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Words & Images in Harmony: Interior Design Website Copy

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This article explores why website copy is essential if you want your business to be found online. I also share two interior design websites that I have worked on this year.

Interior designers create beautiful spaces that present aspirational lifestyles to homeowners, visitors and employees. They know how to deliver a vision, with impact. They understand how to balance colour, shape, light, space and texture. As such, they can create stunning websites.

The challenge for such a visual profession is that they often want a portfolio website. Full of professional photography, images showcase their talents and distinct style. Words are secondary and, in many cases, designers would love to keep written website content to a minimum.

Website Copy & Search Engine Optimisation

A visual website, with just a few lines of text, is very unlikely to get noticed. If lead generation comes from other marketing strategies, this may not be an issue. However, if you want to be found online, then the web page content has to include text.

When preparing website copy, I see it as a triangle. You have to approach it from three distinct perspectives:

  • Grabbing the interest of your target customers
  • Using words and phrases the search engines will be seeking (keywords and related terms)
  • Effectively communicating your message

When an internet search is made, the search engine bots scan millions of web pages to find a match. This does include tags on images, but the best chance of delivering relevant results comes from the page copy.

With billions of web pages to choose between, competition is high. If the written content on web pages is sparse, it is unlikely to be ranked in the listings. For this reason, 300 words are the absolute minimum that should be included. In SEO terms, that is thin content.

How to Make Website Copy Less like an Essay

If you prefer images to words, this sounds like a lot of text to fit on each page. The trick is to break it up in the following ways:

  • Design the layout of the website to separate chunks of text
  • Include sub-headings through the text
  • Use bullets when listing key points
  • Incorporate testimonials or a mission statement part way through the page

This approach makes it easier for visitors to skim read and navigate quickly to the information that they are seeking.

Examples of Interior Design Website Copy

I have been fortunate to provide website content writing services for two interior designers this year. One is a recently launched business, the other is more established.

Amberley Studio

Amberley Studio is a business in its infancy, but already working on creating interiors for homes, student accommodation and a newly-built apartment block. Owner Alix took on the challenge of building her website, employing a professional photographer to produce the images and asked me to write the copy.

I’ve seen Alix’s home and was excited to play a small part in getting this new enterprise up and running.

Alix was hesitant about including a lot of text, so we built it up by detailing her portfolio case studies. This information outlines her response to a brief. The large images still dominate the page but combined with the written copy, it helps visitors to understand her approach and style.

“I absolutely love it. It amazes me that I can write you some notes and then you spin that into a comprehensive piece of text. You have managed to make the content professional but still sound like me, which is exactly what I was after and I love how you have organised my services.”

– Alix Stoney

Alix plans to add a blog to her website. This will provide another way to add text that ticks the SEO box, whilst providing information of interest to site visitors.

Petina Julius Interiors

As part of a rebranding project, Petina Julius Interiors wanted to upgrade its website. Petina had a strong partnership with a professional photographer, had selected a web designer and asked me to prepare the website copy. I had collaborated with Petina in the past and understood her unique style and focus on biophilic interior design.

“‘It was important for me to get good content together as well as to fit in with the overall look and feel of my new website.  Content writing is not my strong point and enlisting Catherine’s services has certainly taken a load off my shoulders. She captured the essence and natural tone of my personality and interpreted that brilliantly into what I needed. I would highly recommend Catherine’s friendly, helpful service.”

– Petina Julius

Petina recognised the need for pages brimming with imagery and text, yet wanted to retain a sense of harmony and calm. Each page contains a lot of information, yet due to the way the web designer has divided up the page, it is beautiful rather than cluttered or wordy.

Getting the Balance Right

Even with impressive photography, video and graphics, a website still relies on a match between search criteria and page copy to be found and ranked by the search engines. By breaking up the text and getting the balance right, it is possible to include plenty of words without compromising visual impact.

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5 Tips for Blog Writing in 2020

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In my previous blog, I discussed why written content continues to play an important role in online marketing. With that in mind, here are some ideas to get you thinking about potential blog articles.

How to Add Value through Blog Writing

Writing a business blog should focus on building the trust of your audience. You are an expert in your field, so let’s put that to good use. The best content is that which is of interest and value to your customers and below are five blog writing suggestions:

Provide Answers to FAQs

What are the questions that you are frequently asked? Answer these with clear, plain English explanations.

Write Blogs that Develop Knowledge and Understanding

Can you help potential customers to better understand your products or services? Think product comparisons, examples of industrial applications, assembly instructions or serving suggestions.

Showcase your Problem-solving Abilities

What problems do your customers face? Your advice could help them to resolve simple challenges. A top tip to help eliminate a common frustration is a great way to be seen in a favourable light.

