How to Convert Your Dream People with Killer Web Copy
Writing your website copy for your beloved eco biz is no small feat. Virtual high-fives coming your way, friend!
You know that words matter, and finding the right words to woo your dream people? Well, that’s one overwhelming task right there.
You wonder to yourself -
How will I ever stand out in the sea of sameness?
What have I got to say that’s so great, anyway?
How can I make my copy sing out loud so my dream people can hear it…
...AND want to buy what I’m offering?
Crafting your responsible brand’s web copy doesn’t have to feel like such a burden. Take a deep breath, follow these helpful guidelines, and watch your website words transform into copy that shines.
But before I get into the practical steps of writing your soon-to-be kickass web copy, let’s work on that ‘ole noggin of yours.
Mindset & Finding Your Voice
Deep down you know what you’re doing is freakin’ awesome.
Whether you’re an eco-friendly business coach or selling sustainably-sourced bamboo intimates, you’re making a positive change in the world, one customer or client at a time.
And you recognise the power of compelling website words when it comes to building connection between you and your dream people.
Just think about how you feel when you read the copy of another business owner you admire. Maybe you know them well, maybe you’ve never met. But when you read their words, it feels like you can hear their voice coming off the screen, straight into your head and heart.
That’s copy that sings.
Copy that sings inspires your dream people to take action, so they go from being your curious onlookers to your raving (and paying) fans.
Before you can convert them, though, you have to believe in what you’re doing, and this belief must be reflected in your words.
When you feel confident about what you do, and your purpose and value is crystal clear, the hardest part is over.
Mindset really is everything when it comes to business, and it’s something that requires continuous work on your part.
There are so many great resources and inspiring people out there who’ve made it their job to help you master your mindset. Find the books and thought leaders you resonate with, and commit to dedicating yourself to improving your mindset for at least 10 minutes every day.
Now, let’s move on to the next steps to creating stellar copy for your green business website.
The Basics
Know Your Audience
Before you do any kind of writing for your business, whether you’re crafting an Instagram post, or drafting your weekly newsletter, you should always ask yourself one question: Who am I writing this for?
This same principle applies to writing your website words.
To create web copy that’s high-converting, you’ll need to know your audience inside out. And don’t just ask the basic questions like age, gender, location. Get more creative. You want to develop a crystal clear image of your ideal people’s hopes, fears, dreams, and desires.
For example, if you’re selling handmade vegan soaps, you’ll probably want to know if your customers prefer the shower or bath. And if you’re an eco coach offering one-to-one strategy sessions, you’ll want to know your clients’ 5 biggest struggles when it comes to running their business.
So get out there, do some market research, and gather as much relevant data as you can.
PRO TIP: Read customer reviews on other e-commerce websites or Yelp to see what people are saying about what they like/don’t like about a product or service. Then, when it comes time to write, you can address these pain points directly in your web copy.
Get Straight To The Point
Think of each section of your website as valuable real estate. Your “above the fold” section of your site - a.k.a. the part of your website that’s visible without scrolling - should be the ultimate show home for what you do.
Remember, you only have 0.05 seconds to convince your visitor that they should stay on your site. Your visuals will do a lot of the work here, but if your website’s headline doesn’t immediately tell them:
What it is you do,
How you can help solve their problem,
What they need to do next/how they can find out more,
Then your dream people are likely to click away or close that tab altogether. Oh, the horror!
Get writing and test out some of your headline ideas on a few friends or eco biz connections to get some helpful feedback and hone your message.
Don’t Neglect Visitor Flow
Your copy should dictate the design of your website, not the other way round.
When you’re planning your website, keep in mind the desired outcome you want from your visitor at all times. For example, do you want them to:
Sign up to your mailing list?
Schedule a call with you?
Buy your product?
Your copy should always be guiding your visitor towards taking that next step with you in a clear and effective way.
This point brings me on to...
Create Irresistible CTAs
Your CTA - your call-to-action - is perhaps the thing that turns your words into copy. After all, what separates copywriting from merely writing, is that it must inspire the reader to take action.
And when it comes to writing your website, you want your CTAs to be clearly defined, utterly irresistible, and strategically placed throughout the entirety of your site.
Above the Fold
It’s always a good idea to include a CTA above the fold. If you’ve done your job crafting that killer headline for your site, then you should be confidently giving visitors the option to learn more about your services straight away or start buying your gorgeous products with a simple click of a button.
Attention-Grabbing Button Text
If you’re wanting your visitor to sign up to your mailing list, for instance, grab their attention with button text that entices and entertains. For example, rather than simply writing, “Click here”, which is blah, boring, dull, try something like “Ooh! Yes please!” or “I Want In!”. Whatever you choose, just make sure it speaks to your dream people directly.
Make Your About Page Work For You
Your About page should be just as capable of converting as any other page on your website.
This is a good time to remind you about the real estate analogy I made earlier. Every piece of your web copy should be working for you. Depending on your audience and what kind of service/product you’re offering, your About page might need to be on the short side, or a little longer. It really depends. There are no hard and fast rules here.
Start by considering this crucial question:
How much of “you” does your dream client/customer want to hear about you?
