Website copy
Is your website copy driving action or pushing tumbleweed?
A lot of us have written our own website copy ‘just to have it up there’.
But the thing is, you and your website copy deserve better.
People might land on your website through ads, social media, or Google (if SEO is doing its job) and the last thing you want them to see is website copy that’s there for the sake of it.
It’s time to have a website you want to show off that speaks to your target audience and converts.
What’s in it for you?
Great question (it’s also the one people ask subconsciously as they’re reading your copy – go figure)!
Poor website copy means your audience has a lack of clarity around both what you offer and why it benefits them, meaning they have no emotional attachment to your offering or any engagement with it.
If your copy doesn’t resonate with them, they won’t take action.
And they won’t tell you why they’re leaving, they’ll just pull an Irish goodbye and be out the door ASAP.
Great website copy means:
Clarity around what your business offers & to who
Engaging copy that drives action
Increased brand awareness
Boosted traffic & relevant leads
Whether you’re looking for a rewrite/refresh of your current website copy or starting from scratch, the process is simple.
1. Get in touch
Fill out the contact form or send me a direct email giving an overview of the support you’re looking for.
Ideally for the sake of figuring out if we’re a good fit and for the purposes of a quote, you’ll include whether you have an existing website, an overview of your business, and the number of pages required.
(All website copy projects are priced starting from £1,550 for a standard website of 5 pages.)
2. The admin stuff
Did you just sigh? Out loud? Me too. But really, this just means we’re finalising project details.
I’ll send you over a copywriting brief to get some more detail – the more the better – and I’ll use this to form the basis of our contract and final quote.
I’ll also detail the cost breakdown as there is a deposit that will be paid before I start the project and the remainder will be paid upon completion.
You’ll be sent over the contact to sign off the deadline, quote and other details so I can get started once the deposit is paid.
3. Woohoo! We’re starting!
You’re blocked into my calendar, and I now have a picture of you pinned to the centre of a dartboard! Only joking.
I’ll start working away on your website copy and send you a first draft in the agreed timescale.
I’ll be available over email for any questions or thoughts you might have in the meantime and I’ll be giving you updates on the progress too!
You’ll get two rounds of amends as part of the agreed quote so we can get the copy absolutely bang on.
4. You’ve got shiny new website copy
Once you’ve received the first draft and I’ve made the necessary amends via Google Docs, we’ll then agree on a final version of the copy.
Assuming you’re happy to sign off the project, we can do a little happy dance – your website is now ready to show your business at its best.
I’ll send over my invoice for the remaining sum, and you can kick your feet up with your new f*cking great copy.
Hallelujah!
Proof I’m not a lying charlatan out to steal your money…
“I am sad that this review won’t do Grace justice. I was very lucky to have found her right at the start of launching my business- and Grace immediately ‘got’ our tone of voice and vibe, and what was important to us culturally to convey to prospective clients.
One engagement is not enough, and we already have plans to ask for further help with our marketing material to get consistent ‘Gracey-ness’ throughout. Thank you for helping me bring my business vision to life!”
Laura Fox
Founder, Canary Risk
Your touchpoint shouldn’t be a trampoline…
Even if people seem to be engaging heavily on your social media channels or ads, your website is the place that all marketing roads lead back to – you don’t want your website copy to cause an abrupt collision.
Great website copy is about conversions, but it’s also about giving Founders, Business Owners, Freelancers and Solopreneurs something they’re proud to forward onto people.
You won’t have to spend absolute yonks pre-qualifying every single lead because your website copy will do the work for you.
Pretty decent, right?
The ‘non tangible’ outcomes
Clarity
Figuring out your tone of voice, USP, audience pain points, and how to drag them all together cohesively is a pain in the arse.
I’ll do this all for you and give you some recommendations on how to implement this in your future copy.
Something uniquely you
It’s an overused word, sure. But if your website copy is doing its job, it shouldn’t work for anyone but you/your business.
Plus, whether you already know your business inside out or need that extra support, you’ll get the same sigh of relief afterwards.
Time
Ever stared at a blank screen so long you convince yourself you’re in a padded cell? Yeah… me neither! 👀
Working on the business doesn’t have to mean writing for it when you can save yourself time and energy having it done for you.
Inclusion matters.
A lot of my clients are neurodivergent, have mental health conditions, and come from varying backgrounds with a range of needs, communication styles and experiences.
As someone with anxiety, it’s always been my aim with Crying Over Copy (and is one of my brand values) to provide a service with inclusion at the centre.
Whether you want to communicate primarily over WhatsApp voice note rather than frustrating yourself silly over an email reply, or you’d rather avoid video calls and stick primarily to emails and texts, I’m here to make copy work for you.
Real talk – what’s the deal with the pricing?
I’m glad you asked!
Copywriters don’t have a universal charging system or even benchmarks.
Some charge per word (wouldn’t recommend) and some charge by the hour, and others, like me, charge per project.
A 2023 survey from ProCopywriters found that the average day rate for freelance copywriters was £433 (moving up to between £500-£800 for senior copywriters).
I prefer project-based pricing, though, because you and I both know exactly where your money is going – you’ll know ahead of the project what you’re paying, when you’re paying it, and the deliverables.
To put it into perspective, my website copy pricing starts from £1,550, and if we were actually charging a day rate for full website copy, it’d be closer to £6,000 in some cases. Ouch.
