A beautiful website with vague words underneath does not bring in much work. Visitors arrive with a question: can you help me, and should I trust you? The text on your pages has to answer it quickly. Here is how to write it so it does.
Say what you do, where, in the first sentence
The top of your home page should tell a stranger, in about five seconds, what you do, who it is for and where you work. "Roofing repairs and new roofs across Norfolk and Suffolk" beats "Excellence in every project" every time.
Test it: show your home page to someone who does not know your business for five seconds, then ask what you do. If they hesitate, the opening needs work.
Write about the customer, not about yourself
Most small business websites talk about "we": our values, our passion, our years of experience. Visitors care about their own problem. Turn the sentences around:
- "We have 20 years of experience" becomes "Your roof repaired by a team that has done it for 20 years".
- "We offer bookkeeping services" becomes "Hand over your books and stop worrying about deadlines".
Be specific
Specific details are more convincing than adjectives. Instead of "fast turnaround", say "most quotes within 48 hours" if that is true. Instead of "trusted by local businesses", show the reviews and name the clients who agreed to be named. Numbers, places, examples and real photos all do more than "high quality" ever will.
Make it easy to scan
Most people skim before they read. Help them:
- clear headings that say what each section is about;
- short paragraphs, one idea each;
- lists for services, steps and what is included;
- important details, such as prices or areas covered, easy to spot.
Answer the questions people actually ask
Think about the questions you hear on the phone every week: how much, how long, do you cover my area, what happens next? Answer them on the website. A short questions section on your service pages saves you time and reassures visitors who would otherwise go elsewhere to ask.
Tell people what to do next
Every page should end with a clear next step: call, request a quote, book a time, see prices. One main action per page works better than five competing buttons. And make sure the contact form behind it works well.
Avoid the common traps
- Jargon. Your customers do not know the industry terms you use every day.
- Walls of text. If a paragraph runs past five lines, split it.
- Empty claims. "Best", "leading" and "world-class" are skipped by readers.
- Out-of-date details. Old prices, old staff and old opening hours undermine everything else.
A quick checklist
- Does the first sentence say what you do and where?
- Is every page written from the customer's point of view?
- Are there specific details, not just adjectives?
- Can someone find prices, areas covered and how to get in touch in seconds?
- Does every page end with one clear next step?
If writing is the part you would rather not do, we can write the text for you as a one-off add-on to your website build. Either way, the words are worth as much attention as the design.