Here's how to write website content that keeps visitors reading and gets them to click, sign up, or buy.
The frustration of losing website visitors
Most website traffic is wasted. Visitors arrive, glance around and leave without taking action. The design might be beautiful and the product excellent, but if the words don't connect, nothing else matters. Getting this right means understanding how people actually read online and then writing content that matches their behaviour.
Every lost visitor represents a missed opportunity, someone who might have become a customer if only they'd found what they were looking for. The good news is that turning more visitors into readers, and readers into customers, comes down to a few writing principles that are achievable even if you’re not the next David Ogilvy.
Understanding your reader changes everything
When you write website content that starts with research, you'll see higher engagement. Time spent studying your target readers pays off in higher engagement and more conversions. Content marketing is a good place to start, as it generates three times as many leads as outbound marketing and costs 62% less.
Start by reading your customers’ emails, support tickets and social media comments. Listen in on sales calls. Look for patterns in how they describe their problems and desires. Pay special attention to their exact words and phrases. The language they use when talking about their challenges becomes your guide for writing content that resonates. When you mirror their words back to them, they feel understood immediately.
Turning that understanding into magnetic headlines
Armed with knowledge of your readers' mindset, you can write headlines that stop them in their tracks. Website visitors make snap judgments about whether content is worth their time. Your headline must promise something they genuinely want or need.
A headline can be simple and direct, as long as it addresses a real concern or desire. The goal is to speak to outcomes that your readers care about, using language that feels natural to them. When testing headlines, ask whether they would make sense in a normal conversation.
For instance, instead of "Advanced time management solutions," you might write "Finish your work by 5pm every day." Rather than "Professional photography services," try "Capture important moments you'll treasure forever." The second versions in each pair speak directly to outcomes people want, using everyday language that connects emotionally. Strong headlines focus on the transformation your readers seek, not just what you offer.
Remember too that your headline needs to deliver on its promise. While it should be attention-grabbing, it must also accurately reflect the content that follows. This builds trust with readers and keeps them engaged beyond the first few sentences.
Opening paragraphs that keep readers engaged
Once your headline draws readers in, your opening paragraph (or byline) needs to maintain that momentum. Skip the standard welcomes and company introductions. Jump straight into content that shows you understand their situation and have something valuable to offer.
Great opening paragraphs acknowledge the reader's current reality and hint at positive change. They build a bridge between the reader's problem and your solution, creating just enough curiosity to encourage continued reading.
Making content easy to read and understand
Eye-tracking studies show how users often follow an F-shaped reading pattern and focus on the top and left side of content. Making your content scannable isn't about dumbing it down, though. It's respecting your readers' time and helping them find what they need quickly.
To write website content that's easy to scan, use:
- Short paragraphs give eyes natural breaking points.
- Descriptive subheadings guide readers through your content.
- Strategic use of white space makes complex information easier to process.
The goal of each word should be to get your audience to read the next one, ultimately taking some form of action, whether it’s buying your product or services, signing up for a newsletter or exploring more of the website. When you make your content visually appealing, readers stay longer and absorb more.
Writing that connects one-on-one
The best website content feels like a conversation, not a presentation. Writing for one reader creates a more personal connection than trying to address everyone at once. Of course, if you want a bunch of customers, it’s hard to speak to everyone individually in your messaging. There are actions you can take however. For starters, replace general statements with direct communication.
Speaking directly to your reader means using "you" and "your" frequently. It’s focusing on their needs rather than your company's achievements. When readers feel personally addressed, they're more likely to see your content as relevant to their situation. Around 80% of frequent shoppers only shop with brands that personalise their experience, indicating that direct communication fosters loyalty
Moving from features to meaningful benefits
Technical specifications and feature lists have their place, but benefits drive action. Every feature or capability needs to connect directly to an improvement in your reader's life or work. This means translating what you offer into outcomes that matter to them.
The aim is to show how each element of your product or service makes life better for your reader. What problems does it solve? What improvements does it create? What negative situations does it help them avoid? These benefits become reasons to keep reading and eventually take action.
Creating content that builds trust
Trust grows when you demonstrate understanding and competence without overselling. Brands that are transparent about their products and services are more likely to gain consumer trust, with 94% of consumers remaining loyal to transparent brands.
It means being transparent about what you offer, including any limitations or requirements. It means making realistic promises and backing them up with clear explanations.Credibility comes from showing rather than claiming expertise. Useful information freely shared builds more trust than statements about being an industry leader. When readers sense you're being straight with them, they're more likely to engage with your calls to action.
Guiding readers toward clear next steps
Every piece of website content needs a purpose. What should readers do after consuming your information? Make these next steps clear and appealing, removing any friction that might prevent action.
Different pages may need different types of calls to action, but they should all feel like natural next steps in the reader's journey. For example, if you've just explained how your accounting software simplifies tax preparation, your call to action might be "Try a free tax calculation" rather than a generic "Contact us."
Or after a detailed blog post about retirement planning, instead of "Subscribe to our newsletter," you might offer "Get your personalised retirement plan." Match your call to action to what the reader has just learned and what they're likely ready to do next.
Writing for different types of pages
Each page on your website serves a specific purpose in your visitor's journey.
- Homepage content needs to orient visitors quickly and guide them to relevant sections.
- Product pages need to connect features to benefits and overcome common objections.
- About pages need to build trust while maintaining reader interest.
The principles of good web writing apply throughout, but the emphasis shifts based on the page's role in your site. Understanding these different purposes helps you adjust your writing style and content structure appropriately.
Optimising for search without sacrificing readability
Search engine optimisation matters, but it should never compromise the reading experience. Good SEO practices often align with good writing practices. Clear page structure, relevant headings and useful content help both readers and search engines understand your pages.
Keywords should flow naturally within your content. If you're writing genuinely helpful material for your target audience, you'll likely include relevant terms without forcing them. Focus on making your content valuable and easy to read.
Measuring and improving over time
Website content should evolve based on how visitors interact with it. Watch how long people spend on different pages. Notice which calls to action get more clicks. Pay attention to common exit points. Use these insights to refine your approach continuously.
Small improvements add up over time. A/B testing different headlines, adjusting paragraph lengths or clarifying calls to action can lead to significant improvements in engagement and conversions.
Using tools like Google Analytics, you can track which pages keep visitors reading and which make them leave. If you notice people quickly leaving your pricing page, try making the benefits clearer or addressing common concerns upfront.
When a particular blog post gets more engagement, analyse what makes it work. Perhaps it's the conversational tone, the clear examples or the practical tips readers can use right away. Simple changes like shortening paragraphs or adding descriptive subheadings often make content more inviting and easier to read.
The path to better content
Writing you write website content, it’s an ongoing process that involves multiple steps:
- Start with understanding your readers
- Write clear, engaging content that addresses their needs
- Make it easy to read and understand
- Guide readers toward appropriate next steps
- Then measure results and keep improving
Your website content exists to help readers solve problems or achieve goals. When you focus on serving their needs, engagement and conversions naturally follow. Keep refining your approach based on real results, and your content will keep getting stronger.
Converting with content
The work of improving your website content is never truly finished, but neither is the opportunity it represents. Each improvement in how you communicate with your audience can lead to better engagement, more conversions and stronger connections with the people you serve.
At Conturae, we live and breathe by content that converts. So why not get in touch and see how we can help your website achieve its ambitions with copy that strikes a chord and gets your audience making the call to action you want?
