When to rewrite your website copy – a checklist

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

The power and value of your website copy diminishes over time if you don’t update it. How can you know when it’s due for a makeover?

Your website serves your business well. But perhaps not as well as it once did.

The copy probably needs a refresh. But you’re not sure how urgent this may be.

Here’s a list of questions to help you decide whether to act now or leave the rewrite till later.

Question 1: Has your business changed?

Has your company changed since you last rewrote your website copy?

Does your site contain outdated information, such as product or service descriptions, statistics, people or event information?

Has your brand positioning, messaging or target audience evolved since you last updated your web copy?

Does the tone of voice accurately reflect your current brand personality?

Is your business planning to launch a new promotional campaign that your website has to support?

Question 2: Has your market changed?

Has your market or industry evolved since you last updated your website copy?

Have new technologies disrupted your industry?

Is the tone of voice still relevant to your industry and ideal audience?

Have your competitors improved their website copy? If so, are you in danger of falling behind and appearing less relevant?

Question 3: Is your copy inaccurate or misleading?

Does your website copy accurately describe your company’s current products, services, expertise, culture, positioning and philosophy?

Are the numbers that describe your company’s activities still correct?

Do your salespeople often field questions about your products or services that your website could easily answer?

Do you receive negative feedback from online customers?

Is inaccurate website copy undermining your company’s reputation?

Question 4: Are visitors no longer engaging?

Do website visitors engage with your web copy as actively and deeply as they once did?

Do your analytics show that your copy is keeping visitors on each page and responding to your offers?

Does your website copy use the language and tone of voice that resonates with your target audience?

Does your customer research indicate that website visitors, after reading your copy, clearly understand your company’s value proposition?

Question 5: Are you no longer ranking on Google?

Is your website ranking well on search engines?

Is your web copy keeping up with constantly evolving search engine algorithms?

Are your SEO practices still relevant and yielding the same results as a couple of years ago?

If your website is failing to rank as it once did, prospective customers may not be able to find you.

Question 6: Are you failing to convert visitors into customers?

Do your website analytics indicate an improvement or a decline in traffic? High or low bounce rates? Or, most importantly, high or low conversion rates?

Ultimately, your website is not doing its job if it’s not helping you acquire new customers and retain existing customers.

Are your calls to action relevant and persuasive in the eyes of your target audience members?

Are your calls to action converting website visitors into customers?

Are you improving or at least maintaining conversion rates? 

Is your website copy an asset or a liability?

Your answers to the questions above will clearly indicate whether your website copy is currently a business asset or a liability.

Your website is the cornerstone of your brand positioning. As such, it’s a long-term investment, not just a one-off expense. Its copy, therefore, requires continual review, maintenance and updates to ensure it remains relevant and engaging for your customers.

By recognising the signs that your copy needs work, you can take action to guarantee it always supports your business and its objectives.

When you need help with a website copy refresh, please contact me any time.