How to Know When to Update Your Website Copy (plus 4 tips to do so!)
*This article may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a small commission if you purchase with my link. This is all at no extra cost to you!
I want you to think back to when you started your business. Think back to the first time you got your website up and running, wrote the copy, posted your very first blog post, and launched your website.
Now I want you to look at how far you’ve come as a business owner. Look at the growth in your brand! Pretty amazing, right? No doubt you have expanded your biz, built a rocking empire, and started making more money.
Yup! You’ve come so far and made changes to your business. But the question is, have you made changes to your website copy?
Is it time for a website copy update?
Some would argue that well-written copy doesn’t need to be fixed. But think of it like this: as time goes on, language changes, people change and you change. And as your business changes and grows, so should the copy that tells your story.
So is it time for you to update your website copy? Let’s look at how to know when to update your website copy and some tips to help you do so.
We’re going to look at:
Why it’s important to update your website copy
How to know when to update your website copy
How analyzing your website performance will help you know when you need a copy refresh
Tips to help you do so
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE COPY
As a website designer, you sure know how important it is to regularly update the look and feel of a website. Why? Because the tech world is ever-changing, and what appeals to your audience one day will change the next day. So keeping up with times and seasons will help you and your website stay fresh and on-trend.
And it’s the same with your website copy.
The copy on your website needs to reflect who you are today and, most importantly, appeal to your clientele and who they are right now.
So yes! It is vital to keep your website copy up-to-date, making sure you are reaching your clients’ hearts and speaking to the person they are at this very moment.
PRO TIP- The key to updating your copy is keeping up-to-date with the growth of, not just your business, but of your clients. Keep a close eye on what interests them. What are their struggles? What do they need? That way, you will be able to update your website copy with them in mind, helping them see how much they need you.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN TO UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE COPY
When is it time to update your website copy?
Many biz owners have differing opinions as to when to update their website copy. Some say every quarter of a year, some say every 6 months, and others will say a year.
Yeah - a lot of differing opinions... So how is it possible to actually know when to update your copy?
Here are a few things to think about:
How many times do my services change? If you are updating your services regularly, you will definitely need to update your service page asap. For example, if you have a new service or product, it should be on your website first before you shout about it on social media.
Have I raised my rates? We occasionally will raise our rates and change the pricing here and there. Does the information on our website match your current rates?
Have I updated the testimonials on my site? The work we do sure outnumbers the number of testimonials we have, but be sure to add and update your testimonials from time to time.
What is currently on the mind of my target customer? Focusing on your target audience regularly will help you see when there is a need to update your website copy to match their needs.
After thinking about the above, take a good and honest look at your website copy. If you haven’t made changes to your copy in the last six months, ask yourself why. And ask yourself if you need to schedule in time to update your copy.
PRO TIP - Why not set up a recurring task in your calendar or PM system? Maybe you could check with the points above quarterly, and if you need to update, you can set aside time in your diary to do so. Still, I know how busy you are, especially as a website designer, so perhaps this is something you could outsource! Delegating this task to a copywriter will not only make sure you get this done but will also guarantee the quality of your copy, making sure it reaches the heart of your listener.
In addition to the points above, one of the most important things to consider is how your website is performing. Knowing whether you are reaching people and knowing whether your site is doing what it should help you know whether it’s time for a website copy makeover.
HOW ANALYZING YOUR WEBSITE PERFORMANCE WILL HELP YOU KNOW WHEN YOU NEED A COPY REFRESH
Now it’s time to get technical! Let’s take a closer look at the stats of your website to see if it’s performing well. Tracking your website’s performance will be a big help in knowing whether it’s time for a copy update!
When you're analyzing your website copy, be sure to check these things...
Bounce Rates
Clickthrough Rates
Pageviews + Referral Sources
SEO Stats
Bounce Rates
Checking those bounce rates will be a GREAT indicator of how well your website copy is doing in regards to keeping your readers hooked.
The bounce rate basically tells you whether your visitors bounce out of your site after looking at the homepage. So if people visit your site, stay for a few seconds and then exit, that will help you discern the need to change the copy on your homepage to copy that is captivating and motivating.
Clickthrough Rates
You can keep track of what’s been viewed on your site and how many people are clicking on your ads or call-to-actions by checking your clickthrough rates.
Knowing whether your ad copy and call-to-action buttons are working or not will help you decipher what you need to change or when your copy is starting to go a little stale.
Remember: Once good doesn’t mean always good. Things change and grow over time, and so should your copy.
Pageviews + External Referrals
The beauty of most website platforms is that you can check your page views and take note of how many people are viewing your pages.
For example, if you notice that your homepage gets a lot of hits but your service and about page are barely touched, you know that you need to work on crafting copy that will get you clicks.
Be sure to check what pages on your site are attracting the most attention. Not only will it give you insight into what pages are working but it will also highlight areas on your website that need a good update.
Another great feature is that you can check where most of your referrals are coming from! Knowing where the majority of your viewers come from will not only help you discern what type of client they are but will also help you tailor copy that meets their needs.
SEO
I don’t know about you, but I’m loving the SEO optimization feature on most website platforms now. It really helps you DIY your SEO and helps you to learn what is working and what’s not working.
It helps you take note of what keywords are the best for your site, which ones you can throw out and what posts and pages are attracting the most attention.
Here are some quick SEO tips for you to implement that will help you see where you need to update your copy:
Add more keywords that you notice are performing well
Ditch the ones that aren't working for you
Do some more research and stick with it!
PRO TIP - If you haven’t got a blog on your website, now is a perfect time to get a blog up and running! And if you have got a blog, be sure to post regularly and write about topics that are on the minds of your readers. Be sure to use the same keywords across your blog and website, as well as adding links to different posts and pages.
DOES YOUR WEBSITE COPY NEED AN UPDATE?
After reading this, do you feel the need to go and check your website and see what you can do to improve?
Even if you have been pretty on top of refreshing the copy on your site, it’s always good to keep up a regular routine and incorporate some of the top tips. Doing so will help keep your website design business growing and expanding.
I get it - it can be pretty time consuming doing this regularly.
But it is vital for your business.
If you find you don’t have much time, you can always outsource the work to someone else! But if you decide to go at it alone, here are my top tips for you to save and refer back to now and then…
Top Tips On Updating Your Website Copy
PRO TIP 1 - The key to updating your copy is keeping up-to-date with the growth of, not just your business, but your clients. Keep a close eye on what is interesting to them, what their struggles are and what they need. That way, you will be able to update your website copy with them in mind, helping them keep their trust in your ability to help them with what they need.
PRO TIP 2 - Why not set up a recurring task in your calendar or PM system? Maybe you could check with the points above quarterly, and if you need to update, you can set aside time in your schedule to do so.
PRO TIP 3 - If you haven’t got a blog on your website, now is a perfect time to get a blog up and running. And if you have got a blog, be sure to post regularly and write about topics that are on the minds of your readers. Be sure to use the same keywords across your blog and website, as well as adding links to different posts and pages.
PRO TIP 4 - If it’s all too much and you feel you just don't have the time, this is something you could outsource! Delegating this task to a copywriter will not only make sure you get this done but will also guarantee the quality of your copy, making sure it reaches the heart of your listener.
It’s time to get to it and regularly update your website copy. Doing so will increase your views, draw in new customers and elevate your brand. Click here to learn more about how we can collaborate on some amazing copy for your website!