When to revamp your web copy
Writing your own web copy and building your own website is a huge achievement. If you are anything like me, it took you ages. It’s a pretty lonely task too.
Maybe you asked a friend, or even your partner, to read over your words. Perhaps they didn’t help much. You had to trust your instinct and hit that PUBLISH button. Ready or not!
Writing your own website
When I was writing the copy for my first DIY website, I went through a few different stages.
At the beginning: Done is better than perfect.
Just get the writing done, Jennifer. Then you can come back and improve it. Spoiler: I didn’t.
Nearing the GO LIVE date: It just has to be good enough.
It sounds reassuring, but in reality, your website has to be a little bit better than ‘good enough’. It’s your shopfront, your part of the internet, your business online.
After publication: I need to tweak the X, Y or Z pages.
This adds up to a fair bit of work. And, with my editor’s hat on, it can lead to typos, or worse, creeping into your copy. To be avoided.
There comes a time when a full web copy revamp is due. But how do you know?
3 signs your web copy needs a revamp
Not sure if the time is right for a refresh? These three indicators will let you know for sure.
Your home page fails the 5-second test.
You're not getting the number of inquiries you want.
You feel a wee bit embarrassed about sharing your website link.
Sounding familiar? If you’re having an ah-ha moment, it’s time to start your re-write. But you don’t need to jump in feet first. A step-by-step approach works better, and there’s a logical place to start.
Where to start a web copy revamp?
With your home page. It’s where most website visitors arrive, so it’s a logical beginning. And kick off at the top of the page. With your hero section, the very first block people see.
The hero section of your home page has to work really hard. It’s what convinces visitors to stay or go. To read on or to bounce away. It’s a quick decision, one they take in five to eight seconds.
Here’s what your hero section needs to do.
Home page Hero checklist
Your hero tells your website visitors:
what you do
who you work with
why to work with you
what to do next
And for added umph, it’s got:
Visual impact. I don’t mean fancy design or a brand-new logo but consider:
A photo of you, not a stock image.
Using one or two brand colours.
White space to let your words stand out.
Social proof. Facts and figures like your exam pass rate, teacher numbers at your school, the number of books you’ve written.
The Big Benefit of working with you.
How does your hero section stand up to the scrutiny? Ready to grab your website visitors or is there room for improvement? Here’s some ideas to help.
TAKE THE 5-SECOND TEST
Ask a trusted colleague to have a look. Very quickly. In those five seconds we mentioned above. Can they identify your WHO, WHAT and WHY? If they can’t, pinpoint what’s missing. Can you add that to your current hero?
USE A FORMULA
A formula is a quick way to come up fresh ideas. It might not give you the final format of your new hero, but you never know. Try these ones for size. Take ten minutes and complete the gaps in as many ways as you can.
GET (Result) WITHOUT (Pain Point)
Pass IELTS with a score of 7.5 without endless textbook exercises.
FOR (Ideal Client) WHO (Pain Point), (Your Solution) THAT (Key Benefit)
For undergraduates struggling with academic writing, clear strategies that improve your marks.
TRANSFORM YOUR (What) FROM (Pain) TO (Gain) IN (Timeframe)
Turn your A2 English into confident client communication in 90 days.
GET INSPIRED BY REAL EXAMPLES
The internet is full of inspiration. Get online and find some. Let’s look at two very different examples that work well.
I love this hero section from Pearson. They start with a strong statement we’d all agree with (learning is a lifelong journey). Then promise to help us ‘at every step’ whether we are at school, college or in the office. I love the active verbs they use too – Explore, Discover, Upskill. It’s a technique you could try too.
Eltonix have taken a different approach with their hero section. Although there is only a single speech bubble shown here, there’s one for each person. The hero states very clearly WHO Eltonix work with and the bubbles point to WHAT their clients achieve. Have a look at it online.
Revamp YOUR hero
Now it’s over to you. I’ve highlighted the three key signs that your web copy needs a revamp. I’ve suggested that you start with your hero section on your home page. And given you a selection of techniques to try.
Ask a colleague to take the 5-second test.
Use a formula to get your ideas flowing.
Take inspiration from real-life examples.
Conclusion
Revamping your web copy is a big job. One that benefits from a step-by-step approach. Making your hero section the starting point makes perfect sense. It can be the difference between a website visitor staying on to learn more or bouncing away. Any time you spend here, will reap rewards.
Looking for more ways to improve your website?
Ask me about Website Revamp. My 8-week, small group course where we rewrite your website words together.
