If you feel stuck as you’re trying to write your website content, you’re not alone!
You could be in the middle of launching a new website, rebranding your current one or simply updating some content.
Here’s 3 reasons why writing your own website content is hard, plus some juicy takeaway tips to get unstuck now!
Reason 1: You’re trying to write your website content all by yourself
If you write online content regularly to promote your business or you’re a professional website copywriter, you may feel reluctant to ask for outside help or advice:
“I’m a good writer and get paid well for it…I should be able to write my own website copy…”
“I’ve been marketing our business online for ages…and I love crafting all our social media posts…”
“I just need to get focused and set aside some quiet time to do this…it’s embarrassing that I haven’t done this yet!”
You’re not alone feeling like this. And yes, it can feel weird asking and paying for a colleague or friend to read over your website content.
But getting someone else to read your content isn’t a signal to the world that you’re a terrible writer!
It’s an investment in your business – a way for you to develop a clearer and stronger online presence. Think of the possibilities.
What if…
- A fresh perspective helped you to create website content that reflected your voice, personality and point of difference?
- Getting a second opinion and talking about the intentions of your website content with another person jumpstarts new ideas and possibilities?
- An outsider view helped your website content to get totally aligned with your ideal clients needs, desires and pain points?
Reason 2: You find it hard to write website content using your voice
Over the last few years, you’ve probably noticed the marketing buzz around ‘telling your own story’.
Bernadette Jiwa, an amazing marketer and author says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy how you make them feel. What’s your story?”
But when you’re in the middle of rewriting your website content – your story may be the last thing on your mind!
You’ve got website developers and designers breathing down your neck and waiting for your content. And you’re managing customers, pitching for new business and managing your staff.
But before you think “yep, I know story is pretty important, but I’ll just bang out the basic content and then get back to it…”, take a deep breath and pause.
Pause and remember that the story you’re going to tell isn’t all about you. As Bernadette says, ‘it’s the story of how you create difference for your customers’
Thanks to MarieTV I discovered a fabulous example of a brand that’s telling a story. Marie Forleo discovered Artifact Uprising and was so impressed about how they embraced their customer’s story, that she vlogged about them. This online US based photo book business is a fabulous example of how to weave a story into website content. Head here to watch the episode.
And their About Page is pretty cool too; you can check it out here.
Reason 3: You’re stuck writing your About Page
This can feel like the hardest website page to write by yourself! As you’re sitting there with fingers poised over the keyboard, your mind starts to race.
Your mental checklist may look like this:
1 Remember to write in first person, not third person.
It can feel confusing sometimes trying to work this out, so here’s some examples:
- first person…“I’m a massage therapist specialising in deep tissue massage for weekend warriors and desk bound workers…”
- third person…”Julie Brown is a massage therapist who specialises in deep tissue massage. Her clients include office workers and people who play sport at weekends.”
(*Hint…first person will always sound more friendly and personal)
2 Provide some personal insights into who I am / who the team is
This seems easy enough to do, but your before you write a few paragraphs about your personal life, favourite foods, theatre shows and drinks on a Friday night, ask yourself…
“What would appeal to my ideal clients and how will this make me stand out from my competitors?”
Here’s a ho-hum example…
“For the last 10 years I’ve worked at big companies as a bookkeeper but now I work for myself from home.”
Here’s a ‘hmmm, they look like they’re pretty awesome’ example…
“I’m a bookkeeper by day but a water polo player at night who loves making strawberry jam…and I’ve even won a few blue ribbons for my delicious jam at the Royal Show!
3 Highlight my point of difference and my strengths
There are two reasons why this is super hard to do:
Reason 1 You’re not used to seeing yourself as others do!
Think about when your barber or hairdresser shows you the back and side of your head with a mirror, just before you leave.
They’re standing there, proudly showing you how amazing your colour and cut looks, but you’re sitting there thinking…
“OMG…how long have I been walking around with uneven ears for…
Why the heck hasn’t anyone told me that my chin does that weirdo thing when I smile…
Oh for goodness sake, I thought this red top looked ok on me…until now!”
Remember, everyone sees you and your awesomeness every day in a way different way to you
Reason 2 You don’t want to sound ‘up yourself’ saying how good you are!
You know that you’re pretty awesome at what you do, but how can you say this without everyone thinking your egotistical?
If you’re a coffee cart owner instead of saying…
“our coffee is the best because our baristas know what they’re doing…”
You could say…
“our customers tell us that our morning coffee helps them wake up and feel like they can take on the day and win!
Everything you do in your business feels so natural and normal that you can’t see your uniqueness. You know your competition so well that you can’t help but compare yourself to them.
If you’re writing your website content comparing yourself to your competition, your mind will fog up and you’ll feel meh!
Some parting takeaways for you before you head back to your website content writing:
- remain open to getting another pair of eyes scan your work,
- look outside your industry for marketing inspiration, and
- always keep your ideal clients at top of mind as you’re writing your website content
Like some help writing your website content?
Email me here and I’ll send you 3 personalised ideas you can use straight away to improve your website content.
