Copywriting is arguably the most underestimated skill in the website biz. 

It’s easy to look at a polished webpage and think, “Why would I pay professional copywriting services to do that? I could do it in 20 minutes!”

The truth is a lot of business owners building websites think this way and insist on writing the copy themselves. In most cases, this results in a jargon-laced webpage that makes little to no impact on target customers. 

Here’s the thing about websites:

A beautifully designed website will fall flat with bad copywriting. On the flip side, a poorly designed website can still perform well with great copywriting. 

In other words, you can have a gorgeous Lamborghini but if the engine doesn’t work, it’s not going anywhere. 

In this post, we want to explain the importance of professional copywriting in a website build and why it’s worth every penny. 

Understanding the Nature of Website Copywriting 

Professional copywriting is specifically focused on creating persuasive, compelling text that prompts a specific action from the reader, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service. It leverages techniques like emotional appeal, persuasive language, and direct calls to action to drive conversions and achieve your marketing goals. 

As you can imagine, it takes honed skills to create quality content that meets these criteria. A true copywriting strategy isn’t just about getting words on your website – it’s about telling a story and eliciting action from your customers. 

When you hire a professional copywriter, you’re hiring someone to mesh strategy with creativity for effective website storytelling. You might know your brand better than anyone else, but an experienced copywriter will help turn that knowledge into user-focused website copy that sells and informs. 

Any worthwhile copywriter will have robust writing skills, but they’ll also possess a deep understanding of marketing principles and consumer psychology. The best copywriters are also proficient in search engine optimization (SEO) and industry-specific trends that will influence your website copy (or they partner with an expert to ensure their beautifully written words are SEO’d). 

The Role of Professional Copywriting in Building a Brand 

Well-written copy should fully encapsulate your brand identity. That means it accurately conveys your brand’s unique personality, values, and essence in a manner that resonates with your target audience. 

Perhaps most importantly, professional copywriting also nails down your brand voice. This voice should be carefully crafted and consistent across your marketing materials, from your company website to your Instagram profile and beyond. 

Maybe your brand falls under the “adventurer” archetype. Maybe it’s playful or serious or snarky or polite. Whatever it may be, it’s your voice, and it should be heard in all of your brand messaging. That’s where using professional copywriting services is highly beneficial. 

Through clear communication and years of acquired skill, a professional copywriter will help you create a content strategy that’s rooted in purpose, personality, and consistency.

If you want to establish a strong, iconic brand identity, you need to work with the pros. 

Let’s look at an example that demonstrates how copy influences brand identity. Oatly, a line of power-based milk alternatives, faced some interesting challenges when it came to advertising. 

How do you talk about plant milk in a “fun” way? Better yet, how do you differentiate yourself from other milk alternatives and give oat milk a *personality*? 

With the help of some sharp-minded copywriters, Oatly hit it out of the park. The brand’s website is peppered with self-referential phrases, a playful irreverent tone, and an impressive level of humor. The copywriting defines the Oatly identity – and if great copy can work wonders for oat milk, it can work for you, too. 

Earlier this year we worked with Merriman Wealth Management to re-brand and build a new website, we also collaborated with the Alkimie Collective to execute brand strategy and copywriting. Financial firms are typically corporate, cold, and cliche and Merriman wanted to show how they are different; to show how much they care about their clientele and their team. See for yourself! We think Merriman and Alkimie did an amazing job setting this firm apart from all of the other vanilla financial firms out there.

Next up, we need to talk about the role of professional copywriting in SEO-optimized content. Sure, you likely know you need to use keywords to rank on search engines, but do you really understand how to optimize your website copy for Google? 

SEO and Website Copywriting 

A talented copywriter does. 

Any content agency worth its stuff will begin the website copywriting process by learning how they can enhance your visibility on search engines, including the big G. Their writing strategies revolve around aligning with the latest algorithms, as well as trends in searchers’ intents and activities. 

Ultimately, the goal is always to write copy that drives organic traffic to your website and pushes your brand higher in search results. How can you do this? Well, expertly written copy will…  

• Make your brand seem credible and trustworthy 
• Answer searchers’ most pressing queries 
• Carefully and selectively incorporate hard-hitting keywords 
• Adapt to the most recent SEO best practices

Sure, you can try to write copy that does all of these things – but do you really have the time, experience, and resources to dedicate to true search engine optimization? Chances are, the answer is no. That’s why professional copywriters exist. 

Furthermore, website copywriting services are well-versed (or they collaborate with an expert) in on-page SEO factors, such as metal titles, headers, descriptions, and image alt text. This is a fancy way of saying that the pros know how to use a combination of formatting and text to meet important search engine algorithm requirements. 

If your content marketing strategy tries to check the SEO box through keyword stuffing and slapdash blog posts, it’s time to get some help. 

Conversion Rates and Customer Engagement

We keep talking about how professional copywriting services should sell – but let us explain a bit more. 

You might know how to write interesting or funny copy, but do you know how to write conversion-oriented copy? We’re talking about words that are specifically designed to generate more sales but that are also meant to draw the reader in and educate them. 

It’s a tricky balance to strike, which is why it requires a trained hand. An expert copywriter knows how to tap into customers’ emotions and needs without blatantly saying, “Hey, give us your money!” or more simply, “buy this!” 

Strong copywriting fosters a sense of connection and resonance. It addresses pain points, offers solutions, and highlights the benefits of taking a specific action, whether that’s making a purchase, subscribing to a newsletter, or sharing content. 

A big part of any content strategy for websites is the calls to action (CTAs). When you hire a professional copywriter, they’ll put a great deal of thought and creativity into CTAs that spark reader’s interest and get them to click. 

Hubspot even found that something as simple as adding a CTA as anchor text in a blog can increase the page’s conversion by a whopping 121%. You need messaging that’s always telling visitors where to go and how to act – subtly but effectively. 

Is Professional Copywriting Worth the Investment for New Websites?

If you’re establishing a small business, we get it – you’re likely hoping to keep your costs down, and hiring a website copywriting agency sounds like a splurge. Is it really worth spending the money on services from the pros?

Our answer is yes, and we have a good reason. 

Content marketing has a better return on investment (ROI) than many other methods – and the content on your website matters the most. If there’s one place you should splurge when it comes to new business goals, it’s on your website copy. 

To summarize for you, paying for professional copywriting services gets you… 

• a professional digital presence 
• search-engine optimized content 
• consistent tone and brand image 
• more strategic audience targeting 
• a better user experience 

All of those benefits are worth their weight in gold – especially when your startup is finding its footing. Investing in great copy now will help you build a much more solid platform for jumpstarting the rest of your brand’s initiatives. 

What’s the Next Step? Let’s Talk About It. 

Your website is arguably your most important business asset.

It’s your online storefront, your first impression with customers, and the nucleus of your online marketing activities. You can have the best product or service the world has ever seen – but poor website copy will put a big, nasty damper on it, no matter how nice it looks. 

At Tall Poppies Design, we help life coaches, online educators, and small businesses build professional websites from the inside out. We offer everything from brand discovery to web design, development, SEO, and of course professional copywriting services. 

Start the conversation today with a FREE website strategy call. We’re ready to discuss all of your content creation needs.