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Kalie Berkey

Strategic branding and web design studio for entrepreneurs and small businesses in creative industries.

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July 15, 2021

Website Copywriting Best Practices

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Your website is such an important business tool. It’s crucial that you communicate the exact right message you want your target audience to see so your site can start working its hardest for you.

So, great! Just write up some copy, pop it into your website and that’s it, right? Well, unfortunately, not exactly. If you’re new to copywriting, there are a few important best practices you’ll need to keep in mind that can not only help you keep copy on track, but also equip your website with the information it needs to be that 24/7 salesperson you know it can be.

Take a look at these nine website copywriting best practices that every beginner should keep handy when getting started writing web copy:

Identify Your Audience

First and foremost, you gotta know who you’re talking to. Why? Because as a business, your goal is to create a website that is centered around your users, designed with an empathetic understanding of their lifestyles, needs, and preferences. With the creation of your brand strategy, I’ve already laid out your missions, vision, and values. Together we examined your ideal audience, competitors, and what makes you unique. Try to keep your ideal client in your mind when writing your web copy. This will help you to speak to exactly the right people in just the manner they want to see it.

Create Clear Concise Headlines

If you’re banking on your website visitors reading every page of your site (or even all of the copy on one page), then you may be disappointed. That means your first impression has to be great, especially on your home page.

Only 41 percent of Americans report that they watched, read or heard any in-depth news stories, beyond the headlines, in the last week.

So plan for scanning. Honestly, you’re probably doing it right now. Because with the saturation of content on the internet today, if you’re not scanning for the key takeaways, you’re in the minority.

Use your headlines as the prime real estate that they are and capture the attention of your visitors with clear headlines that are direct and to the point.

Avoid Using Negatives

When it comes to creating a tone for your brand, you want to be remembered for the positive, solution-oriented tone you set in your copy—not the negative stuff that might discourage a customer from learning more about your business.

Creating a positive tone for your users allows them to gain trust in your brand, as you provide a positive solution to their problem or desire. While there may be instances when creating a sense of fear or urgency to take action may be appropriate, a good rule of thumb is to start with the positive first.

Talk About “Them” More Than Yourself

Quite simply, using the word “you” makes people’s ears perk up a little. As a species, humans are wired to think about what’s in our best interest when making decisions—so naturally, we gravitate toward content that speaks directly to us. It makes us feel special, included and connected because the writing is more personal, conversational and relatable.

Relate To Their Experiences And Appeal To Their Emotions

Unbounce published a totally awesome article a couple years ago that helps writers know how to use content to appeal to users who may be experiencing one of the seven deadly sins. What they outlined was a short and sweet guideline to dealing with different emotions through content:

Are they feeling “lust”? Appeal to “desire” in your copy. How about “pride”? Dish back with “confidence”. “Gluttony”? Go with “self-interest”.

Speak Their Language

Some businesses use humor to speak directly to their target audience. This can add personality to their brand and creating a lasting impression on customers and prospects alike.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you are a technical business, you should have common technical language and jargon that’s used within your industry to create credibility. If you’re a personal injury firm, you should use language that’s sensitive to car accident victims or families of victims that may have just experienced a traumatic situation.

The goal is to speak to your audience in the way that they will receive your brand’s information best.

Trim The (Content) Fat Where Possible

Is it relevant? Is it necessary? Is it providing value to the user?

If the answer to these is “no”, then it’s time to get rid of the fluff. Some people get caught up in the misconception that a website has to have tons of content to rank well in searches, but the reality is that unless it’s valuable and clear to the user, a surplus of content is only going to prevent them from taking an action.

Use Hyperlinks Within The Copy

Try to make things as simple as humanly possible for website visitors.

Linking doesn’t just help you rank higher in Google search results—it also lets your users have the most fluid user experience possible. It empowers them to learn more about either your business. Your website copy should include links to other pages on your website.

Hyperlinks should never be taken advantage of. In fact, Google will likely penalize you for too many or irrelevant links. So only add them when it comes naturally to your copy.

Create a “Call to Action”

Businesses don’t usually create websites just so other people have something nice to look at.

Instead, they want something from the people that visit their sites such as making appointments or, even better, buying something.

The call is usually found in the form of a quite direct request, such as ‘click here’ or ’contact us now’ and they are typically placed in strategic positions where they are most likely to be noticed.

The least amount of ambiguity you can create for your users, the better. And the best way to do that is to use verbs as the first word of your “call to action” or CTA.

