The essential elements of amazing homepage copy

Your website designer utters those dreaded words. Have you got your copy ready? And after all that excitement of hiring someone to create a beautiful, functional website, it suddenly dawns on you that, yes, actually, you need great copy, too. After all, what’s the point in investing in an incredible new website if the words – the core message of your business and brand – are going to let you down?

Now, let’s take it back a little. Because I know I’m biased, but in an ideal world, you would have hired a website copywriter at the point of hiring your website designer. Or even before – shhh. Right?

But you haven’t – for budget, for time, for being sure you can do this yourself, for whatever reason – and you’re here. Staring at a blank page, thinking, where do I start?

If this is you right now, this blog post will totally get you off on the right foot. We’re going to explore the copywriting essentials of your homepage. So take a seat, grab a coffee (or cuppa tea), and let’s get to it. 

A visual approach to homepage copy – bye, Google Docs!

My first tip for writing web copy — any copy, not just the homepage — is to step away from the Google or Word doc. That blank page isn’t serving you. Instead, grab a piece of paper and a pen (oh, retro!) or pull up a Canva document.

You’ll start by visualising your copy as part of your website design. That means headings, subheadings, bold formatting, bullet points, and how the copy sits within interactive elements such as call-to-actions, buttons, and even image placeholders. It’s not that you’re designing your website — nothing of the sort — but you are approaching web copy as a visual thing from the outset. Copy is not just words that you read. It’s how it works. How it feels. And how it looks. Call your web copy an immersive. interactive experience because websites are an interactive, immersive experience.

Of course, Google Docs have their place for copywriting—I use them to make sure all your SEO tags are in situ. But for the actual crafting of copy, I’m visual all the way.

An (above the fold) super-clear & impactful message

What is the first thing you want your ideal client to read when they arrive on your website? Whatever you say here is your first opportunity to attract and engage the right people.

Write something impactful that speaks directly to your audience. And include a concise summary of who you are, what you do, who you do it for, and why you do it. It sounds like a lot, but the key here is to keep it as stripped back and straightforward as possible, getting over that overall core message. 

“Ernm, what actually is our brand message?” I can help with that — check out my web copywriting services here.

The copy that sets the scene and says ‘I get you’ 

Next up? You want a short snippet of copy that highlights your ideal client’s biggest challenge. Use sympathetic language to show that you understand their situation and that they’re in the right place. This snippet of website copy needn’t be overly detailed. Instead, keep it short and sweet.

My favourite ‘storytelling’ technique is to imagine a day in your client’s shoes and then imagine your website telling their story back to them. This will be the ‘a-ha, they get me’ moment you want to inspire in your ideal client.

The mini bio

Save the in-depth bits for your about page, of course, But it’s always great to have a short snippet of bio copy to introduce you or your company.

If you’re the figurehead of your business – say people come to you for your services (even if you have a supporting team) – this is your place to say a personal (and warm) hello. Include details about your occupation, use keywords and mark your heading as a header 2 tag. More about copywriting header tags for SEO here.

The benefits-driven ‘how we help’

Your homepage copy is your opportunity to showcase the benefits of your service(s)/ offering(s) here. Be sure to include actual tangible benefits linked directly to your specific service. In my case, as a website copywriter, I would focus on

• Amplifying your brand voice
• Clarifying your messaging
• Ensuring your show up on Google (SEO)

As you can see, each point is directly relevant to my services. To be clear, this is not the place for airy-fairy benefits (feel happier, make more money) – try to be more specific.

The audience profile(s)

Whether you serve one very specific ideal client or cater to multiple personas, your homepage should make it clear that you can support them. 

Again, avoid anything overly complex or long. But including a short snippet for each audience you serve can help a website user (and potential client) feel reassured you get them.

The key is making sure you are indeed saying the right thing! Perhaps you know your ideal inside-out but struggle to clarify a message for them (yep, I can help with that — drop me an enquiry).

The services nod

Why do I love an easy-breezy service preview on a homepage? Now, you can argue many users will simply navigate to your ‘services’ page anyway – true. But hear me out.

Having a mini services preview is 

• Really useful for the scrollers (and gives them valuable insight without having to navigate away)
• Ace for SEO (as it’s an opportunity to get in more relevant keywords)

A wow testimonial

A no-brainer, really! Social proof is key, you know that. You probably have a ton of reviews. So, my advice? Be picky about what you select for your homepage. Opt for a real ‘wow factor’ client testimonial that supports your main messaging throughout your web copy.

Avoid

• Using plug-ins that pull from Google (great if you’re in retail and you’ve got 10,000s of positive short reviews; not so great for service providers where the value lies in detailed (gushing) client testimonials.
• Relying on unprofessional reviews — perhaps a friend or family member who’s used your service. Yep, I love to sign off with an ‘x’—but in this case, take ‘em out!
• Just copying and pasting – redact, edit down and pull out the key points (you can even bold keywords and phrases that highlight how amazing you are)

Two final tips to ace your homepage copy

01. Don’t forget to SEO

From making sure you’ve got a great header 1 tag, to including a clear title tag and meta description, be sure to SEO your homepage copy for optimum Google traffic.

Need more help with this? It’s all in my homepage web copy template + SEO mini guide – just scroll to the bottom of this page to get your free access.

02. Keep your homepage succinct

Above all, keep your web copy succinct. Especially on your homepage. This is certainly not the place for long stories, overly detailed information and user overwhelm.

I hope this helped you write your homepage web copy. Trust me, getting those words right there can have such a positive impact.

All good but… thinking about getting a pro in? Check out my custom website copywriting services here.