Is It Time For a Copy Refresh or a Total Rewrite of Your Website?

Copywriting / 06 Oct 2021

If you’re reading this, chances are something’s changed. Perhaps your client’s business has grown, they’ve found a new direction, or just fallen out of love with their website copywriting. It happens to everyone, us included.

Maybe when your client wrote their website, they were a brand new business. Now, like a fine wine, they’ve matured and refined their offering. They recognised that their current copy wasn’t up to snuff and that something needed to change, sharpish.

They’ve asked your team to revitalise their online presence and craft the brand voice they want and deserve. And, it’s your call to decide whether they should build on the copy they have or scrap it and start again.

Here’s our advice to help you make that call.

Key Considerations to Help You Decide

What’s Changed Since Your Client Wrote Their Copy

The average lifespan of website copywriting is between 2 and 3 years. A lot can change in that time, especially as a business finds its feet. Therefore, it’s essential to ask if the current website copy still represents the brand (or might do with a bit of work) or whether the business has changed beyond recognition.

A helpful first step to working out whether the existing copy is worth salvaging is to consider the following questions:

•     Are their services the same or different? How have they changed?
•     Who are their ideal clients? Are they the same as when they wrote the website?
•     Are they working in new industries or new niches?
•     How else has their business evolved?
•     What are the key messages their copywriting needs to convey? Does it do so?

Does Your Copy Still Perform?

First impressions matter, and a website is the beating heart of every digital marketing strategy. Its job is to sell services to the right people.

Use your client’s analytics to learn about their website visitors behaviour and demographics. Cross-reference that against the enquiries they receive directly from their site, and ask:

•     Is their messaging saying what it’s supposed to?
•     Are they getting enquiries directly from their site?
•     Are those enquiries coming from their ideal clients? If not, why not?

Review Your Client’s Site Structure to Analyse User Experience

Assess whether the current website structure gives the best experience for users. Consider whether there might be a different way of doing things to provide a better experience. Focus on the customer journey, and keep the sales funnel firmly in mind at all times.

Determine Whether Their Search Engine Optimisation is Up To Scratch

We said above that a lot can change in 2-3 years – especially algorithms.

Google updates its algorithm in real-time, sometimes making multiple amendments a month. Most go unnoticed, but larger amendment rollouts completely change a user’s experience of the search engine results pages.

Things like keywords also need systematic research and review, as they inevitably increase in popularity over time while others deteriorate. A year ago, terms for which your client was getting excellent traffic may do little to generate leads today.

Weighing Up Whether to Refresh or Rewrite A Website

Ultimately, the question of whether a website demands a gentle spruce-up or radical shake-up (in the form of strategic SEO copywriting) is one only you or your client can answer.

Rest assured that whatever the situation requires, we’re here to help.

A refresh may be all that’s needed to restore your client’s website feel-good factor. If their website copy is performing, they see consistent traffic and receive regular, relevant inquiries. A refresh also means your client will retain their well-earned SEO equity on pages that perform. A refresh is easily achievable by hiring an SEO copywriter to breathe new life into their existing copy, revitalise their keywords and calls to action.

However, it’s probably time to scrap the existing copy and start anew if your client’s business is unrecognisable, they’ve no leads to speak of, or they’re consistently attracting the wrong people. 

Want website copy that wows?

SEO copywriting is always a sensible investment when rewriting a website, whether it’s your own or one of your client’s.

Quality website copywriting is crucial to attract, engage, and convert prospects into paying clients. It’s your one opportunity to knock their socks off, and you need to nail it the first time.

Web copy is within our zone of genius, so if your agency needs website copywriting support from experts who are also a dab hand at SEO, you know where to find us. 

Ready to get started? Book your discovery call today.