The 7-Step Process to Get Website Copy that Converts

Only read if you’re willing to put in the time

As a copywriter, I’ve learned new skills with every new client. And I add them to my library as I go.

Over the years, I’ve developed the following process to write website copy

I’ll never start writing on the first day. Because I always follow this process:

1. Read

2. Research

3. Lists

4. Formulas

5. Drafts

6. Fine-tune

7. Review

Here’s how it works:

1. Read

You can’t write good copy if you don’t know what you’re writing about.

So I start with reading the briefing and other client material. Then I’ll read their current website if they have one. And I’ll read competitor websites. And I’ll read blogs/news about the topic.

2. Research

Sometimes the client will have customer profiles etc. Sometimes I dive into forums and reviews myself.

When possible, I’ll talk to random people too. That’s great to find use cases, alternatives, objections etc.

3. Lists

The first writing I do is pouring my research into lists:

• Benefits

• Alternatives

• Objections & Questions

• Features

• Facts & Stats

• Problems

Referencing these lists will make writing much easier.

4. Formulas

To get the juices flowing, I’ll write down a couple of formulas:

• 0ne-liners

• Problem — Agitation — Solution

• Attention — Interest — Desire — Action

• Before — After — Bridge

I’ll never use these exact formulas in the copy, but I’ll re-use phrases.

5. Drafts

Now I’m ready to write the first draft.

For this, I like to take a clean Google Doc, insert a table and make it look like the wireframe using h1s etc.

Copy is visual too. So I need to see how the length of bullet points compares to the subtitle, etc.

6. Fine-tune

Fine-tuning ensures spelling and capitalisation are the same everywhere (surprisingly difficult with technical subjects).

But it’s also looking for shorter ways to say things. For stats to include. For benefits to add.

7. Review

With website copy across multiple pages, it’s easy to mix things up.

That’s why the final step is always ensuring that every copy update has happened on every page.