Chances are, you’ve had a go at writing your own website and realised that climbing Everest may be easier. Enter the copywriter! A skilled SEO copywriter can make the entire website creation process much smoother. A thorough brief will mean they can craft the right messages to connect to your audience.
What questions does your copywriter need to answer when writing your website?
While you know your business back to front, your copywriter needs to step into your shoes and write as if they were you. To do this, they’ll ask you a whole lot of questions.
Here’s what a good copywriting brief will cover…
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Background Briefing
At this stage, your copywriter is learning everything about your business. Some of the key questions they’ll ask include:
- Why did you start your business?
- How did it all begin?
- What do you love most about your business?
- What are your experience and qualifications?
They will also ask you about your interests and passions. This helps your copywriter understand your unique perspective and tone of voice.
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What are your website’s objectives?
What do you want customers to do when they hit your website? This influences the call to action across your website pages. Some common objectives include:
- Do you want them to book an appointment?
- Ask for more information?
- Download a helpful booklet?
- Buy a product?
Focusing on one primary objective and then listing any secondary goals is helpful.
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Who are we speaking to?
Your copywriter needs to understand who your audience is. Who are your ideal customers? What are their demographics? For example, are they women aged 40+, with kids, living in the inner west. It’s essential to describe your audience in detail, especially if you cater to different types of people.
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What keeps your clients up at night?
To connect with your visitors, your copywriter must understand their pain points and motivations. The questions they’ll ask include:
- What are their main concerns?
- Think about what frustrates them.
- What factors influence their decisions?
This will help your copywriter communicate how your product or service can solve their problems and make their lives easier. Understanding your audience’s pain points also helps you highlight your offerings’ tangible benefits—functional, financial, experiential, or psychosocial.
Expert copywriting coach Belinda Weaver says you should ask ‘So what?’ to test whether you’ve extracted the ultimate benefit from any product or service feature.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can also help you understand the different layers of human motivation.
Also, consider what might stop them from choosing your business to solve their problem. This helps your copywriter include messages to try and overcome their objections.
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What’s your tone of voice?
This is all about communicating your brand personality. Most importantly, your tone of voice must convey empathy and understanding of your customer’s needs.
Think about how you want your brand to be perceived. What tone would you like your website copy to have? Depending on the brand image you’re creating, your tone might be chatty and emotional or formal and expert at the other end of the spectrum.
A conversational tone is becoming more common for websites as it helps brands feel more relatable and approachable.
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Describe the personality of the business in 5 words or less
A shortcut way of thinking about the right tone of voice for your website copywriting is to describe your business in a few words. Think about the type of words you’d like your customers when talking about your brand. It’s good to write down the first things that come to mind. To get you in the mood, think about some of the brands you like. How would you describe them in 5 words?
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What makes you different from your competitors?
People often get stuck on this one. In most cases, there may be a lot of other businesses doing what you do. But to make your message stand out from others, we need to drill down into what makes you unique.
- What do you like (or dislike) about your competitors?
- Do you have a niche or unique expertise?
- Can you share a personal experience that led you to your business?
- Also, think about the feedback from your clients—what are they saying about your competitors, and how can you show that you offer something better?
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What are your values and philosophy?
Why do you do what you do? People connect with brands they relate to or understand how your company’s core values align with theirs.
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What are the products and services you offer?
Make a list of all the products and services you offer. If necessary, break them down into general categories.
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Show me the proof!
Why should visitors trust you? Can you back up your claims with:
- Awards or recognitions?
- Customer testimonials?
- Relevant qualifications or certifications?
Proof helps build trust and credibility with your audience.
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Mandatory information?
Are there specific elements that must be included on your site? For example:
- Do you have a registered URL?
- Are your product names or brands trademarked?
- Is there any other legal or important information your copywriter should know?
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Constraints?
Are there any terms or claims we should avoid mentioning on your website? For example, claiming your product is ‘organic’ requires certification in Australia. It’s essential to identify these restrictions early to avoid any issues later.
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Other support information we should include on your website
Is there any other information you’d like to share with your copywriter? This could include links to other websites, supporting documents, or anything else to help them better understand your project.
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SEO keywords
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation, and it’s crucial for making sure people can find you online. If you have any specific keywords in mind, write them down. However, a good copywriter will also conduct keyword research as part of their service. Long-tail keywords (phrases with multiple words) tend to work best for ranking.
Having a good brief is gold to any copywriter. While gathering the necessary information may take some time, it’s worth it for the results. With a well-crafted brief, your website will reflect your brand and effectively reach and resonate with your ideal customers.