In addition to using verbs, it’s important to be very clear in your CTAs about what it is that you want them to do. Just writing the word “Submit” won’t necessarily entice someone to take action, especially if they’re scanning the page and don’t know the context of the ask. So you’ve gotta use two or more words to be clear about what you want them to do.

Give them a CTA that speaks to the action, like one of these: “View Our Case Studies”, “See Our Results”, “View Our Testimonials”, “Calculate Your Results”, “Start Your Free Trial”, or “Request a Consultation”.

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Do you find it repetitive to use your logo on each Do you find it repetitive to use your logo on each and every marketing piece or social media post? When enlarged, does your logo lose detail? Does it feel ingenuine to sift through overused templates and place your logo on them, with no idea what font to use next? 

Mixed messages prevent you from being able to build loyalty and sell your products or services. Brand consistency allows your customer to easily and immediately recognize, remember, and trust you. First impressions matter. If a new customer or client’s experience with your brand is inconsistent, your trust, quality, and clarity drops. 

Branding is more than just good design, it’s making your audience feel something real. It is the experience someone has with your business. While the logo is your brand’s cornerstone, it’s the other elements that set your business apart. Your fonts, colors, graphics, and photos work together to tell a cohesive, professional, and real story of your business. A brand well done helps your clients navigate through their experience with you, making them feel like they're in the right place. Plus blending the parts of your personality that resonate with your audience into great design can make them fall in love with what you offer. 

We can do that, together. And the best part is, I've put together a free brand audit worksheet to help get you started! It will help us to identify key customer touchpoints and discover simple ways to infuse your brand into every step. The link is in my bio. Download the worksheet now and let's get started!
So why the women woman show? Why work by myself? ( So why the women woman show? Why work by myself? (Technically there are usually two dogs snoozing next to me so I never really work alone.) But why take on all the aspects of running a business that I didn't learn in art school? 

Well, I began my career working in an advertising agency and while the experience was invaluable, I felt so disconnected from the clients. Oftentimes I never even spoke to them. The sales team would get the design brief from the client and pass it on to me. It felt like the connection and depth were missing from the entire process. I knew there had to be a better way. 

So I decided to take the leap and start my own freelancing business. All that struggle to get set up, figure out accounting software and invoicing, manage my own social media, and build my website from a blank page - it was all worth it. Why? Because it showed me what it was like to be in my client's shoes. That there is so much more that goes into running a business than just the marketing.

Design can do so much more than help you to look professional. Let's test out your process to see where we can make things more streamlined, simple, and efficient for your customers. Let’s see where we can organize the information better to suit your workflow. Or we can make mundane parts of your customer's journey (like receipts or invoices) entertaining (ie. memorable. Earning you their repeat business). We can also give your business a personality and a sense of consistency which prompts referrals, better reviews, greater reputation, and business growth. 

I want to be more than just your logo designer. I want to be your strategic partner and a resource you can turn to when you are struggling or someone to celebrate with when you meet your next goal. So you don't have to do it all alone.
I think it's about time to reintroduce myself. I’m Kalie and I’m a brand/web designer for creatives who want to upgrade their brand's logo and other visuals. I'm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but love to work with clients all over the U.S. 

I have a soft spot for women-owned startups and small businesses because I know you. I am you. I know you’re DIY-ing every piece of your business puzzle. I also know you want to show UP as the strong brand you are, and I know you need individualized care from someone who knows how to do the thing you don’t. 

I fill the void many small businesses find themselves in their first few years. When you are stuck DIY-ing your visuals because you don't have the budget necessary to hire a larger firm. That's where I step in. Using a custom strategy I develop your business's unique visual personality, customize a web template, and provide you with a set of coordinating logos and graphics that you can then use for marketing or on social media. Allowing you to take control of your visual identity without the pricetag a fully custom web development package.

When your visuals are cohesive and consistent your business will capture the right attention, and you can feel confident in your services, all while providing peace of mind to your customers. 

Why do I do this? I hope to empower women to start their own businesses and support themselves and their families while doing the work that they are most passionate about. I am invested in my clients and their goals. I want to be just a small part of their success and an ally to turn to when they are struggling. It's so fulfilling to watch a business grow from an idea on paper to the actuality of someone's dreams come true. 

I am so excited to have you on my small slice of IG. I really appreciate you stopping by. To say thank you, I've created a worksheet to help distill down the pain points in your client process. Grab your free copy today so you can start mapping out simple ways to elevate your client experience. To claim it, just visit the link in my bio.

