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last updated:
March 8, 2017

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Hey! Ashlyn here, OG copywriter for creatives—reporting for duty. 

Let's get you a message so tight you can bounce a quarter off of it. Around here, we serve up science-based storytelling strategies the creative set.  Even while raking in more than 1.26M in agency work since I've been at it, I firmly believe working from a place of rest (not hustle) IS possible—and I want the same for you. Words matter. Best be sure they work (and oui, with math) ... and know how to party while they're at it. 

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Reading time: 7 min.

Let me guess.

If you could wave a magic wand, you’d have your website organized and ready. And done. And converting.

16 Ways to Update Your Website Copy in Just One Day -- plus a free checklist of questions your website needs to answer. #copywriting #creativeentrepreneur #ashlynwrites

After all, you want your target audience to meet you and say, “you are JUST who I thought’ you’d be!”

Or.

You DIY’d your website copy, and want to make sure you’ve gotten the words just right. You want a heartfelt brand, and, to you, for example, it’s more than taking pics. You take your art and service seriously.

In a dream world, your ideal client would shoot you an email or pop an Instagram comment your way just to say hi-you-have-a-friend-in-me.

(I mean, you’ve done that a stranger before … right? Me too!)

The good tiding of great joy are that you don’t have to hire a copywriter. But you DO have to study copy …

And I’m here to help! To give you a quick win, here are 16 ways you can update your website’s copy in an afternoon.

Hit it!


First of all: what is copy?

Copywriting is the art and science of eliciting a “yes” with your words.

From your blog posts to social media captions, website copy to sales page wording, email marketing newsletters and emails … it’s all copy, babe.

Good copy stops a reader in his or her tracks, evokes curiosity, and most importantly, coaches a conversion (which you semi-kinda-need if you’re a business owner working to keep the lights on!).


Why does it matter on your website?

Because people who visit your website fall into one of 5 categories:

  • Unaware: “Who’s this Alice person?” OR “I’m just Alice’s friend and she’s making me look at her website.”
  • Pain Aware: “There isn’t a wedding photographer out there that I think would make my fiance comfortable cheesing during engagement pictures. Here’s a random website from some girl named Alice.”

  • Solution Aware: “I hear Alice directly speaks to the fact that fiances love her, and that she works hard to make sure the couple is relaxed. Where is her website?”

  • Product Aware: “Alice offers an engagement photo package and outfit consulting that sounds like EXACTLY what we need so we’re not awkward-city. Googling her now!”

  • Most Aware & Unique Aware: “If we don’t get Alice to take our photos, I’m going to go bananas. Oh, here’s her site — and she only has 2 spots left this summer!!!”

Silly example, but these are the psychological needs of folks taking a gander at your website.

That’s why this list of 16 things is designed to talk directly to those 5 categories.

Oh — and just in case you want to kick up this list of 16 with 44 questions your website’s gotta answer, well, would ya look at there. I had you in mind — grab the freebie below!

 

Ready?


16 Ways to Update Your Website’s Copy Today

1. Add your core values.

Check out how Heather and Kelsey do it by reading this here post, and the reasoning behind it. Here are mine, just to get an idea.

2. Read through the whole thing and write it to one person.

I blogged about why that’s important and tell you how to do it right here.

3. Update your services page to be more sales focused.

Ever wonder how really pricy course sales pages get us to hand over our credit card every. Single. Time? (Or, at least want to). That’s because there’s a copywriter behind the gig, and they’re using decades-old battle-tested formulas to amp up conversions (practical magic, I tell you. I love my job!) But you can get after that a bit yourself! Just follow one of these 19 formulas on your sales page, and see what happens.

4. Make your pop-up match your brand voice.

No one likes a pop up, but they convert like a mo-fo. Seriously. Here’s mine, and it performs fairly well … and I definitely make note on there that pop-ups aren’t everyone’s cup of tea!

 

5. Sprinkle in at least 2 quick-wins for your target client.

In copy land, this is called the QVW, or the quickest and most valuable win.

How do you sprinkle those in? Have some blog posts that give mini-trainings that provide fantastic results, some freebies that actually give a win (not just pretty graphic designs — ew, give me something worth my email address!), etc.

Why? Because the further out the result of whatever it is you’re offering, the harder it is to sell, so you need to show them you see where they are RIGHT now in the reality that matches their current situation. Do that with quick wins!

6. Add benefits to your services page … not just an itemized list of features.

The hard truth is that nobody is interested in you, your biz, or what you’re selling, because people are only interested in themselves. John Caples is one of my fave old-school copywriters, and he was a master of this.

Ask yourself:

  • What features and specs does my offering have?
  • How does each feature HELP my client?
  • What probs does this help them avoid?
  • What objections do they have to this?

7. Edit your web copy for scanners: use lots of subheads and bullet points where you can.

8. Make your copy more credible with testimonials that actually convert.

Here’s a video I made to walk you through it:

9. Proofread!

Install Grammar.ly for free by clicking here — it’s basically spell check on steroids.

10. Headlines, headlines, headlines.

Copywriters know if the headline’s weak, the content won’t be read. Go grab this free training on headlines, and start mining it for some quick headline ideas.

11. Nix clever.

Read through your website’s main pages … see anything where you tried to get too cute or fancy? Backspace. Make it clear. Puns are fun, linguistic play stinkin’ rocks, and writerly play is a win, but save that for once you’ve coached the conversion … at the risk of confusing your potential buyer.

12. Decide your big idea.

Weave one. Big. theme. Through your website. You’re after instant communication that gives a benefit (and a memorable statement, if you can!). I have “work from a place of rest — not hustle” because I want my copy trainings to take a load off of the marketing work my clients need to do.

Steve Jobs quipped “1000 Songs in your pocket” when describing his new fangled contraption called an iPod.

It worked.

13. Add words from your copy bank and swipe file — or start one if you don’t have one yet.

House great emails, websites that make you giggle, strong statements that melt your heart on a podcast.

14. Don’t forget the details!

Update obscure pages, like your footer, 404 page, etc. to carry out your brand voice.

15. Weave story into your website.

Story sells. Sound pie-in-the-sky? I broke down how you can get after it right here.

16. Read it aloud.

Orrrrrrr better yet, read it to your spouse, partner, or roommate. Do they think you sound like a cheeseball? Then delete it. Nothing like reading out loud to find your voice!


Alright! Go get ’em tiger, and if you are a super-achiever, I made a list of 44 questions your website needs to answer, for after you’ve worked through this.

Look at that … you don’t need to hire a girl like me after all! ????

 

You may also be interested in:

Reading Time: 8 Minutes

The good tiding of great joy are that you don’t have to hire a copywriter. But you DO have to study copy …

And I’m here to help! To give you a quick win, here are 16 ways you can update your website’s copy in an afternoon.

3/08/17

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