Writing website content that converts your visitors into customers is important. It is a big topic that requires in-depth analysis and we have created this article in hopes of provinding a little insight into a highly-debated subject.
The Power of Words for Your New Business
Starting a new business is exciting. You’ve got your idea, your business plan, and maybe even your first products or services ready to go. But when it comes to your website, are you staring at a blank page wondering what to write? You’re not alone.
The words on your website are often the first impression potential customers have of your business. They can make the difference between someone clicking away or reaching for their phone to call you. Good copy doesn’t just inform—it persuades, connects, and converts.
I’ve seen many new business owners struggle with this. They know their business inside and out, but translating that knowledge into compelling website content feels impossible. The good news? You don’t need to be a natural writer to create effective website copy. You just need the right approach.
I’ll walk you through exactly how to create website content that speaks directly to your ideal customers and motivates them to take action. We’ll cover everything from understanding your audience to crafting calls to action that actually work. By the end, you’ll have the tools to transform that blank page into brilliant copy that converts visitors into customers.
And if writing still isn’t your thing after reading this? Don’t worry—we’ll also talk about when and how hiring a copywriter might be the right move for your business.
Know Your Audience Before Writing a Single Word
The most common mistake new business owners make with their website content? Writing about themselves instead of their customers. Your website isn’t actually about you—it’s about how you can solve problems for your customers.
Before you write anything, take time to truly understand who you’re writing for. Create detailed customer personas that go beyond basic demographics. Ask yourself:
- What specific problems are they trying to solve?
- What questions do they have about your product or service?
- What objections might they raise?
- What language and terminology do they use?
- What emotions drive their purchasing decisions?
This research phase is absolutely worth your time. When you understand your audience deeply, your writing naturally becomes more relevant and persuasive.
Try this exercise: Imagine your ideal customer sitting across from you at a coffee shop. How would you explain your business to them? What questions would they ask? How would you address their concerns? This conversation is the foundation of your website copy.
Remember that different pages on your website may address different audience segments or people at different stages of their buying journey. Your homepage might speak to someone just discovering your business, while your services page addresses someone closer to making a purchase decision.
Clarity Trumps Cleverness Every Time
When it comes to website copy for a new business, clarity is your best friend. New business owners often try to sound impressive with industry jargon or flowery language. But here’s the truth: if visitors can’t quickly understand what you offer and how it helps them, they’ll leave.
Think about your own experience browsing websites. When you land on a page, you make a split-second decision about whether to stay or go. Clear, straightforward language helps visitors understand immediately that they’re in the right place.
Here’s how to keep your copy crystal clear:
- Start each page with a headline that directly states what you offer
- Use simple language that a 12-year-old could understand
- Break complex ideas into short paragraphs
- Use bullet points for lists of benefits or features
- Include subheadings that summarize the content that follows
This doesn’t mean your writing should be boring. You can (and should) inject personality while maintaining clarity. Think of it like explaining your business to a friend—you’d be naturally engaging without being confusing.
One technique I recommend is the “elevator pitch test.” Can you explain what your business does in one or two sentences? This condensed explanation often makes the perfect website headline or introduction.
For example, rather than: “We leverage cutting-edge methodologies to optimize client satisfaction across multiple verticals with our proprietary systems.”
Try: “We build websites that help small businesses attract more customers and grow faster.”
The second version is clear, benefit-focused, and instantly understandable.
The Structure That Sells: Organizing Your Website Content
The structure of your website content is just as important as the words themselves. Good structure guides visitors through your site, answers their questions in a logical order, and leads them toward taking action.
Think of your website as a conversation with your potential customer. Like any good conversation, it should flow naturally from one topic to the next, anticipating questions and providing answers.