I can’t wait to meet you!
When working with a new branding/logo client it's When working with a new branding/logo client it's after our initial discussions, my research into their audience, competitors, and inspirations and we have our strategy in place, that the actual creative process begins. I like to pull out our strategy and brain map some of the keywords we discussed. The terms or phrases that came up over and over or that made the client most excited. 

From there I start thinking about how to visually represent those phrases. Does the word mindful have a color? If it were a photograph would it be full, busy, and teaming with energy or serene, still, and minimal? Do the words we've carefully chosen lean towards being formal or casual, youthful or mature, playful or elevated? And how do I evoke those feelings? 

This is where a moodboard comes in. On it, I place images not just from the client's particular industry but images from a range of places, times, and disciplines. I look at images from the art world, fashion, design, and architecture. After the process of collecting these inspirations, I usually have hundreds of images that I then go back through and refine and organize. 

From there it's a bit of an intuitive process. I can start to see a direction forming that I then tinker with until I have an aesthetic that I feel represents the brand and stands out from the competition. It's this final moodboard that I present to the client so that we can discuss it. It's only after approval on this visual direction that I put pencil to paper and actually start designing a logo set. 

So the next time you are in a creative rut try looking outside of your usual spots. Take a peek at a fashion magazine or architectural digest. Inspiration can come from anywhere.
Introducing..... Fig & Thistle An eclectic vintag Introducing.....

Fig & Thistle
An eclectic vintage Instagram shop

This is a passion project I get the pleasure of sharing with my fabulous pal Valerie.

We find genuine joy in a good search for a deal, collecting, and decorating our spaces, and finding new homes for the items we love. Now we are sharing that love with others and enjoying every minute of it. 

Our current obsessions include Mid Century Modern decor, brass, colorful glass, vintage books, and the occasional kitschy, fun, quirky, thing. 

To check out our finds visit our online shop @figandthistlevintage
So what exactly is branding?​​​​​​​​
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Your brand is how people perceive your company.​​​​​​​​
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Branding is the actions you take to build a certain image of your company.​​​​​​​​
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And your brand identity is the collection of tangible elements that together create one brand image. Things like your logo, color scheme, and typography selections, that's where I usually come in to help. ​​​​​​​​
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I specialize in building robust brand identities with mix-and-match elements, that my clients can utilize for their websites, printed marketing, and social media. But did you know that we can also include custom brand photography? Photos are a giant part of your brand identity. Let's approach them with the same strategy and intention we give the rest of your branding. Check out the link in my bio to see all the ways we can add custom photos to your brand and to see more of the chic brand identity of @babbandmackdesignco featured here.​​​​​​​​
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After every overseas trip, I make a small photo bo After every overseas trip, I make a small photo book to remember the experience. We haven't traveled much over the last few years so thumbing through our books has had to fulfill that wanderlust. But we recently booked our next adventure! We fly out in February, but I am already daydreaming about our itinerary. What destinations are on your travel bucket list?
I'm more of a behind-the-scenes girl. I prefer the I'm more of a behind-the-scenes girl. I prefer the viewfinder side of a camera but I know showing the personality behind the name is important. It's important because I am asking you to trust me to interpret and describe your business, your living, your passion in a way that you may not be able to. When I am designing a brand I get to know all the ins and outs of your business. I ask you a million questions and challenge you to dig deep for the answers so it's only fair that you get to know the woman behind the curtain a little better.

My day-to-day isn’t just about choosing color palettes and fonts: it’s about learning, problem-solving, and looking at things from a new perspective. It’s about delving in and revealing what makes your business tick.

But what lights me up?
Caramel coffee. Photo walks. Popcorn in a dark movie theater. Minimal typography. Sending postcards. Antiquing. Intimate gatherings. Muted tones. Road trips. Slow mornings. Tiramisu. Stamps in my passport. Vintage books. The rare lover of winter.

The design process doesn’t have to be scary. It can be accessible. It can be personal. It can be invigorating. My business model is not about quantity, it's about working with unique individuals who are excited about the design process and have a thoughtful approach.

Current client wishlist:
Restaurants / Cafes
Breweries / Wineries
Homeware / Clothing Boutiques
Bakeries

Now that you have a little more insight into my inspirations, let's build something beautiful together.

Photo by the amazing @hotmetalstudio

             

Pittsburgh, PA | Kalie Berkey © 2023