Writing Web Copy That Sounds Like You

Read the homepage of almost any business and you’ll find the same phrases: “innovative solutions”, “customer-centric approach”, “passionate about excellence”. None of it is wrong, exactly. It’s just invisible. Readers have seen those words so many times that their eyes slide straight past them.

Great web copy does the opposite. It sounds like a real person who knows their stuff, talks to you directly and makes it obvious what to do next. Here’s how to write copy that sounds like you — on a good day.

Write like you talk (then tidy up)

Imagine explaining your business to a friend over coffee. You wouldn’t say “we leverage synergies to deliver bespoke outcomes”. You’d say “we help small cafés sell more coffee online.” Start there. Record yourself explaining what you do, transcribe it, then edit for clarity. The rhythm of real speech is almost always more engaging than a blank page.

“If you wouldn’t say it out loud to a customer, don’t put it on your website.”

Lead with the reader, not the company

Count how many sentences on your homepage start with “we”. Then try flipping them. “We offer flexible plans” becomes “Pick a plan that fits your month.” Copy that focuses on the reader’s problem and outcome feels more relevant and more persuasive — and it naturally pushes you towards benefits rather than features.

A quick checklist for every page

• Can a stranger tell what you do within five seconds?
• Is every headline specific enough that a competitor couldn’t use it?
• Have you cut every word that doesn’t earn its place?
• Is there one clear call to action, written as an outcome?
• Would you be happy to read it aloud to a customer?

Find your voice — and write it down

Your tone of voice is how your personality shows up in words. We help clients define theirs with three simple “this, not that” pairs, such as “confident, not arrogant”, “playful, not silly” and “clear, not clinical”. Add a short list of words you love and words you never use, and you have a voice guide anyone on your team can follow.

of people scan a page rather than read every word

79%

to tell visitors what you do and why it matters

5s

“this, not that” pairs to define your voice

3

Make it easy to scan

Most visitors skim before they decide to read. Help them with descriptive headings, short paragraphs, bullet points for lists and bold for the one phrase that matters most. Front-load the important words in every sentence, so even a quick glance tells the story.

Buttons and links deserve the same care. “Click here” and “Learn more” tell people nothing; “See our prices” or “Book a free call” tell them exactly what happens next, which makes them far more likely to click.

1. 1Write the headline last, once you know the point
2. 2Break long paragraphs into two or three sentences
3. 3Turn any list hiding in a paragraph into bullets
4. 4Read it on your phone before you hit publish

Good copy is good SEO

Search engines have become remarkably good at understanding natural language. Clear, specific, helpful copy that answers your customers’ real questions is exactly what they want to rank. Write for people first, use the words your customers actually search for, and the rankings tend to follow.

Most of all, be patient with yourself. Your first draft will sound stiff — everybody’s does. Read it aloud, cut the bits that make you cringe and keep the bits that sound like you on your best day.