How to Write Website Copy: A Website Copywriting Guide for Small Businesses

Hot take: Not every brand is ready to hire a copywriter. If your small business is in the baby stages, you’re probably better off learning how to write website copy. At least until you have a solid understanding of your purpose, brand voice, and ideal client. Why? Because you’ll likely want to change your offers within the first 2 years (and the copy with it).

So, if you’ve got a tight marketing budget, a heap of creativity, and big dreams for your small biz, this is for you!

But before you get started on the writing, make sure to do your research. This post is part two of my “how to write your website copy” blog series. Part 1 goes into How to do Research for Copywriting and includes everything from getting clear on your brand archetype and tone to SEO. Make sure to check it out first here!

I’ll go through my step-by-step web copy process, offering you tips for how to implement it for your DIY copy project along the way.

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How to Write Website Copy in 5 Easy Steps

1. The Brain Dump

In case you skimmed past the intro, the Brain Dump is not the first step in the web copy process. I repeat—the Brain Dump is the first step after the extensive research process, which is outlined in this post.

At this point,  I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time floating around in the magical world that is your brand (aka copywriting research). At this point, I flip the <release> switch on the pressure cooker that is my brain and let everything that’s bubbling out onto the page. Total, undisrupted anarchy.

Once everything’s out, I starting organizing it into the pages/sections where it could work.

⭐How you can use this⭐

• Open a blank notebook page, a Google Doc, or your preferred writing tool.
• Write everything that comes to mind when you think of your brand. don’t edit anything. 

2. The Structural Outline

Now that I have your raw material, I’m ready to build your digital brand-scape.

While there is certainly a “checklist” of elements that each page should have, every website I write is completely different. I’ve worked with professionals from the same industry and nearly identical offers who wanted completely different website styles. This depends of factors such as where you are in your business, whether you offer in-person or online services, etc.

I usually do this in a Google Doc, but again, use your writing tool of choice, especially if you have one that allows you to add visual elements to design your website wireframe easily.

Side note: I’ve also recently discovered the joy of sketching website mockups a-la-rustique in my notebook?! Who would’ve thought that would be fun?

⭐How you can use this⭐

• Start writing out all the pages you’ll need on your website. Home, About, Services, and Contact are “the big 4” anyone can start out with. If you offer any big-ticket services, consider adding a separate sales page for each.
• Write out everything your clients would need to know to give you their trust.
• Start drawing some sections on those pages! Use your inspo sites as a reference when you get lost.

3. The First Draft

This is where I go in and start writing the copy! Section by section. Bird by bird.

As a rule of thumb, I leave the big headlines for last. I find it’s so much easier to nail them once I have everything else written out. 

Another hot tip: don’t start with the home page. start with the services or about page (just trust me on this).

⭐How you can use this⭐

• write the copy, friend. 
• trust yourself. 
• write more than you need to, because it will get heavily slashed in the next phase!

4. The Pause & Slash

One very important & highly overlooked step of writing website copy is taking a spacious pause after the first draft. 

If you don’t, the ego, still fresh and ravenous, will slap your wrist every time you try to erase one of its “genius creations.” 

Here’s the facts, though: your ego is a toddler. Give it some cool-down time to forget and release the attachment to the many many words you just wrote. Because maybe only 50-70% of them need to stick around.

I recommend taking at least 24 hours away from the first draft. 48 is even better. Heck, take the whole weekend if you can!

Then, with fresh eyes, start slashing away. Read it out loud and get rid of anything that isn’t communicating your values/personality, connecting to your ideal client, or expressing how you solve their problems.

⭐How you can use this⭐

• Exactly like this. pause and slash. 
• Read aloud to get clarity on where to slash. 
• If it doesn’t sound right read aloud, ti probably won’t sound right when your people are reading it.

5. The Polish, Google-i-fy & Proofread

Once I’m pretty happy with the result, I go back and add the target SEO keywords for each page. This ensures your SEO keywords (from the research phase) don’t dominate or disrupt the flow of your copy. 

You’ve got to get the magic out first, and the keywords in second.

Then when I’m editing and proofreading, I’ll read it out loud again and remove any keywords that sound clunky or forced, making sure we’ve got enough to make Google happy.

Once I’ve added the keywords, metatags, and given it a good polishing, I will let it rest (like a plump little sourdough) on my desktop, usually for about 24 hours-ish (plz put your sourdough in the fridge if it’s resting that long!).

Your website copy, proofing its way to fresh-sourdough-level digital heaven.

Then I give it one more high-level review before sending it off to my client.

⭐How you can use this⭐

• edit. 
• add SEO keywords. 
• proofread. 
• get 2-3 friends to proofread.

6. The Design & Publish 

Once you have a friend-approved draft of website copy, it’s off to the designer! Of course, if you’re in the baby phases of business, you might be better suited for a website template. That way, you don’t even have to think about how to organize your website copy. 

Website templates from TONIC site shop are designed with a team of professional copywriters, which means their layouts are designed to convert. That also means you get headline and body text prompts, making it that much easier to write your website copy without the price tag of a seasoned pro. If I were just starting my business on a budget, I would 100% opt for a TONIC template! 

Ready to put this website copywriting guide into action?

I’m so excited to see what you come up with! Send me a DM on IG with a link to your DIYed web copy, and I’ll give you personalized feedback for free at ninety-nine.

Plus, if you ever get stumped on what to write on your About page, I have a handy About Page Checklist, which you can download here. It’s designed specifically for values-led service providers like you!

If you prefer to get more clarity on your brand voice, tone, and values before diving into all this, check out my Brand Voice Kit service. It includes everything you need to confidently write any copy, from what’s on your website to blogs, email, and social posts.

Or, if reading this has given you a full-on migraine, I hear you. But your incredible offers still need the words to match their value! Reach out to inquire about my done-for-you Full (moon) Web Copy Package here.