Writing is hard. Writing for yourself and your business is even harder. Even as a wedding industry copywriter, I have bad days. The words I write fall flat. I make more spelling and grammar mistakes than I want to admit (that’s why Grammarly exists. I would be lost without it). But there are a few copywriting mistakes that go beyond a bad day, and actually start to cost you clients.
The good news is that most of them are very simple fixes! You just need to know what you’re looking for. So get yourself a cup of coffee and pull up your website. As you read through this blog, check your website for these common copywriting mistakes and follow these quick fixes to reorient your website and start attracting your dream clients!
8 Common Copywriting Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
No Copy on Your Website
Listennnnnn this is a huge pet peeve of mine. I won’t dive into it now since I covered it in this blog, but here’s the run down:
Your website needs copy (aka, words). First and foremost, because words are how you distinguish yourself from other vendors and form an emotional connection with your potential clients.
Second, search engines need words to understand who you are and what you do so it can place you in the correct search results. No words? No ranking on Google. It’s that simple.
I recommend having at least 300 words on EACH PAGE of your website. That’s usually enough for search engines to crawl your website and understand what you do. But the goal is to connect with your readers, differentiate yourself, and form a connection. Use as many words as necessary.
No Keyword in Your H1 (Or, god forbid, no H1 at all.)
H1 stands for “Heading 1.” It’s usually the first thing people see on your website, and it’s the first thing Google notes when crawling your website. Your H1 should contain your primary keyword for that page. (Curious about keywords? Read this blog!)
For example, my primary keyword for my home page is “Wedding Industry Copywriter.” If you go to my Home Page, you’ll see it right away. It’s not the biggest text on the page, but it’s tagged as an H1 in the backend of my website, which waves a flag to search engines saying, “Hey! This is important!”
Ambiguous or Confusing Calls to Action
A Call to Action (more commonly referred to as a CTA) is a short line of text—often only one word—that compels your reader to take an action. That action could be scheduling a call, filling out a form, or joining an email list.
The problem arises when these CTAs are confusing and just… weird. There’s a popular phrase out there that goes, “Clear over Clever.” That is especially true for CTAs. Readers will be hesitant to click a button if they don’t know exactly where it’s going to go.
For example, “Let’s Get this Party Started” sounds cute, but doesn’t tell people what’s going to happen next. A button that says, “Inquire,” or “Schedule a Call,” tells them exactly what they’re getting into. Eliminate hesitation by making sure every CTA is clear.
No Prices on Your Website
THIS is a spicy one. There is a ton of opinions out there on whether or not wedding vendors should include their pricing on their website. I am firmly in the Show Your Gosh Darn Prices team.
Why? I’m so glad you asked.
Including your prices on your website immediately eliminates low-ball clients. By forcing them to inquire or even get on a call before you give your prices wastes both your time and theirs. PLUS, by sharing your prices at the get-go, you’re increasing trust through transparency.
I could go on and on about this topic, but wait—I already did. Read this blog to learn why you should absolutely include your prices on your website and some great ways to do it without feeling sleazy.
Talking About Yourself More than The Client
This is going to sound harsh, but if you’re willing to keep reading, it can genuinely change your marketing.
Your website is not about you.
There it is, I said it. Your website is not a space for you to wax poetic about your art. It is not there to tell your clients your life story. It is there to show clients who you are and what you do, and then to hopefully get them to take the next step.
By using the space on your website to talk about yourself, you’re alienating your reader. But if you use that space to talk about your client… you’re showing them what their wedding day can look like when they hire you. You’re showing them that you understand their struggles and can help alleviate their stress.
Talking directly to them and calling out their pain points lets them feel seen and understood. This builds trust. And couples only want to work with vendors they trust on the most important day of their lives.
(Psst… I know you’re not going on and on about yourself on purpose. Writing about yourself is awkward, but you don’t know what else to say! That’s okay. I offer the Brand Voice Handbook for exactly this reason. It dives into your brand to help you figure out how on earth to write your website and who you’re writing for.
Or, of course, I could just write it for you.)
No Testimonials on Your Website
This is a biggie! The wedding industry runs on trust, and the best way to build trust with potential clients is by sharing glowing reviews from past clients. Many vendors lump all their testimonials together on a “reviews” page, but they’re far more powerful when spread throughout your website.
You can learn more about the value of testimonials in the “Social Proof is Non-Negotiable” section of this blog.
Inconsistent Pronouns
This one’s a little technical, but I promise it’s worth it. If your website refers to yourself as “I” on one page, and “we” on the next, you’re sending mixed signals. Are you a single person or are you a team?
If you do have a team, and are still not sure which pronoun to use, here’s a good rule of thumb:
→ If your clients will meet or interact with your team in any way, use “we.”
→ If your team is purely behind-the-scenes and your clients will never directly interact with them, use “I.”
And one last thing… don’t use “we” if you’re just one person. I know it can feel more professional to sound like you have a team, but if you don’t actually have a team, it’s kinda like catfishing your clients. There’s nothing wrong with being a one-woman-show.
No Meta Descriptions or Title Tags
Meta descriptions and title tags are often-forget elements that hugely boost your SEO when done correctly!
A meta description is the small blurb of text you see below a website title on the search results page. But did you know you could customize what that blurb says for your own website? Your meta description should include a brief description of who you are and a short call to action, like “Read more.” If you can, you should also include your primary keyword! Keep it between 150-160 characters so it doesn’t get cut off.
The title tag is the headline above the meta description. This should stay below 60 characters and include your website name and your keyword. A great tip is to use this little divider “|” to save space!
For example, here’s what you get when you search for my website!
Copywriting Services for Wedding Vendors
Okay, I know that was a lot of information. You don’t need to digest it all right now! Feel free to bookmark this tab and come back to it, working through one of these copywriting mistakes at a time.
And if you want some extra support, I would love to help you transform your website copy into a client magnet—one that represents you well and makes you excited to hand out your business cards again.
Take it from Chelsea,
“IF YOU’RE CONSIDERING WORKING WITH JO, DO IT! She’s not only a talented writer, but she also takes the time to understand your business and your voice before putting pen to paper. She makes the process feel easy and collaborative and delivers high-quality work on time. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining what you already have, Jo will help you communicate clearly and confidently. Hiring her was one of the best early investments I made in my business!
Whether you need help finding your brand voice, writing your copy, or posting consistent blogs so your website climbs the ranks of search results, I would love to work with you. Explore my copywriting services and inquire to schedule a free consultation call! I’m so excited to chat with you.
