Copywriting
Small-business website copy should sound clear before it sounds clever.
Good website copy isn't about finding impressive words. It's about answering the questions a real visitor actually has, in an order that makes sense, using language they'd use themselves.
The core framework
Five questions every important page should answer.
It doesn't need to be rigid or formulaic, but if a visitor can't find the answer to these within a page or two of scrolling, the copy isn't doing its job yet.
- 1
What is this?
State plainly what the business does — no guessing required.
- 2
Who is it for?
Make clear who the page is speaking to, so the right visitor recognises themselves.
- 3
Why should I care?
The outcome or problem solved, not just the feature list.
- 4
Why should I trust you?
Evidence — experience, examples, credentials, how you work.
- 5
What happens next?
A clear, specific next step, not a vague invitation to 'learn more'.
Homepage copy
The homepage has seconds to confirm a visitor is in the right place. Lead with what you do and who you do it for, before anything about your history or values.
Service-page copy
Each service page should stand on its own and answer the framework questions for that specific service, not repeat the homepage in different words.
About-page copy
People read the about page to decide if they trust you, not to read a company history lesson. Keep it focused on why you're credible to do the work.
Calls to action
Be specific about what happens next — "Get a quote", "Book a call" — rather than generic phrases that don't tell a visitor what they're actually agreeing to.
SEO and copywriting
Write around intent, not keyword repetition.
Search engines are better at understanding meaning than they used to be. Genuinely useful copy that answers what a searcher is trying to find out tends to perform better than a page that repeats a target keyword unnaturally throughout.
That doesn't mean keywords don't matter — it means the starting point should be real customer intent, with the wording that naturally follows from writing clearly about it.
Plain language
Use the language customers actually use.
Internal jargon feels precise to the people who use it every day, and confusing to everyone else. A quick before/after check is often enough to spot it.
| Jargon | Plain wording |
|---|---|
| Bespoke, end-to-end solutions | We build the whole thing for you, tailored to your business. |
| Leverage synergies | Use what already works together. |
| Best-in-class service delivery | We do the job properly. |
| Holistic approach | We look at the whole picture, not just one part. |
| Value-added offering | What you get for your money. |
A fair view
What AI is actually good and not so good at.
AI genuinely helps with organising thoughts, generating starting points and speeding up iteration — it's a useful tool, not something to dismiss out of hand.
What it can't do reliably is know your business facts, your genuine differentiation, or your voice — and it can't apply the final judgement about what's true and what's worth saying. That still needs someone who knows the business to write, check or finish it.
A worked example
From vague to clear, in one line.
Before: "We deliver innovative solutions tailored to your unique business needs."
After: "We build websites for small trades businesses that need more enquiries from Google — not just a site that looks nice."
The second version says who it's for and what problem it solves. That's usually the whole fix.
For a full list of what a small-business site needs, see our website content checklist. Copy pairs with imagery — see our website photography guide.
Before you ask
Copywriting questions, answered plainly.
Want copy that's built into the site structure from the start? See our web design service.
Next step
Not sure your website says the right things?
Let's check it against the framework.
Send us a link and we'll tell you honestly whether your copy answers the questions visitors actually have.