It’s almost a new year, which means a fresh start for all of us. We always hear “new year, new you,” but this year, it’s all about “new year, new web copy.” If you’re a business owner who hasn’t given your website copy a look in a while, it’s time to update it so that you dazzle your audience in the new year!
When we look back at 2020, we’ll remember its absolute chaos…however, many business owners found that this is the year of transforming every business into a remote, online business. That means that you, like many business owners, maybe re-evaluating whether or not your website really connects with your clients.
December is a slower time of year for many of us, with things usually picking up after the holidays. If you want to be ahead of the curve, use this quieter time to refresh your web copy so you can hit the ground running in 2021. The good news is if you know what to look for, and if you can step back objectively, it’s relatively easy to review your site to evaluate everything from copy and organization to overall flow. Keep reading to learn more about how to audit your website to make sure you’re truly putting your best (online) face forward!
How to Audit Your Website
Doing an audit of your website sounds easy, right? Carve out some time on your schedule, sit down and go through it carefully. It can be intimidating to know where to start, or to find the time in your schedule to do an audit. And it’s not easy to be objective with your own work. I can help! Book an audit with me to get a professional, unbiased opinion on your website. If you’d like to do it yourself, here are the essential questions to ask when reviewing your web copy:
Does your site speak to your clients?
Your website should be all about your audience and how you can address their pain points. Present your product or service as a solution to a problem they’re facing. It should not be about you or how great your business is (even it’s really awesome). Instead, your website copy should speak to your audience, right down to the words you’re using. Instead of “I” and “me,” focus on “you” or “we” (more tips about that here).
Is your web copy accurate?
Review your web copy to see if it’s grammatically correct. If proofreading isn’t your strong suit, try running it through a program that will do all the work for you, like Grammarly. If you have any statistics, facts, or figures on your website, give them a run through to make sure they are current and up to date. Phone a friend and see if they’ll read over everything and make sure the message is consistent and makes sense.
Is your site on brand?
Now is also the time to review your brand voice. For this exercise, it’s critical to make sure you have defined your audience and ideal client. Knowing who your audience is will help you figure out exactly how to speak to them. Is your website copy in line with your ideal audience? Does your tone connect with them? Make sure your brand voice remains consistent throughout your website.
Does your website need a facelift?
Now is the time to double-check that everything is in the right place as it should be. Do you have a clear call to action on the top half of the homepage? Are there CTAs placed throughout your site, so your audience doesn’t have to look for them? Consider repeating your CTA throughout the page so the audience doesn’t have to scroll to get to it.
Is your site well-organized and wavy to navigate?
Aim for a clean website instead of a cluttered one. Having too many options and distractions is an easy way to lose your audience. Make sure all links are in working order and going to the right place. Your website should be easy to navigate and easy for clients to take action or to contact you. Have visible contact information on every page, and a navigation menu that is easy to access with clearly named page titles.
Does your site need a rewrite?
If you’ve followed these steps and your copy still isn’t converting, it might be time for a rewrite. Whether you need to tweak some things or overhaul all of it, this is a great time to bring an expert. A copywriter can help make sure your website is attracting your ideal audience and that your website is converting to sales.
Web copy can be the deciding factor on whether you lose the sale or gain a loyal customer, so you’ll want to make sure yours is the best it can be. How did your audit go? No website is perfect, and most can use a sprucing up!
Why You Need a Website That Converts
You’ve worked hard on your website, so it’s important to make sure it converts sales. Websites that convert into leads and sales are key for business growth. You’ll have more success by doing less work and marketing because your website is doing the heavy lifting for you. Having a website with high conversion rates means more of your audience is taking the action of your CTA…so make sure your CTA rocks! You might not get an increase in traffic, but you’ll get an increase in sales. Your business will profit, and your audience will be happy. Plus, a successful website will rank higher on Google, turning into more converting traffic.
