The Little House that Words Built: What the Heck Is Website Copy?
This post is a part of our services overview series, “What the Heck Do We Do?”.
This Website Has Good Bones
A website delivers a first impression, which often determines whether someone is interested in your services or products. By now we all know how important a website is for your business. From delivering information to connecting with clients, a good website uses enticing imagery and contains pertinent information. But are all the words that convey this information really that important?
Website copy is like the structural “bones” of your home. If you have a good structure, you won’t notice it at all. If it’s done poorly, it can be a mess that crumbles your website and damages your brand.
The Foundation
If you have read our “What the Heck Do We Do” series you will know about our innovative discovery process. This get-to-know-you lays out the ins and outs of your business messaging and communication goals, target market, and desired language and tone. The discovery document is the architectural plan — the blueprint — that will make it easy for us to write concise, powerful, and persuasive web copy perfectly curated to your business.
But what is so important about intent? Like a solid foundation sets a house in place, getting clear on the intent behind your words will not only give your site structure but curb appeal. We have all seen rambling and bumbling websites, with too much copy written in and a voice that doesn’t match the service. When we have the discovery document to refer to, we can ensure every word on your website has meaning; this personifies your business and pulls a potential client in with writing that speaks directly to them and their needs. Keep in mind, website copy is also concise and it’s our joy to take your story and share it succinctly and professionally. No one clicked on your site to read a novel (unless you’re a novelist! But that’s still not what your website is for). Get your foundation right and your website will function well, hosting your guests like a welcoming home.
The Right Materials
We all need a little discipline sometimes! Editing is the process that will take your web copy from good to great. Multiple talented eyes on any piece of writing will always make it better. After your copy is written, we go through a rigorous editing process. Everyone knows that little typos can stand out like shattered windows and make you look unprofessional or careless. And of course you never notice them until after you hit publish! Our team works collaboratively, so errors are caught with fresh eyes during each round of edits.
Like using the right materials to build, editing is the integral behind-the-scenes work that you may not know you needed. Finally, we conduct what is essentially an inspection: once the copy is uploaded, we do a final proofread of your in-development or live website to make sure everything is just right.
The Design
We are creative types after all! Boring web copy rarely communicates the importance of your business. We love to play with language in a way that makes every visit to your website exciting. Whether you want light and funky or succinct and professional, the voice — the flourish — of the words conveyed on your website are like a beautiful interior design; the final touches of an artistic eye are what make a house feel like a home.
Will your website stand tall with good copy bones, or will the jumble of over-explaining and unclear messaging have you stuck with a dilapidated website? We help curate the message you want to convey to your clients. Let’s get building!