Like any other element of your website, your copy should never be viewed with a “set it and forget it” mindset. Yes, writing and editing takes time. But effective copy is what ultimately sells your website visitors on your brand.
If your copy isn’t helping convince site visitors that they should become paying customers, it isn’t doing its job.
With this in mind, understanding when to update your website copy is an absolute must. Knowing when and how to refresh your written content could just be what you need to increase your conversion rate.
1. Make Sure All Information is Up to Date
Your business isn’t static year after year, and your website needs to reflect that. If you no longer provide a particular service, you should remove any mentions of it from your site. On the other hand, you may have added a new service, and need to add copy about it so online visitors know what you offer.
This may even apply to blog posts — it won’t do you much good to have a blog post that focuses on a service you no longer offer.
If your website includes bios of employees, this will need to be updated as individuals join or leave your company. Consistently updating your content doesn’t just help site visitors — it can also help your SEO rankings by improving your site’s “freshness score” with Google.
2. Keep Things Short & Easy to Digest
A large paragraph can look like an impossible wall of text to online readers, especially those on a mobile device. Because of this, one of the best ways to update your website copy is to make it as streamlined as possible.
Make white space your friend. Shorter paragraphs and bullet point lists will be easier for readers to consume, making it more likely that they actually read all of your content.
Break things up further with eye-catching headlines and bolded calls to action — especially on landing pages. This will draw readers’ attention to the most important information on your page, so even if they skim, they will get a good idea of what you’re trying to convey.
3. Use Your Own Style Guide
If you don’t have a style guide for your website, copy can vary widely from page to page. This can make it hard to develop a distinct brand voice that appeals to your customers.
Your style guide doesn’t have to be a thick, encyclopedia-like reference book. This guide should focus on the desired tone you want to convey in your copy. It can help to develop a buyer persona — an imaginary person that you are writing for with each piece of messaging.
A style guide that includes a few basic do’s and don’ts (such as avoiding technical jargon) will help you communicate clearly and consistently across your site.
Write Your Way to Success
While images and graphics may be what initially gains a website visitor’s attention, your copy is what ultimately sells them on your brand and its products or services.
Just like you should routinely evaluate the “look” of your website to make sure it meets the style preferences of your audience, editing and updating your copy will help you make a far more compelling pitch.
By providing accurate information in an easy to read manner, your website will be far more effective at getting the leads and sales you desire.
