Writing Website Content: Helping People Understand and Choose

Good content helps people understand your offer and decide what to do next. Eight principles for clear website copy.
Writing Website Content: Helping People Understand and Choose

Website content should help people understand the business, whether the offer suits them and how to proceed. Start with audience questions and the role of each page.

Every area does not need a long text. Sometimes a precise headline, a short explanation and a clear next step do the job. Details should appear where they contribute to a decision.

Eight principles for clear writing

  • Define each page’s role. The homepage establishes direction, a service page explains an offer and the contact page helps start a conversation.
  • Lead with what matters. Clearly state what the business offers and who it serves before the background story.
  • Use familiar words. Explain professional terms when they are needed to understand the service.
  • Organise content around questions. Headings such as who it suits and what the process includes help people find information.
  • Describe a real process. Explain the stages and what the client needs to provide, without making unsupported promises.
  • Give calls to action context. Explain what happens after an enquiry alongside the button.
  • Read it aloud. A sentence that is hard to say in one breath may need shortening or splitting.
  • Update it using real conversations. If a question keeps coming up after people read the website, check whether the answer is missing or unclear.
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More food for thought

More questions, ideas and tools to put into practice in your website and marketing.