Writing website copy isn’t for the faint-hearted. It isn’t for most copywriters, even. There are so many factors to consider, from tone of voice and audience pain points to readability and search engine optimisation (SEO). On top of all that, you’ve also got to avoid common website copy mistakes that’ll have your visitors running for the nearest exit.

Luckily for you, I can help you sidestep the minefield of web copy mistakes with some top fixes that’ll convert your target audience and drive action. Let’s get started!

Website copy mistakes you need to avoid

1. Weak or misplaced CTAs

Calls to action are the bread and butter of your website copy. Without them, your visitors won’t know what they’re supposed to do – they’ll be completely lost and alone…okay not quite, but close enough.

And of course, it’s not enough to simply use CTAs in your website copy – you need to make sure you’re not letting them go to waste.

If you’ve got a CTA below the fold, give yourself the opposite of a pat on the back (a smack in the mouth, perhaps?).

Location is key to using your CTAs effectively – it’s the difference between your audience clicking through to your desired page and bouncing away. If your copy isn’t engaging enough, they’re not going to bother scrolling to your CTA below.

Already got that covered? Don’t celebrate too soon. Instead, try counting how many CTAs you’ve got on your website.

If you’re spamming people with dozens at once, it will do one of two things:

1. Piss them off (speaking from experience)
2. Confuse them, especially if they’re all telling them to do different things (“sign up to our newsletter”, “try our free trial”, “buy now”, “book a call”, “email now”)

In either case, you’re ruining their user experience and pushing them closer to your competitors.

How to avoid this problem:

• Use the space above the fold carefully!
• Make your CTAs compelling, and use clear and actionable language – they need to engage your audience and convince them to take action.
• Don’t overdo it with the number of CTAs on a single page.
• Test the location and style of CTAs on your pages using A/B testing.

2. Unclear headlines and headings

Headlines are the way that you catch your audience’s attention right off the bat.

They might seem like a two-second job, but they actually require a lot of care and attention to stop them from being boring.

For example, in the wrong hands, this blog post’s headline could’ve looked something like this:

• Mistakes you’re making on your website
• Writing web copy correctly
• Website copy problems and solutions
• A guide to website copy issues

Are any of these examples incorrect? Not technically. Are they boring as hell? Unequivocally yes.

If your headlines aren’t engaging or highlighting the value that your copy or content is providing your audience, you can wave goodbye to every potential lead that comes your way.

This is what you need to avoid with any headline you’re writing, whether it’s a blog post or a webpage. Otherwise, you can wave goodbye to every potential lead.

How to avoid this problem:

• Whether it’s a webpage or a blog post, dedicate some time and serious brain power to creating a headline that works.
• Focus on the benefits that your audience will get from your copy/content, and try to use actionable language.
• Remember, generic headlines that don’t speak to an audience’s pain points, needs, or interests will never work.
• Don’t forget to integrate relevant keywords! Use the right short- and long-tail keywords and you could increase the page’s SEO performance and rank high in the SERPs.

3. S*** user experience

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in and whether you’re targeting high rollers or people wary of spending with the cozzie livs, your target audience is spurred on by their emotions.

It’s why we’re told to focus on people’s pain points and interests when we’re writing copy, after all.

But copy’s not the only thing that pushes your audience’s buttons. User experience has a huge effect on how they feel about your brand.

Some of the worst UX issues include:

• Slow loading pages
• Confusing navigation that makes it hard to find vital pages (FAQs, services, contact)
• Pages that aren’t mobile-friendly
• Excessive and rage-inducing pop-ups
• Broken links, images, and errors
• Difficult to read content (huge sections of text, poor fonts/font size)
• Cluttered design choices

If your website is guilty of one or more of these issues then you are most definitely pissing off a large portion of your audience (and committing one of the worst website copy mistakes).

And, plot twist, this is what will lead them to swear off your business and website for good.

How to avoid this problem:

• Speed things up by optimising your images (try to get them below 100kb by using tools like Optimizilla), minimizing your code, and using caching.
• Keep your navigation straightforward. Your audience should be able to easily navigate your menu and find everything they need within a few clicks.
• Use responsive design and touch-friendly buttons to improve mobile-friendliness – with us living in an increasingly mobile-first world, it’s vital that your website keeps up.
• Reduce the ‘noise’ of your website by cleaning up the design (less is more!) and limiting the number of pop-ups your poor visitors are subjected to.
• Improve readability by breaking up huge sections of text, and using a sensible font and font size.

