5 Rules for Writing Content on Your Business Website

Your website is often the first interaction a potential customer has with your company, so be strategic about how you present information there
5 Rules for Writing Content on Your Business Website

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When potential customers are trying to find an septic professional, they most likely are searching online. They’ll go straight to your company website, which sets the first impression that most folks will have of your business.

For this reason, it is imperative that your website be not only attractive and professional, but also informative — giving customers the confidence they need to pick up the phone and call you, to trust your business with their needs.

A lot of this comes down to the actual, written copy you have on your website. Many business owners struggle with this, though not for the reasons you might imagine. The problem isn’t that you have nothing to say; you may have too much to say. You know the business of installing onsite systems inside and out, but how do you condense that into a digestible and appealing package for potential customers?

There are a few rules of thumb that you should keep in mind while writing your website content.

Rule #1 Think in terms of consumer value.
Remember that the website isn’t actually about you, it’s about the value you can provide to your customers. It’s about what’s in it for them — what they stand to gain from enlisting your services. Make all of your content circle back to your value proposition.

Rule #2 Know your audience.
Are your customers typically homeowners or other contractors? Are they people who already understand your industry somewhat, or not? Are they people who are concerned about quality? Trustworthiness? Affordability? All of the above? Ask yourself these questions and make sure you’re writing for your specific audience.

Rule #3 Write in a way that’s easy to skim.
Remember that most of your potential customers aren’t going to have the time or the attention span to read 1,000 words of unbroken text. Try to keep paragraphs short. Use bullet points and lists when you can. And include section subheadings to break up your content, and make it easy for people to find what they are looking for.

Rule #4 Include a call to action on every page.
You should clearly state why customers should choose you, but then you need to urge them to take the next step. Make sure each page has a clear call for your reader to email you, call you or whatever else you want them to do.

Rule #5 Proofread it.
Nothing undercuts your professionalism like a website that is riddled with typos or with bad grammar. Make sure you read through your content a few times to clean and polish it. Ask a third-party reader to give you their opinion, too; hire an editor if you need to.

Get writing
Your written website content is one of the most important pieces of marketing collateral you have. Take it seriously. It’s not just a placeholder: it’s what will determine whether or not a potential customer picks up the phone to hire you.

About the author
Amanda E. Clark is the president and editor-in-chief of Grammar Chic Inc., a full-service professional writing company. She is a published ghostwriter and editor, and currently under contract with literary agencies in Malibu, California, and Dublin, Ireland. Since founding Grammar Chic in 2008, Clark, along with her team of skilled professional writers, has offered expertise to clients in the creative, business and academic fields. The company accepts a wide range of projects and often engages in content and social media marketing, drafts resumes, press releases, web content, marketing materials and ghostwritten creative pieces. Contact Clark at www.grammarchic.net.



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