5 Copywriting Tips to Give Your Homepage a Mini Makeover

Photo by Ashlee Hamon Photography

Hey, hey! Thanks for popping in to see what’s in the awesome goody bag we have for you today compliments of guest blogger, Erika Vidal Holmes! Erika is a Copywriter Extraordinaire (that’s a real thing!)– she’s also a momma, business owner, & member of our girl gang.

The treat she has for you is making the idea of a homepage revamp something that’s not just possible without pulling all of your gorgeous hair out, but something you’ll find FUN! Her approach to branding yourself through writing for your website is to focus on being clear, being okay with giving away ‘all the good stuff’, & being yourself. 

Erika shares how to make an impact when your potential client visits your website in the post below with 5 actionable steps, babe. As we like to say ‘there’s no room for fluff here,’ so get ready to roll your sleeves up & get to work with the help of this very doable and effective copywriting challenge. 

Pick a playlist that puts you into ‘let’s do this’ mode, fill up your mug, & get ready to make your homepage shine bright like a diamond. Not only will you feel so proud when you’re done, but your revamp is gonna feel like music to the ears of the ideal client you’re whose attention you’re definitely gonna grab. 

Cheers to maximizing your time & resources to make your business the best it can be, girl! Shout out to Erika for sharing her expertise with us and for the awesome revamp she just finished for her own website (take a peek). Stay boss. xx -G

Photo by Ashlee Hamon Photography

If “update website copy” has been on your to-do list since Scandal was still on the air, let this be your sign from the universe that now is the exact right time for you to tackle it and cross it off. All you need is a few hours to show your homepage some love and give it a The Princess Diaries-style makeover.

More than Instagram, more than Facebook, your website is the one little corner of the internet you have complete control over. 

It’s your brand’s home on the web. 

No matter how a potential client hears about you, you can bet your favorite pair of black leggings they’re going to check out your site. 

But your amazing logo, photography and design won’t be worth your investment if the words on your homepage don’t...

Communicate exactly what you do

Turn casual visitors into subscribers and/or buyers

Make you sound completely different from anyone else.

In this post, I’m sharing 5 tweaks that’ll help you wow your ideal customer and start turning browsers into subscribers and subscribers into buyers.

Step 1 // Keep Your Headline Clear & Simple

That is … your ideal customer should be able to figure out exactly what you can do for them the minute they land on your site.

Studies show that people will only stay on your homepage for 8 seconds before saying, “Thank u next,” unless they see something that speaks directly to their “pain” or desire.

That means ...

No flowery but vague “be your best self” headline. 

No overly clever copy that makes them think too hard.

No “this is my why” manifesto.

No random quote from that anonymous dude. 

Just a clear headline that says WHAT you do and WHO you do it for.

Photo by Ashlee Hamon Photography

Step 2 // Learn the Lingo

If you want to write copy that makes your ideal client feel like you’re speaking directly to them, you have to speak their language when you’re addressing their struggles, desires, and the benefits of your offering in terms of what your ideal customer wants to hear.

In fact, there’s a saying among professional copywriters that if we do our job correctly, we don’t actually have to write copy half the time.

Your ideal clients will write it for you, IF you’re listening closely.

Here are two quick ways to get inside your ideal customer’s mind:

Send a short survey to your email list or ask a few potential or past clients if they’d be willing to give you insights in exchange for xyz. It could be as simple as a $5 Starbucks gift card.

Pop into a Facebook group where your ideal client hangs out and use the search function to find past posts related to your specialty. Or post a question like, “What’s the most stressful part of xyz, or what do you wish was different about xyz?”

Then weave their exact words into your copy where it makes sense.

Step 3 // Give ‘Em Something Good

If you’ve ever heard the terms “lead magnet” or “opt-in” and wondered “what the what!?” that’s what I’m talking about here. It’s something visitors can take away from your website in exchange for their email address.

Mine is a quiz and a free 5-day email writing course. Yours may be a cheat sheet, challenge or checklist, or it could be a simple one-page guide or a discount code.

The fact is, most people probably won’t click “Book or “Buy Now” the first time they visit your website. If you don’t capture their email address, how will you know they visited your site and follow up with them to remind them you exist?

Keep it simple, but don’t be afraid to give away the good stuff. 

Photo by Ashlee Hamon Photography

Step 4 // Break the Rules

Specifically, I want you to channel your inner rebel when it comes to these 3 grammar rules:

Contractions are too casual in a professional setting. Only if you’re a robot.

You must always write in complete sentences. Not true. See?

And finally … never start a sentence with “and” or “but.”  Aaand, we’re saying, “Bye, Felicia” to this outdated, rhythm-sucking rule.

Comb through your site and see where you can loosen things up and make them more conversational.

Step 5 // Be Yourself, Babe

You’ve heard this a million times, but what does that mean when it comes to your brand?

For starters, it means getting clear on what you love doing and who you love doing it for, and maybe more important, being clear on who you’re NOT doing it for. Vanilla copy happens when you’re trying to please everyone.

Here are three tips for putting more YOU into your website copy:

Make a list of things you love or that are important to you (this could be as serious as your family or as light-hearted as your shoe obsession). Ask yourself, “What would a friend tag me in on social media?” Find organic ways to incorporate these things into your website copy.

Read your copy aloud. Does it sound the way you talk or are you using words and phrases you would never say?

Do you have a strong, relevant “why” behind your business? If so, share it.

Depending on what industry you’re in, it probably seems like there are a bajillion other people doing the same thing.

But I’ve got news for ya, babe: There’s only one you and there only ever will be one you.

I really hope that this mini makeover crash course has inspired you to experiment with your website copy.

Just do me one favor before you show your copy who’s boss: Take a few “before” screenshots so you can share your kickass revamped homepage with us over on the Babe Crafted Tampa Bay Facebook page or on Instagram. 

Erika Holmes is an award-winning, makeover-movie loving copywriter who helps boss babes inject heart and humor into their website copy and brand messaging. She’s written for brands like eBay, StubHub and Levi’s. If you liked this mini makeover crash course, then you’ll love her bigger and better, totally FREE copywriting mini course. You can grab it here or learn more about her at www.erikaholmes.com.