You have got your website design back. It looks brilliant. And now someone has asked you to write the words that go in it. If you have never done this before, it can feel impossible. Where do you even start?
The good news is that writing website copy for a small business is not actually a dark art. You already know your business better than anyone else. You already tell people about it every day, on the phone, in emails, face to face. The real trick is taking those conversations and putting them in a form that works on a page. Not fancy. Not clever. Just clear and useful.
Here is how to do it.
Start with the questions your customers actually ask you
Before you write anything, write down the ten questions you get asked most often. Not the questions you wish people would ask. The real ones. 'What does it actually cost?' 'Can you do X?' 'How long does it take?' 'Do you need a deposit?' 'What happens if I am not happy?' 'Can you work with us remotely?' 'Do you offer guarantees?'
These are the questions that matter. People who land on your website are asking themselves the same things. If you answer them clearly on the page, people will trust you.
Now here is the important bit. Answer them in the same words you would use if someone was standing in front of you. 'We ask for a 50 percent deposit, and the rest is due when we finish.' Not 'A non-refundable upfront investment of 50 percent of the total project fee is required at commencement.' You would never speak like that. Do not write like that either.
One idea per page
Give each page one job to do. The homepage is for people who do not know you yet. The Services page explains what you do. The About page is about your team and why people should trust you. The Contact page is for people ready to get in touch. Not every page needs every fact about your business.
This is harder than it sounds. When you are close to your business, everything feels equally important. But people scanning a page have about five seconds before they move on. Give them focus. Make every word count.
Write the homepage last, not first
This is the secret that most people get backwards. The homepage is the hardest page to write because you are trying to say 'this is who we are, what we do, and why you should care' all in 30 seconds. You cannot do that well until you have written everything else.
So start somewhere else. Write your Services page. Write your About page. Write your Pricing or Contact page. Get the details right. Once you understand your own message, the homepage will write itself.
The opening line does not have to say 'Welcome to our website'
It should not say that. That is the most valuable real estate on your whole site and you are wasting it on a sentence that says nothing. Everyone knows it is a website. They do not need you to point that out.
Use that space to answer the question in their head. If you are a plumber, say 'Blocked drain? We fix them within 24 hours, usually on the day you call.' If you are an accountant, say 'Tax return this year? We handle the paperwork so you do not have to.' Give them a reason to stay and read the next paragraph.
How long should each page actually be?
There is no magic number. A services page might need 800 words. A contact page might need 150 words and a form. An about page might need 300 words or 1,200 depending on your story.
The answer is: as long as it needs to be and no longer. If you have said what you need to say, stop. If someone is still wondering, keep going. Read it aloud to yourself, or better yet to a friend. When they say 'I get it', you are done.
Writing about price when you cannot give a number
Some businesses have to give a rough idea of price before someone calls, but cannot quote exactly without a conversation. This is hard to write. You do not want to scare people off with numbers that are too high. You do not want to promise something you cannot deliver for those low numbers either.
Be honest about the range. 'Most projects of this type run between 2,000 and 5,000 pounds, depending on what you need. Call us for a proper quote.' Better yet, invite them to describe their project and you will quote it. 'Tell us what you need and we will send a quote by email.'
Never leave price blank if it matters. People want to know. If you do not tell them, they assume it is either out of reach or you are trying to hide something.
Calls to action that people actually click
A call to action is just the bit where you tell people what to do next. 'Ring us on 0115 123 4567.' 'Get a quote.' 'Call for a chat.' 'Email us.' Pick one action you want them to take on that page and say it clearly.
Make it easy. If you want them to call, put a real phone number. If you want them to email, put a real email address (or a form). Do not make them hunt for it or guess.
The best calls to action are honest. 'Free consultation' works because people actually want a free chat with you. 'Schedule a call' works. 'Claim your free report' works if you actually have a report. 'Take advantage of this limited time offer' does not work because everyone knows there is no real limit.
Read it aloud. Then cut the waffle.
This is the single most useful thing you can do. Read every paragraph aloud to yourself, or to someone else if they will let you. The bits that sound weird or clunky when you say them? Cut them.
Most small business websites are killed by waffle. Not bad writing. Just too many words saying the same thing. Here is an example of weak copy and how to fix it.
Weak version: 'We understand that in today's increasingly complex digital environment, many small businesses find themselves struggling with the challenges of managing their online presence effectively. With many years of experience working across a range of different industries, our team of experts is uniquely positioned to help you navigate the often confusing landscape of digital marketing and provide you with a comprehensive range of services that are tailored to your specific needs and objectives.'
This is 93 words and says almost nothing. Let me rewrite it.
Stronger version: 'Most small businesses do not have time to learn digital marketing. We handle the ads, the social media, the analytics. You handle running your business. That is what we are here for.'
This is 35 words and says exactly what matters. One idea. Short sentences. Real words. If you read it aloud, it actually sounds like you are talking to someone.
Go through your copy and look for anywhere you have used more than one word to say something simple. Cut it. 'In the event that' becomes 'if'. 'Utilise the services of' becomes 'hire' or 'use'. 'The reason why' becomes 'because'. Your reader will thank you.
One more thing. Get someone else to read it
Not someone inside your business. Someone who knows a bit about what you do but is not living it every day. Ask them to read each page and tell you what they think you do. If they do not get it, you have not explained it clearly enough.
This is the real test. You cannot tell if you have been clear when you are the expert. Someone else will spot the bits you have left out because you just knew what you meant.
Writing copy for your own website is not magic. It is just honest, clear writing about something you know better than anyone else. Start with what people actually ask you. Write the pages that matter first. Answer their questions. Cut the waffle. Read it aloud. Get someone else to check it. That is the whole system. If you are having your site built by an agency like RentAWeb, share these same principles with them. The best partnerships happen when everyone understands that good copy matters as much as good design.