The #1 Problem I Come Across with Websites

Many people come to me with their websites written, but they need someone to edit it. Sometimes this process involves editing for grammar, readability, or for general ‘punch ups’ in tone/voice. They want their site to genuinely reflect their brand identity, as it should.

As an editor I’m happy to offer this service and in doing so I’ve come across similar trends. I want to share the number one problem I come across when editing so you can avoid the same pitfall when working on your own website copy. Website copy often fails to reflect the target audience’s needs, wants, desires, and fears. It’s written based on what the owner of the site deems important instead of keeping the audience at top of mind.

You know exactly who you are and what you offer, but this can often be a hindrance when working on your website. I’ve seen many websites where prospective audience questions were not taken into account before writing the copy.

Let’s say you have a website that showcases your offerings as a personal fitness instructor. You might share your rates, a section about who you are, and the specifics of what you offer. But within these pages you fail to put yourself in the mindset of a new customer or client.

There is so much they don’t know about you. In fact, they know nothing about you. What’s your approach to fitness? What makes you different? What can they expect from a session from you — not only as it pertains to fitness but in how you operate? What’s your temperament like when you’re in a session with a client? What’s your personal philosophy towards fitness? Why have others enjoyed working with you in the past?

When you’re writing your website, try to wipe the slate of what you bring to the table. Put yourself in the shoes of your ideal customer or client. Why are they on your site in the first place? What questions might they have? How do you want them to feel when looking at your website?

It’s more work, but it pays off (literally) in the long run.