Here’s a proven structure for your main website pages:
Homepage:
- Open with a clear statement of what you do and who you help
- Highlight 2-3 main benefits of working with you
- Provide social proof (testimonials or client logos)
- Include a primary call to action
- Briefly introduce your main services/products
- End with another call to action
About Page:
- Start with your “why”—your purpose and passion
- Share your origin story—what led you to start this business
- Highlight your qualifications and experience
- Introduce team members (if applicable)
- Connect your story back to how it benefits customers
- Include a relevant call to action
Services/Products Pages:
- Begin with the specific problem this service solves
- Clearly explain the service/product
- Detail the benefits (not just features)
- Describe your process or approach
- Answer common questions
- Include testimonials specific to this service
- End with a clear call to action
For each section, remember to keep paragraphs short and use headings to break up the text. This makes your content more scannable for visitors who are just browsing.
Writing Persuasive Copy That Connects
Now that you’ve got your structure planned, let’s focus on making your copy persuasive. Persuasive copy isn’t about tricks or hype—it’s about making genuine connections with your readers and showing them why your solution is right for them.
The key to persuasive copy is focusing on benefits, not just features. Features are what your product or service has or does. Benefits are how those features improve your customer’s life or business.
For example, if you’re a web designer, a feature might be “responsive website design.” The benefit is “your website will look perfect on any device, so you never lose mobile customers.”
Always ask yourself: “So what?” after describing a feature. The answer will lead you to the benefit.
Another powerful persuasion technique is storytelling. Our brains are wired for stories. When you share a story of how you helped a similar client solve a problem, you’re not just making a claim—you’re providing evidence and helping the reader imagine the same outcome for themselves.
Use emotional triggers appropriately in your copy. People make decisions based on emotions and justify them with logic. Common emotional triggers include:
- Fear of missing out
- Desire for belonging
- Aspiration for improvement
- Frustration with current solutions
- Need for security
For example: “Stop losing potential customers to outdated website design. Join the hundreds of small businesses who’ve increased their leads by 30% with our web design services.”
Back up claims with evidence when possible. Specific numbers, statistics, case studies, and testimonials all build credibility and strengthen your persuasive message.
Calls to Action: Guiding Your Visitors to the Next Step
Even the most beautifully written website won’t generate business if it doesn’t ask visitors to take action. Effective calls to action (CTAs) are essential for converting website visitors into leads and customers.
Every page on your website should have at least one clear CTA. These should tell visitors exactly what you want them to do next and why they should do it.
Avoid generic CTAs like “Contact Us” or “Learn More.” Instead, make them specific and benefit-oriented:
- “Get Your Free Website Audit”
- “Schedule Your 30-Minute Strategy Session”
- “Start Your 14-Day Trial (No Credit Card Required)”
- “Download Our Small Business SEO Guide”
The placement of your CTAs matters too. Include your primary CTA “above the fold” (visible without scrolling) and repeat it at logical points throughout the page, especially after you’ve established value or addressed objections.
For service-based businesses, offering a low-commitment first step often works better than asking for a purchase immediately. Free consultations, assessments, or downloadable resources help build trust while capturing contact information.
When creating CTAs, consider the psychological principle of reducing friction. Make the next step as easy and risk-free as possible. Specify exactly what will happen when they click that button, so there are no surprises or uncertainty.
For example: “Click to schedule your free 30-minute consultation. No pressure, just practical advice you can use right away.”
Testing different CTAs can dramatically improve your conversion rates. Even small changes in wording, color, or placement can make a big difference in how many visitors take action.
Finding Your Brand Voice
Your brand voice is how your business “speaks” to customers. It’s the personality that comes through in your writing. A consistent, authentic brand voice helps you stand out and build connections with your audience.
For new businesses, finding your brand voice can be challenging. Start by defining 3-5 adjectives that describe how you want your business to be perceived. Examples might include:
- Professional but approachable
- Expert but not academic
- Confident but not arrogant
- Friendly but not casual
Once you have these adjectives, they become your guide for all communication. For every piece of content you write, ask yourself: “Does this sound like my brand?”
Your brand voice should reflect your actual personality but can be an amplified version of it. If you’re naturally detail-oriented and thorough, your brand voice might emphasize precision and expertise. If you’re energetic and passionate, your brand voice might be bold and enthusiastic.
