Copy is there to work,honey. It should move people around, guide decisions, shout when it needs to and back up the visuals at the right time. Web copy’s not decorative – it’s directional.

And if you’re treating it like filler text around the “real design”, you’re losing customers with every scroll. And incurring our wrath. So here are our top tips on how to do web copy properly and keep customers happy.

Be clear first, clever second

We love a good turn of phrase, probably more than most. But if your users don’t get it, or know what they’re supposed to do next? There’s no point. Say what you mean, and then if you’ve got a bit of breathing room, you can make it sparkle.

Every page should have a job

If you’ve got a web page that doesn’t have a clear purpose, get rid of it. Be ruthless. When you’re developing your sitemap, think about the goal – does it inform, convert, sign up or get people to click? Build it all around that. There’s no time for pages that “feel nice” – because Google won’t give a damn about that and neither will your customers.

Stop writing for everyone

You’re not here to please the masses. You’re here to connect with your people. Talk like them, answer their questions and throw the SEO-stuffed platitudes in the sea where they belong.

Another quick tip for you is when you’re hitting up ChatGPT, just be warned that it’s going to file the edges off and sanitise what you’ve got to say, because it goes for the safe option every time. Embrace the imperfect. Make it yours. Just make sure you fix the typos.

Headlines do the heavy lifting

A H1 tag is not for subtlety. That’s the big bold statement that’ll pull people in. It needs to be more than just pretty, it should be convincing people that you’re the right choice.

And no, “Welcome to our website” is not a headline. It’s an apology. Yuck.

CTAs need to be loud and proud

The phrase “Read more” does not work hard enough for your business. Think about what you want people to do, then say it loudly and confidently, like you believe they should do it. Your CTA should feel like a big enthusiastic nudge, not a can’t-be-bothered shrug.

The bottom line

Your copy isn’t just there to prop the design – it’s the main attraction. So don’t just treat it like decoration. Put some effort in and make it shine.

And if that’s not your forte, come chat to us. We know a thing or two about copy that gets people excited. Either slip into our live chat DMs or send us a good old-fashioned email.