Copy or Website Design: Where To Invest First?
If you’re reading this blog post, you’re torn right now between two investments for your business: copywriting or website design. So how the hell are you supposed to decide which one you need right at this moment to make your business grow?
Let me paint a picture for you: you’ve just found a kickass website. It’s filled to the brim with custom photos and videography, unique branding that makes you say “oh, dang!”, and sweet design features that set it apart from all other websites you’ve browsed before.
But as you start reading, you notice… there’s nothing on the website that actually makes you want to buy whatever they’re selling.
Yeah. This is not a design issue — it’s a copy issue.
Why you need quality copywriting
The service-based world is entirely different from e-commerce — when people hop onto your website, it has less to do with browsing your products and more to do with finding a service provider with whom they feel aligned. Whether you’re a wedding venue, a business coach, or an operations consultant, that person needs to feel like you are the only one who can help them achieve what they’re looking to do.
But, let’s face it — people are busy and distracted, and when we’re looking for help with something, we’re concerned about spending money and time with someone who may or may not give us what we want and need. When people are nervous, it’s easier to make room for doubt in their search for the ideal service provider, and your copy is the one asset you have that will speak to them in their language and eliminate any room they might be leaving for questions and concerns.
Say you’re a systems & operations specialist who helps clients create space in their schedule with strategic systems and automation: a client who is interested in working with you how many hours your work can save them each week, how you can build systems that’ll streamline communication & processes within their business, and whether it’s possible for them to spend less time working their business with your help.
If your copy doesn’t answer their questions or confirm what they’re asking themselves in the deepest parts of their brains, then they’re less likely to make the jump at that moment and book with you. In fact, they’ll probably move on in their search to find someone else that makes them feel confident in their choice.
Cue the “wah, wah, wahhhh” sound effects.
Creating that instant connection with a client
Running a business is all about making connections.
There’s this thrilling bit of magic that happens when you find the right words to speak to your client: they feel an instant connection to you, even if they haven’t met you yet — all from reading your copy.
Trust me, I’ve been on both sides of this feeling.
Once that connection is made, it’s so much more difficult for a person to forget you. Sure, they might keep looking, but your words and how they made them feel will keep coming back to them until they feel so compelled to book with you. Because, seriously, who else will get them and their needs more than you??
It’s like fate — only much more strategic.
quality copy can give you an SEO boost
Copywriting is your biggest salesman in more ways than one. In addition to converting leads who visit your website, copy that is written with quality research and white-hat SEO tactics can boost your rankings in search engines and send more people to your website who are looking for your services. How are you going to say no to a tool that literally works for you 24/7 to bring in more leads?
Seriously, friend — without quality copywriting, you’ll always struggle with a multitude of obstacles, including:
Low rankings in search engines like Google
Infrequent website visitors and leads
Leads who ghost after being sent to your website to book
Potential clients who experience doubt and don’t follow through with booking
copy creates a customer journey that ends with new clients booking services
Let’s talk journeys.
As a professional copywriter who comes from the marketing world, the customer journey on your website is crucial to whether or not a lead will book your services right then and there. Quality copy is MORE than just copy that sells — it’s a strategic path that has been entirely mapped out from beginning to end so that your leads experience zero confusion on what they need to do next.
From the headlines and button placement all the way down to the micro-copy on the buttons themselves, each piece of copy has to be intentionally written to set website visitors up to purchase after they’ve gone through each step. If one button doesn’t link to where they expect or there are too many clicks to get from Point A to Point B, we’ve lost them.
If you’re truly curious, THIS is the biggest reason why copy is an investment that should always be made before website design (or in conjunction with it, if your timeline and budget allow for it). Allowing a professional copywriter to map out your copy will set every other piece up for success.
Your website designer will have a clearer path to follow as they create
Your brand designer can pull inspiration from elements within the copy
Your email funnels will be consistent with what users read on your website
Invest in copy that converts + set your biz up for success
No matter how much time you spend tweaking the design of your website, it will never convert without copy that speaks to your clients’ deepest desires.
Within 5 seconds of landing on your website, your clients should know exactly what you do. After those 5 seconds come the crucial few minutes that they’ll spend skimming — yes, I said skimming — the other bits of copy. They want to know how you can help them, what you do to help your clients achieve what they want to do, and whether they’ll be the next one you can help.
Without quality, SEO-friendly copy that tells them all of this clearly and easily, you’re not just missing out on capturing organic leads from search engines — you’re missing the opportunity to connect with a client who is literally looking directly at you and asking for help.
So, here comes the answer to the ultimate question you’re asking: if you want to stand out and look pretty, invest in website design.
But, if you want to convert more leads into clients, sell more services, and make more money to grow and scale your business, invest in copywriting.
Trust me — it’s the only marketing asset that will get you the sales you need to level up your business.
Wanna start working with your dream clients + bringing in more revenue?
Let’s hop on a discovery to talk about how we can get you fresh, conversion-driven website copy with SEO that’ll bring in new leads and turn existing ones into paying clients.