Some say it isn’t really about you, but, oh! It is.
Your story should focus on how it relates to your ideal client or customer. You might inspire them in some way, or you might have overcome the same challenges they’re facing.
If you’re a corporate escapee with experience in marketing and sales who’s now a coach for sustainable business owners, speak up. If you started out as a product developer in the fast fashion industry, but have now decided to use your knowledge and expertise for good, then write about what prompted you to make the shift.
The most important thing to remember when writing about yourself, is to be authentic, and share just enough so your visitor feels like they’re getting to know who you really are. Your About page is all about building connection and trust between you and your dream people. When someone feels they know, like, and trust you, they’re much more likely to buy from you.
Keep It Simple
Do Some Housekeeping On Your Navigation Bar
Do some housekeeping on your navigation bar. Get rid of unnecessary tabs, and be sure that every tab is crystal clear, telling your audience what that tab is for and where it will take them.
Your navigation bar is not the time to be cute or clever with your copy - it’s always best to keep things simple here. The last thing you want to do is confuse your dream people so much that they give up and click away.
Split Up Large Chunks Of Text
Keep in mind that most visitors to your website will be skimming through, so make sure you separate out any large paragraphs - 2 to 3 sentences per paragraph is usually a good rule of thumb.
Highlight key ideas with a different sized header or by making the text bold. Whatever you do, stay consistent, and keep it looking visually appealing.
Throw Out Distracting Features
If you have an overcrowded site with lots of pop-ups, social sharing buttons, or - worst of all - ads, you’ll be decreasing your chances of conversions. When a visitor is overwhelmed by distracting elements, they’re not going to be able to focus on what matters - your copy.
If you feel you’ve overdone it with the extra features, it’s time to strip things back. You can still include social sharing icons, just don’t make them huge and obnoxious.
Pop-ups work great for gathering those coveted email addresses, but be sure they’re timed well so your visitors have time to skim the key parts of your copy first (and therefore decide if they actually want to give up their email address to you).
Optimise, Optimise, Optimise
If you want more conversions, you’ll want more eyes on your site. Here’s where Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) comes in.
And what exactly is SEO? You might be wondering.
Don’t worry - I hadn’t a clue the first time I heard those three little letters, either.
To put it simply, SEO is optimising your site so it shows up organically at the top of Google search results.
The better your SEO, the higher up your site will appear in the search results list. You want to make your site the go-to option for your dream people.
I could write a whole other blog article about SEO (which I will, don’t you worry!), but to get you started, here are the basic things to remember when it comes to optimising your website copy.
Do Some Planning
Taking some time to plan your keywords before you start writing is a simple and effective way to boost your SEO. When you know where your focus is, you can craft copy around the words you know your dream people are already searching for.
Some of my favourite tools to help with keyword planning and research are Google Keyword Planner and Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest.
Never Overstuff
Above all, be sure your writing reads aloud well. Don’t overstuff your keywords into your website copy (or any copy, for that matter!). That’s a recipe for odd and unnatural sounding copy, which is likely to turn your dream people away.
Don’t Forget Title & Meta Tags
Make the most of your website’s title tags and meta tag descriptions. These are the short descriptions that are shown when you search for something on Google.
If you’re a recognised brand, having your brand name in the title description is always recommended so your dream people can easily find your site when they search. And if you’re really established, you probably don’t need to add anything else in the title area.
If you’re still building your following, it’s wise to include a short description of what you do so Google can rank you for those keywords and your dream people can find you.
A final thought when it comes to SEO - write for humans first. There’s no magic formula here. If you’re writing authentically about your brand’s awesomeness, then your dream people will discover you.
And if you’re a bit of a nerd (like me) and you enjoy doing a deep-dive into the technical stuff, then there are plenty of free resources out there to help you with SEO questions, like Neil Patel and Moz.com.
Conclusion
So, to recap:
Converting your dream people with your sing-out-loud web copy starts with the right mindset. You must believe in what you’re doing and what you have to offer. Remember, someone, somewhere out there needs the unique brilliance that is you.
Get to know your people so well that whenever you sit down to write for your badass eco biz that you make them feel like you’re talking to them, and only to them. Your copy should aid them in moving through your site naturally, ultimately leading them to...
...That irresistible call-to-action - a website must-have. The words you choose for your CTAs should grab your dream people’s attention so they have no other option but to click that button and buy.
Simplify how your copy is presented by keeping navigation headings easy to understand, splitting up large chunks of text, and removing distracting features.
Invest some time in strategic keyword research and learn the easiest ways to optimise your site for those search engines. But don’t let SEO overwhelm you - always write for humans, first.
Let your youness shine through in all you do, and your dream people are guaranteed to find you!
I hope this post helps you get started writing your fabulously high-converting website words! Thanks for reading, and, if you’re still struggling to find the perfect way to speak to your dream people, get in touch - I can help.
Hey, there! If we haven’t met, I’m Robyn LeRoy-Evans - the Boss Word Weaver at Echo + Scribe. I’m a copywriter and mentor for badass folks with big hearts looking to do good in the world with game-changing products or services.
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