4. Not using social proof (effectively)

Want to know the fastest way to make your potential customers distrust you? Not using social proof!

Social proof – like reviews, testimonials, and case studies – help determine just how credible you are.

Whenever I’m thinking about making a purchase with an unfamiliar brand, I look at reviews (from both their website and a third party like TrustPilot) and their social media to see what real people think.

And I’m not alone in this.

Consumers will almost always trust regular people’s opinions over a brand’s every day of the week. The right words from the right person can increase your trustworthiness and conversions like nothing else.

If you’re not taking advantage of this, you’re probably directing people to your competitors that actually are.

How to avoid this problem:

• Add a carousel to your website with quotes from happy customers (you can add ratings and names to add further validity) or integrate your TrustPilot reviews.
• Consider adding impressive statistics to your homepage, e.g., X number of happy customers, X number of products sold, X% of customers recommend this product.
• Add user-generated content to your website, blog, and social media accounts (you can encourage UGC with prize draws and features).

5. Being too vague or specific

Businesses that use words like “supercharge” and “synergy” or phrases “we help businesses grow” and “we’re different” without actually explaining what it is they do, why it’s important, and how it makes someone’s life easier will never capture the interest of their audience.

The details really do matter – they give people a reason to want to take the next step with a business.

Of course, there’s such a thing as too much detail. If you’re cramming every iota of information into a single page, or using heavy jargon at every turn (when you’re actually trying to target a wide-set audience that might not understand it), your copy will be impossible to digest.

Finding the perfect balance between using too much or too little detail is key.

Your website copy needs to be clear, benefits- and customer-focused, and engaging – giving away enough information to reel in your customers and get them to take the next step.

How to avoid this problem

• Keep your website copy clear and direct. Your audience should be able to understand your business without having to do a full background check.
• Use language that your audience understands. If you’re targeting an ultra-niche industry then feel free to use as much jargon as you want, otherwise, keep it general.
• Try not to lose your tone of voice along the way. Your copy needs to be easy to understand, not boring!

6. Too much text

It might sound strange coming from a content writer/copywriter, but there is such a thing as too much text on a website.

It’s easy to get carried away with trying to make sure your target audience gets all the information they could possible need, but it’s problematic for two key reasons:

1. It’s information overload – causing your audience to get overwhelmed, confused, and/or angry
2. It ruins the readability of your copy

Your copy needs to be engaging and readable to reel in your audience and rank well in the SERPs.

If it’s an eyesore and makes reading a complete battle, well, everyone is going to bounce and pick one of your competitors instead.

How to avoid this problem:

• Prioritise what’s important. Look through all of your website copy and get rid of the unnecessary waffle.
• Break up your text with headings, subheadings, and bullet points, and keep your paragraphs short and digestible. This will keep your copy clear and scannable.
• Use visual and interactive elements to make your copy more engaging to visitors, e.g., images, videos, infographics, quizzes, slideshows, etc.

7. Grammatical errors

Writing website copy involves a host of painful problems, but it can get pretty exciting when you’re in the zone or caught up in the moment of writing the perfect hook. We’ve all been there – words flowing faster than our brains (and hands) can keep up.

As perfect as it sounds in our heads though, it’s rarely ever so cut and dry. Creativity often goes hand in hand with grammatical errors and typos, especially when we can’t be bothered proofing afterwards.

Few things, however, have me fleeing from a website faster than typos (except maybe excessive pop ups, horrible stock imagery, and baffling navigational choices) and it’s the same for your target audience.

These types of issues give them the impression that you couldn’t be arsed actually putting in the work to edit your copy. And if you’re sloppy with that, can they really trust you with their money?

How to avoid this problem:

• Proofread your copy carefully! It’s a boring but necessary step.
• For particularly tricky pieces of copy that leave me yawning (or crying), I like to read it out loud or in my head. It takes longer, but it does help you pick up on typos, issues with sentence flow, and any unnecessary bulk.
• You can also try tools like Grammarly. Be warned though, don’t start accepting changes without checking them carefully – it’s not always correct.

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For more useful tips and advice, head on over to the Crying Over Copy blog.

Or, if you’d rather sit back, relax, and get someone else to write copy that engages and drives action, get in touch today.

(If you’d like to do it yourself with some extra guidance, why not buy the Website Copy Guide Checklist? It’s your full PDF, checklist included, to the website copy essentials.)