Websites
Website copy that converts: write for the human, not the algorithm.
Good website copywriting that converts isn't about clever lines or stuffing in keywords. It's about writing to one real person, in their words, so they understand what you do and feel sure enough to get in touch. Most small business sites lose people not because the design is wrong, but because the words are talking to nobody in particular.
Here's the good news: you don't need to be a copywriter to fix this. You need a few simple habits and the willingness to cut the bits that sound impressive but say nothing.
Write to one specific reader, not "everyone"
When you try to write for everyone, you end up writing for no one. The words go vague, the tone goes flat, and the reader quietly clicks away.
So picture one actual customer. The cafe owner in Brunswick who needs a booking system that doesn't fight her. The tradie who wants more local jobs without spending his evenings on socials. Write the page as if you're talking to that one person across a table.
A quick way to find your reader:
- Think of your favourite client to work with, the one you'd happily clone.
- Note what they were worried about before they hired you.
- Note the words they used when they described the problem.
- Write to that person, about those worries, in those words.
When the copy feels like it was written for one person, it somehow connects with far more of them.
Lead with the outcome, not the feature
People don't buy features. They buy what those features do for them. A feature is "responsive design and a custom CMS". The outcome is "your site looks sharp on a phone and you can update it yourself in two minutes".
Walk through the difference:
- Feature: "We offer monthly social media management." Outcome: "You stop staring at a blank caption box on a Sunday night."
- Feature: "Strategy workshops available." Outcome: "You leave with a clear plan and stop guessing what to post."
- Feature: "SEO-optimised pages." Outcome: "The right locals actually find you when they search."
Lead every section with the outcome. Mention the feature afterwards as proof of how you'll deliver it. We dig into why first impressions matter so much in the first five seconds of your homepage.
Use the customer's own plain words
Your customers don't say "bespoke digital solutions". They say "I need a website that actually brings in work". Borrow their language. It's clearer, it's warmer, and it signals that you get them.
The best source of copy is the conversations you're already having. Listen to enquiry emails, sales calls, and reviews. Note the exact phrases people use, then feed them back into the page. If three clients have told you they were "embarrassed to send people to the old site", that line is gold.
If you wouldn't say it out loud to a client over a coffee, don't put it on the page. Read your copy aloud and cut anything that makes you wince.
Make it scannable, because nobody reads
Most visitors skim before they commit to reading. They scan headings, bold words, and the first line of each paragraph, then decide whether you're worth their time. If your page is a wall of text, that decision is usually "no".
Help them skim:
- Headings that say something on their own, so the page makes sense even if you only read them.
- Short paragraphs — two or three sentences at most.
- Bold on the words that carry the meaning, used sparingly so it still stands out.
- Lists for anything you'd otherwise cram into a long sentence.
If someone only reads your headings and bold bits, would they still understand what you do and why it matters? If not, the structure needs work before the words do.
Run the "so what?" test on every line
After every sentence, ask "so what?" on behalf of the reader. If the line doesn't earn its place by answering that, cut it or rewrite it.
If a sentence doesn't help the reader decide, it's just decoration.
Take "We're passionate about great design." So what? It tells the reader nothing they can use. Now try "Your site loads fast and looks right on every phone, so people stay long enough to enquire." That answers "so what?" and gives them a reason to care.
While you're at it, drop the "we-we-we" opening. Most small business sites start with "We are a Melbourne-based studio founded in..." but your reader arrived thinking about their problem. Flip it. Start with them. "Need a website that finally pulls its weight?" lands harder than "We build websites."
A few quick fixes that make copy sound like a person, not a brochure:
- Swap jargon for plain words — "leverage", "solutions", and "cutting-edge" can all go.
- Use "you" far more than "we". Aim for at least twice as many.
- Write in contractions ("you'll", "we're"). It reads the way people actually speak.
- Keep one idea per sentence. When in doubt, full stop and start again.
If your contact form still gets ignored after all this, the copy leading up to it is usually the culprit. We've written about that exact problem in why nobody fills in your contact form.
Give every page one clear call-to-action
A page that asks for five things gets none of them. Decide the single most useful next step for each page, then make that the obvious choice. On a services page it might be "book a free chat". On a portfolio page it might be "see if we're a fit".
Keep the button language active and specific. "Book your free chat" beats "Submit". "Get a quote" beats "Learn more". Give the eye somewhere to rest so the call-to-action isn't competing with three other buttons shouting at once. You can see how we've applied this across our own website work.
None of this requires fancy words, just honest ones aimed at the right person. Start with one page, run it through these tests, and you'll feel the difference in your enquiries. If you'd like a fresh pair of eyes on yours, we're always happy to chat about a website refresh whenever you're ready.
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