Your Handy Guide To Website Copy

Does writing website copy trip you up? Have you spent more time washing the dishes and checking your emails than actually sitting down and writing your website content?

Many practitioners struggle when it comes to writing website copy, especially for their first site. That’s why I’ve teamed up with Sam Gemmell to offer simple tips and strategies for making website copy a breeze.

Tips For Writing Effective Website Copy

Before you begin

There are a few things you need to figure out before you write a single word of your website copy. Getting clear on these will make it much easier for you to create website copy that resonates with the right people!

1. You need to know your niche. If you don’t know what your niche is, your copy will come across as generic and vague. So get clear on what area of health you want to work with.
   Remember that your website copy can always be updated - it’s not like print! So even if you’re not 100% sure whether you’ll keep that niche for life, you can write copy with it in mind.

2. You need to know your ideal client. This goes a step further than simply picking a niche. Why? Because your ideal client might not know they have a specific condition or underlying issue.
   
   Knowing your ideal client means understanding what they see as their biggest concern, the goals they have and the obstacles in their way of achieving those outcomes.

3. You need to have some relevant keywords. Once you have a niche and ideal client, this is simple enough to figure out. Keywords are the words and phrases that you want to litter throughout your website copy whenever possible to boost your SEO.
   
   Think about the terms that people are likely to use if searching for your service. This ties in with the problems and symptoms they are dealing with. Keywords can also include terms such as your suburb or major city.

It’s also a good idea to start off with dotpoints or headlines for each page, then jump into writing the content. That way, you’re making sure you stay on track and include all of the important info. But it also prevents the overwhelm that can hit when you’re faced with a blank Word document and a blinking cursor!

Home Page

For the majority of people who find you, the Home Page is the first page they see. So you want to make sure it’s got all of the essential ingredients to encourage them to stick around a while.

• Start with a direct message that will resonate with your ideal clients. It takes a split second for someone to decide whether to stay on your website or not. Your first headline and first sentence is prime real estate, so you want to make the most of it.
  And no, I don’t mean starting with ‘welcome to my website’ or ‘hi, I’m ’ - this is generic and not serving the purpose. State who you help and how you help them in 1-2 lines - then you can get into specifics.

• Include a short snippet about who you are as a practitioner. This is like an abstract version of your About Page. It needs to be just enough to encourage the right fit client to continue reading.

• Introduce your services. For example, you might touch on the fact that you offer online consultations and courses. This can then link to your service page(s).

• Have copy that links to other areas of your website. For example, you might have a section that leads to your blogs, or a button that links to your contact page. Every single page on your website should tell someone the next step they can take, and your homepage is no exception.

About Page

Writing the About Page is the biggest struggle for many practitioners!

For some, it’s finding the balance of writing about who you are while still keeping it relevant to your client. For others, being that visible and often vulnerable feels terrifying.

• Share at least some of your own health journey. Most practitioners have either had their own health struggles or a loved one with health problems. By sharing this, you help people to connect with you and trust you on a deeper level.

• Make your qualifications a note, not a focus. The majority of clients won’t be fussed about your list of courses, degrees and certificates. What they want to know is why you’re a fit for them.

• Consider writing in the first person, especially if you’re a solo practitioner. This is more connecting than writing in the third person. It feels like you’re talking directly to the reader - which is exactly how we want them to feel!

• At the bottom, give them the next step. Have a link to your booking page, ask them to join your mailing list, or have a preview of your online shop to click through to. Make it as easy as possible for them to work with you!

• Don’t forget a picture of your beautiful face! Yes, this is about website copy, but as they say - a picture is worth a thousand words. A photo of you is a non-negotiable for this page. Otherwise, you’re putting all of this effort into connecting with people, but they still have no idea what you look like.

Find yourself getting completely stuck on your About Page? Give Sam a yell - she can write or edit your About Page and take the pressure off!

Service Page

For Services, you might have one page listing all of your services, or a drop-down menu with each service option on a different page. The good news is that the approach to writing copy for either option is similar.

• Remember to state who the service is for. Who are you trying to help? Who is the person that you created this offer for? Be specific - if you have a package that is specifically for couples trying to fall pregnant, state that.

• Outline what is included. This is where you include things like how many appointments or weeks it includes, if there are any bonuses, whether it is online or in clinic. Keep it simple and streamlined - don’t write an essay about it!

• Tell them what the end outcome is. What are they walking away with? How will they feel once they’ve worked with you? Let them know what it is you’re here to help them achieve.

• Consider adding a FAQ section. This might be separate, or it can be down the bottom of your Service Page. Tell them what they need to know if they’ve never had an appointment with a practitioner - what to expect, who it might not be suitable for, and any other common concerns that arise.

Did you know?

When you book a website package with me, you’ll receive a free website copy guide. The guide will walk you through how to write copy that resonates with your ideal client and still sounds like you - minus the overwhelm!

To see the practitioner website packages available, click here.