Why Your Website Copy Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It)

Most small business website copy fails for the same reason: it talks about the business instead of talking to the customer.

Your potential customers have one burning question: “What’s in it for me?” When your copy focuses on your company history, your values, or how passionate your team is, you’re not answering that question.

Here’s a simple exercise. Count how many times your website uses “we,” “us,” and “our” versus “you” and “your.” If the first group outnumbers the second, you’ve got a problem.

Effective website copy follows a simple formula:

1. Acknowledge the customer’s problem
2. Position your business as the guide (not the hero)
3. Provide a clear plan to solve the problem
4. Show what success looks like after working with you
5. Make the stakes clear (what happens if they don’t solve the problem)
6. Call them to take a specific action

Keep your language simple. No industry jargon. No complex sentences. Write like you talk.

And please—for the love of conversions—remove every instance of “welcome to our website.” It’s the text equivalent of elevator music.

Remember: people scan websites; they don’t read them. Keep paragraphs to 1-3 sentences. Use bullet points and subheadings liberally. Make your copy skimmable.

The best website copy isn’t clever or creative. It’s clear. It immediately answers: “How does this help me?”