Remember that your brand voice should resonate with your target audience. A financial advisor for young tech professionals would have a very different brand voice than one serving retirees.
Here’s a simple exercise to find your brand voice: Write the same paragraph about your business three different ways—one professional and formal, one casual and friendly, and one somewhere in between. Which feels most authentic to you and appropriate for your audience? That’s your starting point.
Once you’ve established your brand voice, create a simple style guide to maintain consistency across all your content—website, emails, social media, and more.
When and How to Hire a Website Copywriter
Despite your best efforts, you might find that writing compelling website copy is taking too much time or not producing the results you want. This is when hiring a professional website copywriter makes sense.
Professional copywriters bring several advantages:
- They’re trained to write persuasively and clearly
- They offer an outside perspective on your business
- They know how to structure content for maximum impact
- They understand SEO and how to incorporate keywords naturally
- They can save you significant time and frustration
When looking for a copywriter, seek someone who takes the time to understand your business, your audience, and your goals. The best copywriters will ask lots of questions before they start writing.
A good copywriter will also request examples of writing you like and dislike, so they can better capture your preferred style and tone.
Expect to pay for quality. While costs vary widely based on experience and specialization, professional website copy is an investment that typically pays for itself through improved conversion rates.
The process of working with a copywriter usually includes:
- An initial consultation to discuss your business and goals
- Research into your industry, competitors, and audience
- Development of an outline or strategy
- Writing of initial draft copy
- Revisions based on your feedback
- Final polishing and delivery
For new businesses on a budget, consider starting with just your most important pages (usually homepage and about page) and adding other pages as your business grows.
Even if you hire a copywriter, providing them with clear information about your business, your customers, and your goals will result in better copy. The more they understand your vision, the better they can bring it to life.
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Hiring a Copywriter
Do I need to worry about SEO when writing my website content?
Yes, but don’t sacrifice readability for SEO. Focus on writing clear, valuable content for humans. Then naturally incorporate relevant keywords, especially in your headings, first paragraph, and meta descriptions. Local businesses should include location-based keywords. Remember that helpful, relevant content that keeps visitors engaged is itself a positive SEO signal.
How long should my website pages be?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but aim for at least 300-500 words for main pages to give search engines enough content to understand what your page is about. More complex topics may require longer content. The key is to be thorough but concise—include everything your visitor needs to know, but not more.
Should I include pricing on my website?
This depends on your business model. For standardized products or packages, displaying pricing builds trust and pre-qualifies leads. For custom services, you might instead explain your pricing approach and provide a starting range. If you choose not to list specific prices, explain why (e.g., “We create custom solutions based on your specific needs”) and make it very easy to request a quote.
How often should I update my website content?
Plan to review your core website content at least every 6-12 months to ensure it remains accurate and relevant. Blog content should be added more regularly—aim for at least monthly posts if possible. Regular updates signal to search engines that your site is active and can help improve rankings.
Is it better to write in first person (I/we) or third person (they/the company)?
For most small to medium businesses, first person creates a more personal connection. “We help our clients succeed” feels more engaging than “The company helps its clients succeed.” For very large corporations or highly formal industries, third person might be more appropriate. Whatever you choose, be consistent throughout your site.
Turn Words into Action: Your Next Steps
Creating compelling website content isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process of refinement based on feedback and results. Start with the guidelines in this article, but don’t be afraid to test and adjust as you learn more about what resonates with your audience.
Your website content should grow and evolve as your business does. What works for your brand-new business might need updating as you expand your offerings or refine your target market.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of writing your own website content, or if you simply want expert help to make sure your online presence truly reflects the quality of your business, professional support is available. At Blaser Consulting, we help new businesses develop clear, compelling website content that attracts customers and drives growth.
Whether you choose to write your own content or work with a professional website copywriter, the most important thing is to get started. Every day with unclear or ineffective website content is a day you could be missing out on new customers.