Good website copy can make or break your website and affect your brand’s performance. This is one of the reasons why web copywriters spend so much time fine-tuning their website copy content.
If you created your website’s content a while back, you may need to update it if you wish to keep visitors engaged and improve conversions. However, many site owners fail to realize when their website copy needs to be updated.
Let’s look at 7 key signs that indicate your website copy needs updating:
1. Signs Your Website Copy Needs Updating: Not Discussing Customer Needs
A good website copy should offer customers solutions to their problems instead of directly pitching a product or service. Most marketers understand this concept well.
However, far too many website copies focus on highlighting product features instead of framing them as solutions to customer problems.
Empathizing with customers is the best way to connect with them and gesture them towards trying your product or service. This should be reflected in your copy.
2. Quantity Over Quality
Another sign your website copy needs updating is if the content is too wordy. Most website visitors exit your site if they do not find what they are looking for within 15 seconds. This can increase your bounce rate and worsen your ranking in search engine results.
The goal of any good website copy is to guide customers through your website while also presenting your brand positively. This should be accomplished using minimal text and concise wording.
Website owners often use copywriting services to ensure their website copy has been optimized to keep customers engaged and well-informed.
3. Outdated Content
Your website copy will also need updating if it contains outdated content. Your brand’s philosophy or product line may have changed since you first created your website copy.
Therefore, you should update this information to match your current brand philosophy and products.
You can also use this opportunity to rethink your website copy approach and make the content easier to read.
4. Difficulty Navigating
A definite sign your copy needs updating is if customers are complaining about difficulty navigating your website. Your website should include a handy menu that helps visitors reach the section they are interested in.
However, your landing page should also feature content that helps visitors understand your site layout and how they can get to their desired content as fast as possible.
For example, your landing page can include links that direct to each section of your site, along with a short description of what visitors can find there. This instantly tells them what they can expect from your site and how they can derive value from it.
5. The Original Content Was Lackluster
Many small businesses create their website early on when their budget is limited. This often results in poorly optimized web pages with lackluster content.
However, once your business grows and your budget expands, you should work on updating your content with something that is more engaging and interesting to read.
A good website copywriter will be familiar with various examples of content writing that draw in new customers and keep them engaged.
6. Your Competitors Are Doing It Better
If your competitors are receiving more traffic and higher conversions than you are, it may indicate that your website copy needs updating.
These competitors may have crafted their content in certain ways that make them shine above the rest. This could be addressing customers using a certain tone or with the type of charisma that resonates with them. Similarly, they may be doing a better job of offering visitors solutions to their problems rather than promoting their products directly.
Site owners should pay attention to what their more successful competitors are doing and attempt to replicate their website copy style.
7. Your Brand Voice No Longer Works
It’s not uncommon for businesses to change up their brand voice at some point. This may be around the time they introduced a new line of products that are aimed at a different demographic. Similarly, they may have chosen to take on a new look to draw in more customers.
In either scenario, this brand voice update will need to be reflected in your copy. Business owners should spend some time looking through their current marketing strategy and adapting their website copy’s tone accordingly.
As you can see, there are plenty of signs that indicate your website copy needs to be updated. This aspect of running a website is often overlooked and can cost you greatly if you neglect it for too long. So consider studying your current website copy in detail using the signs mentioned above and revamp its content accordingly.
