in your copy so they feel seen and understood. Then, show how your work helps them move forward.
Prompt to get started: Get super clear about your who your ideal client is. In order to speak to those dream clients, you need to have a clear vision of who they are, what they are struggling with right now, and what they’re looking for in terms of what you provide.
2. Paint a picture and speak to the transformation.
People don’t buy a service, they buy the result of that service. They are looking for your service because they are experiencing some kind of turmoil in their own life they want a solution for. Your copy should highlight the transformation your clients experience by working with you.
Paint a before-and-after picture: what life, business, or wellbeing looks like before they work with you, and how it changes after. Let your language hold hope, clarity, and possibility as that’s what will resonates most deeply.
Prompt to get started: Brainstorm all the phrases and language your client shares with you when they show up to work with you or when you’re on a consultation call. These phrases are the ones you can weave into your copy as you paint the picture of what’s possible for them.
3. Keep it clear and simple. Be direct.
Clarity is magnetic. When your website visitors have to work too hard to understand what you do, they’ll lose interest. Write like you would if you were explaining your work to a friend over coffee. Avoid lengthy copy that will make their eyes glaze over and get straight to the main point you are wanting to convey.
Simple, clear, direct language builds trust, and trust is what turns a casual visitor into a potential client.
Tip: Pair it down. Even after you have a paragraph of text you feel great about, pull out the key words and phrases that someone is looking for (from the steps above) by bolding them. This helps skimmers see you as someone who offers the result and transformation they’re looking for.
4. Let it flow, then go back and edit.
Don’t aim for perfection right away. The best copy usually starts messy. Let yourself write freely, even if it’s unpolished, conversational, or a little scattered. You can always refine it later.
A little trick: if you find yourself stuck, try using a dictation tool or voice memo app to talk through what you want to say. Speaking your ideas out loud often reveals the most natural language to use on your site.
5. Tell people what to do with clear call-to-actions.
Every page and section on your site should end with a clear next step: what you want the reader to do next. Whether that’s booking a discovery call, signing up for your newsletter, or browsing your offers, make sure your calls-to-action are simple and specific.
People like to be guided. Clarity in your CTAs not only creates flow on your site, it also gives visitors a sense of direction and confidence in moving forward with you.
Pro Tip: Limit your call-to-actions to just one on the service page(s): “book a consultation”, “purchase here”, “book a session” ,etc. . You can have more than one on the homepage since it’s a summary of all the spaces they can explore on your website but ensure there are clear call-to-actions throughout the homepage.
A note on using AI intentionally.
AI can be an incredibly helpful tool when writing your website copy, but only when used intentionally. Start with your own ideas first. Free-write your thoughts, emotions, and insights about your work, then use AI to help you polish them.
Think of it like a collaborative editor: it can help you rephrase, structure, or enhance what you’ve already written, but it can’t replace your voice. Use it to save time, not to skip the soul work that makes your message yours.
Learn more about my approach to using AI intentionally in this recent blog post.
Writing your website content doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.
Remember, you already know how to talk about what you do. Write like your dream client is sitting across from you, and let your words flow from that place of connection.
