Copy is often the part of a new website that waits the longest. Yet it decides whether visitors understand what you offer. These principles help when writing.
From your customers' point of view
Instead of starting with the company history, start with the question your customers have. What do they get from you, and what changes for them?
Specific, not generic
Almost everyone says things like “quality and service come first”. Better is what only applies to you: what exactly you do, for whom, where, and how working together works.
Easy to scan
- Headings that make sense on their own.
- Short paragraphs with one idea each.
- Lists instead of long sentences for enumerations.
- A clear next step at the end of every page.
Good for Google and AI assistants
Describing clearly what you offer and where also makes it easier for search engines and AI assistants to place your business correctly.
Before you write: three questions
- Who reads the page? Describe your typical customers as precisely as possible: industry, location, needs.
- What do these people want to know before they contact you?
- What should they do after reading: call, send an enquiry or book an appointment?
Once you have answered these questions, your writing becomes more focused almost by itself. A good trick: note down the questions customers keep asking on the phone. Exactly those questions belong on the website.
The home page
The home page has one job: to make clear within seconds whether visitors are in the right place. A heading that says what you offer and for whom. A sentence below that names the most important benefit. A clear button to the next step. Everything else, such as services, examples, process and customer voices, follows below and leads to the right sub-pages.
The page about you
This page is read more often than many think, especially for smaller businesses. Customers want to know who they are dealing with. A real photo, a few sentences about your background and how you work are stronger than a long company history. Write the way you would talk about yourself in conversation.
Headings that carry weight
Many visitors read only the headings at first. They should therefore make sense on their own. “Our services” says little, “Websites that bring enquiries” says more. Headings also matter for Google because they show what the page is about. Use the terms your customers search with, but only where they fit naturally.
Finding the right words
Customers rarely search with technical terms. Someone who needs a new boiler searches for “replace boiler”, not “heating system modernisation”. Listen to how customers describe your offer in conversation and look at which suggestions Google shows for your topic. Later, Google Search Console shows which searches actually bring visitors to your site. More on the SEO page.
Tone and form of address
Choose a tone and stick with it. In German, that includes choosing between the formal “Sie” and the informal “du”. If the tone suits your business and customers, visitors feel addressed. A trade business may sound different from a law firm. What matters is that the website sounds like you do in person, so there is no break at first contact.
Evidence instead of claims
“Reliable”, “experienced” and “competent” are quick to write but hard to believe. Evidence is stronger: an example project with before and after, a named customer quote, a photo from your workshop, a clearly described process. If you show instead of claim, you need fewer adjectives.
How a service page is structured
- A heading that says what you offer and for whom.
- A short introduction with the most important benefit.
- What exactly is included, in short points.
- How working together works.
- Answers to the questions customers keep asking.
- A clear next step: call, enquire or book an appointment.
Common mistakes
- Phrases like “quality” or “customer focus” without evidence.
- Jargon your customers don’t use.
- Long paragraphs without subheadings.
- The same copy on several pages.
- No hint about what visitors should do next.
Writing copy with AI?
AI tools can help with collecting ideas and wording. But they don’t know your business, your customers or your experience. Copy that only comes from a tool often sounds interchangeable. Read every text critically and add what only you know: examples, processes and your own perspective.
If you'd rather not write yourself
Good copy takes time, and that is often missing in day-to-day business. Then it can pay to hand the writing over. With me, website copy comes from a conversation about your business. You review and approve, and I make sure it is clear and uses the words your customers search for.
How long should a text be?
As long as needed to answer visitors' questions, and as short as possible. A service page that explains the process, scope and common questions may be detailed, as long as it is well structured. Filler sentences help neither visitors nor Google.
Can I copy text from other websites?
No. Other people's text is protected by copyright, and copied content does nothing for you on Google either. Feel free to take inspiration, but write in your own words.
How often should I update my copy?
Whenever something changes in your offer, process or contacts. Beyond that, a regular review pays off: are all details still correct, and are there new questions customers often ask?
Who should review the copy?
Besides you, ideally someone who doesn't know your business. If that person understands after reading what you offer and how to reach you, the copy works.
Read your copy out loud once. What feels bumpy usually reads that way too.
