Website Copywriting: The Ultimate Guide

Reading list

Chapter 1: Compelling Copywriting Statistics Chapter 2: Must-Follow Website Copywriting Best Practices Chapter 3: How to Write Stellar Website Copy Chapter 4: Useful Copywriting Tools

If you use the words content and copy interchangeably, I have one word of advice for you: stop. Like many people—including seasoned writers—you probably believe these terms mean the same thing. However, there is a distinct difference:

• Copy is intended to sell, persuade, or otherwise convince the audience to take action—i.e., a call to action or CTA. In website copywriting, this might be a product page that entices the audience to add an item to their cart or a service page that compels the audience to sign up for a free consultation.
• Content is intended to inform or educate the audience on a particular subject. In website content writing, the most common example you’ll see is a blog post (like this one). While there may be a CTA included somewhere in the content—ours is at the end of this post—it’s placed there more as a nudge than a push. Think “just in case you’re ready to act,” not “you must take action now!”

Why is it important to understand this distinction?

Because if you write your copy the same way you write your content, the audience won’t feel compelled to take your desired action. Vice versa—writing content like you write your copy means people will feel like they’re on the receiving end of a sales pitch when they just want to learn more about a given topic.

Clearly web copywriting requires a different perspective and approach than content writing—hence that’s why you’re here.

This guide provides an overview of several curated articles on the subject of website copywriting—each of which was written by one of our talented content writers, who just as often do web copywriting as well. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about how to create compelling copy for your website.

Want to see real-world examples of landing pages, articles, and emails that help generate leads? Download a free copy of our Growth Content Portfolio.

Chapter 1: Compelling Copywriting Statistics

Did you know that pages with one CTA link have a higher average conversion rate than those with multiple CTA links? Or that truly compelling copy draws 7.8 times more site traffic and produces greater brand recall than average copy?

These types of insights can inform even the most seasoned copywriters, especially as trends in copywriting change over time. Whether you’re just getting started with copywriting for your website or looking to brush up on where the industry is headed, check out this post that shares over 100 valuable stats on copywriting for websites, social media, and emails:

99 Copywriting Statistics To Know In 2022

Chapter 2: Must-Follow Website Copywriting Best Practices

What are the best practices of website copywriting? We could have taken the easy route and given you a quick list of 10. But the practice is often nuanced, and certain tactics work well in some industries but not in others.

So we reached out to professionals in a variety of industries to get their take on best practices when putting digital pen to paper. You can read all of their (70+!) recommendations here:

Website Copywriting Best Practices: 70+ Insights From Business Professionals

Chapter 3: How To Write Stellar Website Copy

Okay, so you’ve inundated your brain with more stats than you’ll ever remember and gotten the rundown on best practices for website copywriting from numerous professionals.

Now to the most important question: How the heck do you actually write copy that inspires action?

We’ve got the answer. But I must warn you it’s a bit lengthy—completely worth the read though! So go put on a pot of coffee—or if you’re a tea lover like me, grab your kettle—and get into this detailed guide on writing copy that’s sure to make your audience move to the beat of your drum:

The 8-Part Guide To Writing Stellar Website Copy

Chapter 4: Useful Copywriting Tools

You’ve probably heard of tools like Grammarly, but what about Clearscope or Jasper? From grammar correction to AI-powered brainstorming, there are a ton of helpful tools for newbie and veteran copywriters alike. See what copywriting tools professionals recommend in this post:

Best Copywriting Tools To Consider In 2022

Still need help figuring out how to produce high-quality web content that actually brings in leads?

If you’re convinced you can grow your business with well-written content but are struggling to produce it consistently, Nectafy can help.

We created Growth Content—our unique, four-part formula for driving traffic, leads, and future customers through world-class content—to solve the typical problems companies like yours have encountered around content marketing. Using our formula, you’ll exponentially grow your website traffic and qualified leads while creating a trove of high-quality content you can take pride in.

Sound interesting? Check out our Growth Content Portfolio to see the kind of content we produce—and what we could do for you.