The hard thinking: Writing copy
The Writing Phase of the Custom Build Website process involves several labor-intensive steps — outlined in the Process section below.
Depending on the project, I either write all new copy from scratch or revise existing content and add new content where needed.
If a company has dozens or even hundreds of products, I work with Rachel Cunliffe to determine the best way to organize the information while ensuring an optimal user experience.
Copy that stands the test of time
Copy I created years ago for client websites remains effective and unchanged. That’s because everything I write adheres to the following principles:
- Builds trust and credibility with visitors
- Communicates key messages
- Demonstrates the company’s expertise
- Answers visitors’ unspoken questions
- Provides calls-to-action to drive lead generation
Process: Thinking & writing
While writing your copy, I keep three things in mind:
- Tell your story succinctly; no BS or fluff
- Provide lots of detailed examples
- Keep your goals top of mind
While this sounds easy, the process of telling a manufacturer’s unique story is tough work. I wrestle with ideas and how different elements and sections of the website should be organized. I write and edit, discard, and write again. Sometimes I feel steam come out my ears.
My thoughts on AI
I don’t use AI tools or farm stuff out to freelance writers — the main reason being, I am a writer and have been since my first job out of college. Writing is one of my joys and it’s something I do quite well.
Effective copy — written so that prospects want to contact you — takes time and effort. It also requires a great deal of hard thinking — something you can’t delegate to others, including generative AI engines.
I’m not against AI and understand what it can do and how it can be used. I’ve also been using it for a while now due to Google Ads and their machine learning. However, it’s not very smart or very good — in fact, it’s downright bad. Even my son, who is closer to these technological changes than I, says it’s complete BS.
So, I stick to my tried and true old school method: Using my brain and the skills and expertise I’ve gleaned these 25 years.
Deliverable: MS Word Doc for You to Review
I begin with a complete draft in an MS Word document. The project fee includes two rounds of revisions, plus minor adjustments during design and for two weeks after launch.
The Word doc includes ALL the copy that will become part of your website, including:
- Navigation
- Title and meta tags for search; image alt tags
- Footer copy
- Calls-to-action
- RFQ / Contact form / Job Application form
- Open job positions
- Existing or new URLs
- All the copy for all the pages
Once you approve the copy, I move it to Google Docs for real-time revision tracking, which aids Rachel Cunliffe in the design process. It’s also incredibly efficient as we don’t have tons of email flying back and forth with changes that get lost.
When the site design is completed, Stephen Merriman, my developer, uploads the copy to WordPress for you — outlined in the next phase, Design & Development.