One of the first things readers will see when they visit your site, your home page plays an important role. Its purpose is to command the reader’s attention as well as inform and cut to the chase or risk losing them completely. If your home page lacks the facts or comes across as confusing, your visitors will simply leave. Read on for five tips for great home page copy that will keep prospects lingering for longer.
Keep it concise
Today’s internet user wants to get straight to the point, and they don’t have time to read essays. So keep home page copy concise and be forthright – a good amount of words would be around 300. This should give you enough of a chance to demonstrate how you can help, saving more in-depth copy for your service pages. Give readers the information they need and give it them now so they can make their decision and take action.
Use keywords
Search engines use keywords to analyse your website and determine where you fit in their directories. If you’re not sure what search terms might be used to reach your site, then it’s worth seeking advice from a professional SEO expert. Once you have a good idea of your target keywords, home page copy should be written to include these. Answer the public is a useful search tool that will help you discover what your potential clients are asking about.
Use headlines and subheaders
Big blocks of copy are very offputting, so a good way to break things up is with headers. Descriptive headlines and subheads make scan reading easy and let viewers know what you do in an instant. Where possible, you should also use your keywords in your headers to boost your position and help with search engine ranking. Simple but effective is the rule with this one for a home page that guides and informs the viewer.
Personalize your approach
When it comes to personalising your approach, write with the reader in mind – what are they interested in? They don’t want to read lengthy corporate histories or know about every award you’ve ever won; they want to know what you’re offering is what they need. You should also avoid complex vocabulary and use simple words with all content written in a friendly, conversational tone. More people will buy from you if they feel like you’re talking to them so sprinkle your copy with personalised words like ‘you’ and ‘your’.
Don’t forget to proofread
If spelling isn’t your strength, there’s no shame in this, ask a colleague to look over your writing. There are also many online writing assistants like Hemingway and Grammarly – an extra set of eyes to catch any mistakes. It’s also incredibly easy to find errors online; after all, even copywriters make spelling mistakes. My tip is to get your content online and then look at it later; you’ll be surprised what you find after taking a break.
Thank you for reading my post on home page copy – I hope it has been of use. If you’re looking to revamp your website, a professional can help – use a copywriter and get the job done right, first time. Thanks again.
Website Copywriting | 5 Home Page Top Tips
