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Have you ever visited a website and thought “what does this business actually do?”.
If you’ve been following the website optimisation blog series, we’ve already covered why your website is your best marketing tool, how to improve your website UX, and the essential updates to make in 2025. Now it’s time to talk copy, because words matter.
A lot of website copy sounds like it was written by someone trying to sound like someone else.
It’s full of jargon, too many buzzwords, or worst of all it’s vague. You know the kind… “we provide innovative solutions to meet your business needs”. What does that even mean?
If your website copy doesn’t feel like you and doesn’t help your ideal clients understand what you do, how you do it, and why they should care, then it’s not doing its job.
Good copy doesn’t just sound nice. It should get people to take action. That could mean booking a call, buying something, signing up, or even just feeling confident enough to reach out.
Here are 7 tips to help you write website copy that actually works.
1. Write like a human (not a brochure)
I say this all the time, but it’s worth repeating here. Write how you speak.
People are looking for connection, not perfection. They want to know if you’re someone they can relate to and trust. So ditch the corporate speak and write in a way that sounds like you.
If you wouldn’t say “we offer bespoke, end-to-end solutions tailored to your strategic goals” in a real conversation, don’t write it on your website.
Instead, say: “We’ll work with you to figure out what’s going on and put together a plan that makes sense.”
Simple. Clear. And most importantly… human.
2. Start with your ideal client, not yourself
Most people don’t visit your website because they’re curious about you.
They’re there because they’ve got a problem and they want to know if you can help fix it.
So your website copy needs to start there.
Talk about the challenges your ideal clients face. The stuff that keeps them stuck. The thing they’re sick of dealing with. Then explain how you help.
For example, instead of “We’ve been providing digital marketing services since 2013.” a marketing agency might say “Are you struggling to keep up with your marketing? We make it happen for you, with a plan that actually works for your business.”
At Starfish Marketing, I do it slightly differently again, describing how my ideal clients are feeling or what they’re struggling with as the starting point. Check out my home page and you’ll see what I mean.
Once people feel seen and understood, then they’ll want to know more about you.
3. Show personality, and tell a story
Your copy doesn’t need to be dry just because it’s on a website. In fact, it should tell a story… one that helps people feel connected to you and what you do.
That doesn’t mean writing a novel or oversharing. It means giving people a little insight into your why. Letting them see the person (or people) behind the business. Oh, and if you don’t know the story behind why Starfish Marketing is called that, you can read it here.
Also, frame your services in a way that makes sense in the real world.
Instead of just listing what you do, show how you’ve helped someone.
Use simple examples. Share what led you to start your business. Let people feel like they’re getting to know you. Why? Because connection is what makes someone choose you over the five other tabs they’ve got open.
Storytelling also helps people remember you. It gives your brand personality, not just polish. And when your message sticks, people are more likely to come back, refer you, or hit that enquiry button.
4. Make every word work for you
Website visitors skim. That means your copy needs to get to the point quickly and clearly.
With that in mind, here’s some simple (and practical) website copywriting tips:
- Use short sentences
- Break things into small paragraphs
- Use bullet points where it makes sense (but don’t overdo it)
- Add subheadings to guide the eye
- Get rid of filler words (like “we aim to”, “in order to”, or “we strive to…”)
Also, every section should have a purpose. If a paragraph doesn’t help explain what you do, show your value, engage your reader, or lead someone to a next step, it probably doesn’t need to be there.
5. Include real answers to real questions
This is where your copy can start working harder for both SEO and AEO.
People are typing full questions into search and AI tools are scanning your site to find clear answers. If your copy includes those questions and answers them in plain language, you’re more likely to show up.
You don’t need a massive FAQ page to do this. Work these questions into your service pages and homepage copy where they naturally fit.
Some examples:
- “How long does a marketing strategy take to build?”
- “What’s included in your website copywriting service?”
- “Do you work with businesses in Victoria as well as NSW?”
Answer them clearly and confidently. Avoid the temptation to be vague or overly clever because straight answers equals better results. Simples!
6. Show personality, not fluff
Your copy doesn’t need to be boring just because it’s on a website. In fact, it shouldn’t be.
This is your chance to sound like you. You don’t need to be funny or quirky if that’s not your style, BUT you do need to sound like you or your business brand.
So, make sure you get your tone right and use words your ideal clients understand. And please, no stock phrases like “solutions to suit your needs” or “passionate about customer service”. Urrrgh. These phrases are sooooo overdone. They’re not going to help you stand out or connect with your ideal clients.
If you’re not sure what to write, imagine explaining it to a client over coffee. Boom… that’s your tone.
And if you’re still not sure what to write then (shameless self-plug incoming), give me a call. I do this stuff for my clients all the time – and you would never guess it’s me because I write to their brand tone (not mine).
7. Tell people what to do next
If your copy is doing its job, people will be ready to take the next step. So make it easy for them and tell them what that is. We call these CTAs (Call To Action).
Every page should have a clear, relevant call to action. And not just “Contact us” stuck in the footer (although that’s a handy place to have that because it makes it easy for people to get in touch).
Unsure what CTAs to include throughout your site. Here’s a few suggestions:
- On your homepage: “See how we can help” or “Explore our services”
- On a service page: “Book a free discovery call” or “Start your project”
- On your About page: “Find out if we’re a good fit”
The key is to make the next step feel easy. Like a natural part of the process. Not like they’re committing to something massive.
Bonus: writing for humans helps your search ranking too
One of the most important things to remember when writing your website copy is that you don’t have to choose between writing for people and writing for search.
In fact, writing clear, helpful copy for real people is exactly what search engines and AI tools are looking for now. So writing for humans is how you support both SEO and AEO at the same time.
If your content is answering real questions, explaining your services clearly, and helping someone take action, then it’s ticking the boxes. And it’s doing the thing copy is meant to do: turning interest into action.
Let your website copy do the hard work
You shouldn’t have to explain your business from scratch every time someone enquires. Your website copy should do that for you.
It should sound like you. It should make people feel like they’ve come to the right place. And it should guide them to whatever step comes next, whether that’s a call, a quote, or just sending you a message.
If you’re not sure your website copy is doing its job, let’s fix that. I offer paid website reviews that give you clear, practical feedback on what’s working, what’s not, and what to change so it actually connects (and converts).