You can read my blog ‘What Do UK Freelance Copywriters Charge (and why)?’ to find out more, if you fancy.
What type of businesses do you provide website copy for?
I’ve worked with Business Owners, Founders and Solopreneurs to provide website copy for their small business or SMEs, I’ve written website copy for fellow freelancers, and I’ve also provided white label website copy for marketing agencies and other businesses.
It’s rather the same for industry and type, as I’ve worked with both B2B and B2C businesses, in areas from e-commerce and occupational health platforms to email marketing, CV coaching, and health insurance.
If you’re a business owner, marketing agency, freelancer, or other some such professional ready to fling their laptop out the window at the thought of writing your own website copy… I’d love to hear from you (feel free to swear about your website copy woes as much as you like!).
Why shouldn’t I get a marketing agency to write my website copy instead?
Ah, ye olde ‘marketing agency vs freelance copywriter for website copy’ debate…
In fairness, a lot of it comes down to preference, budget, and communication.
Marketing agencies often make sense for businesses looking to get multiple marketing services under one roof for convenience, and marketing agencies often seem more reputable for their size and expertise. They also have the benefit of having multiple professionals working on your business at one time, which can be great!
However – and this is also from personal experience – you’re also having to deal with a point of contact for most marketing agency work, meaning that you don’t have a direct line to every person having a hand in your marketing (or website copy) without jumping through a lot of hoops. Plus, costs can rack up quickly with agencies for all of the moving parts, from software to insurance and VAT, so…
It really comes down to what you want!
I’ll always be the one onboarding you, writing your website copy, editing and amending your website copy, and following up as needed in your preferred format (accessibility is key!), and pricing is straightforward and transparent. You’ll always be working with me, and pricing is always clear and signed off with no extra fees unless discussed as a separate scope of work.
If you are looking for a great marketing agency, though, I’d recommend Lightbulb Media – feel free to tell them Grace sent you if you do choose them 💅
Is your website copy service inclusive and/or accessible?
Inclusivity is a key consideration for all of the work I do and how I do it.
A large number of my previous and current clients are neurodivergent, and part of the reason why these clients have been a joy to work with and the process so smooth is that they can communicate in a way that suits their preference, so that we can both get the most from my work.
For example, the majority of my clients that have ADHD prefer to send WhatsApp voice notes with their answers to my copywriting brief and during the project, as they struggle to sit down and fill out the form or an email in one go (hence why they got in touch in the first place!). Their thoughts flow more naturally, and we both feel more comfortable.
Similarly, autistic clients may prefer to avoid the uncertainty and overwhelm of a video call and instead opt for clearly bullet-pointed, concise emails with an outlined agenda and what exactly is needed from them so it’s there in writing (or sending questions ahead of a call if they prefer to talk their thoughts through, too!).
Whatever the case may be, my services are always flexible to your communication and comfort, and you should never feel as though you have to sacrifice either for the sake of an outcome – we’re here to work together, after all!
(Plus, as someone with anxiety, I know that it can be really difficult to advocate for yourself and your boundaries sometimes, which is why I stress at the beginning of every project that it’s fine to tell me when you prefer to be contacted, how, and if you have any additional thoughts or preferences we can accommodate for together.)
How does payment work?
So I generally charge on a project basis, and you can find the ‘starting from’ prices on each service page.
These are ‘starting from’ because each project can vary in scope, and an e-commerce website with over 50 product listings has drastically different requirements and pricing than a 5-page service-based website.
For larger projects, I prefer to take a deposit upfront once the contract is signed, then the remainder upon completion.
The payment for each project will always be outlined in the contract and discussed beforehand, though, so don’t worry about being blindsided by anything!
Payment is usually via bank transfer, but I’m happy to discuss alternatives if this isn’t viable for whatever reason – I’d love to be paid in garlic bread and iced chai lattes, but it’s not sustainable… sorry!
(In any case, you’ll always know beforehand, and I am flexible.)
How do I know you’re not full of 💩
You do your due diligence – I respect that.
In a cost of living crisis, you definitely want to make sure your money is well spent.
Well, I’ve rounded up some of my recent projects into a neat case studies & testimonials doc for you to view at your leisure so… you tell me – am I full of it or not?
Why shouldn’t I just write my copy myself?
You could swear up a storm in your kitchen and throw the food about, but it wouldn’t make you Gordon Ramsay, would it?
Of course, everyone can write, but copywriting requires a very specific skillset and a biblical amount of patience for the process of research, write-up, and edits all with the intention to convert your target audience and drive action.
Business owners and key decision makers often struggle with a lack of time or inclination to integrate copywriting into a wider marketing strategy, so getting your copywriting done for you reduces stress, saves you time, and in the long-term, money.
And it’s all bespoke to your business and its needs, too.
You can’t put a price on that.
(I do have starting from prices on my website though… go figure.)
How do we know we’re a good fit?
Well, this website is your first potential measure of how well we’ll fit – if you like what you read, the next step is to reach out so we can have an informal chat over Zoom, emails, WhatsApp, or even my LinkedIn DMs.
(We’re all busy bees, so the format is flexible to your preference.)
But in the interest of full disclosure, I’ll never accept a project where I feel like I’m not a good fit and can’t provide what you need.
In that case, I’d try to find you a referral in my network if there’s a more appropriate option!