Share your Commitment to Delivering the Best Service

Are you working towards a particular goal or accreditation (quality, sustainability, customer service etc)? If so, let your customers know, along with what this will mean for them. You can then post again when you achieve that outcome.

Respond to Topical News

If a breaking media story relates to your business, use it as an opportunity to explain, reassure and offer advice.

These are a few ways in which you can prove your authority and expertise, whilst providing written content that is of value to your readers.

Is it Worth Hiring a Freelance Copywriter?

If this all sounds great, but you never find the time, it could be worth hiring a freelance copywriter.

Remember, that strong blog content is one factor helping your business to remain competitive. Yes, you can write, but are you the best person for the job? I am sure you can also kick a football, but would you be the best person to get signed up for your team?

An experienced copywriter can see your services from a fresh perspective. They will tailor your message in a way that appeals to prospective customers and search engines.

Take time to discuss your objectives and your target audience with the freelance copywriter. They can then create a content plan for you to agree. You can then focus your attention on other demands, simply reviewing, approving and posting the articles as they are written.

Blog writing is a straightforward task to delegate. According to HubSpot, 62% of companies with a blog outsource the task. Freelance copywriters typically produce articles on a monthly basis, or more frequently if you desire. You can opt to publish them on your website. Alternatively, if you trust them and provide Admin access to your website, the copywriter may offer to publish it.

In short, hiring a copywriter could be a cost-effective way to help build brand awareness. For further information, contact: catherine@write-it.co.uk

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Is Written Content Still Important in 2020?

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Over the last decade, content writers have focused on keyword-rich text on web pages and in blogs. As we move into a new decade, is this approach still relevant?

A growing number of clients are asking me to minimise the text. They have seen the statistics that show that video is a preferred medium for website visitors. They know that mobile-first website design means short, concise messages that are ideal for the small screen.

So, is 2020 the year that I have to give up being a freelance copywriter? Thankfully not.

It seems that written content still has an important role to play in showcasing expertise, authority and trust. Google is still giving value to the words on your web pages and in your blogs, especially when that content is customer-focused.

What Changes are Affecting Content Writing?

Voice Search

It is estimated that, by the end of 2020, 50% of search queries will be spoken, not typed. When typing, we tend to keep the query short; ‘copywriter Aylesbury’, but we use a lot more words and ask more questions when speaking; ‘Who can I get to write my business blogs in Aylesbury?’.
With an idea of the questions being asked, there is a great opportunity to respond with useful, informative content. This benefits your customers and your Google rank.

Intent Marketing

Another change to keywords is that Google is moving away from direct keyword matching, in favour of intent marketing.

In the past, copywriters have needed to include keywords in the text for SEO purposes. Advancing technology means that Google is better able to identify whether page text and blogs provide an appropriate response to a search query. For this reason, there is expected to be a shift towards topic-focused content.

Consumer First Marketing

Businesses marketing is all about delivering what the customer wants. This takes priority over pushing out messages that the company wishes to share.

With an objective perspective, content writers can see the business through the eyes of the customer. They can undertake customer research to find out what is important to this target group in 2020. A subtle shift in angle could transform engagement.

Writing for Mobile-First Websites

I mentioned in the introduction that there was a growing demand for concise copy for mobile-first websites. The user experience on a small screen is certainly an important consideration. Although clear, succinct copywriting is great for mobile devices, it leaves little room for gaining trust and proving the expertise and authority of your brand.

Mobile-first means starting with a tight design that works on mobile devices, but building on this to create a full screen, desktop website. Added content should be added, both to pages and through blog writing. This will help to differentiate your company from the competition.

Video, Photography, Infographics and Written Content

Many of us prefer to consume information through visual media. A strong infographic, a powerful image or a well-edited video can speak a thousand words. Ideally, a website will include the presentation of content in a range of forms; each reinforcing a coherent message.

How Do I Ensure my Company is Found Online?

For now, the search engines still rely on written content to understand the relevance of your web pages to search queries. For this reason, video scripts and page copy still have a vital part to play if you want your products and services to be found online.

Regular blog writing is not a quick win. It will take time to see the results but patience is a virtue. According to Hubspot, websites with blogs generate an average of 67% more leads than those without. They also have considerably more indexed pages in the search engines, boosting the chances of their pages appearing in the search listing.

A freelance copywriter can help you to create web page content or blogs which meet the requirements of your business, your customers and the search engines. With an understanding of your business objectives, your target audience and search engine optimisation, they can help you to engage with potential customers.

If you are looking for an Aylesbury copywriter, please get in touch: catherine@write-it.co.uk

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Writing for the Web

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Writing for the web is a little different from other forms of correspondence. If you were to write a letter, it would be addressed and sent to the recipient. They would know it was for them. On the internet, they need to find your message and recognise that it is more relevant to them than all of the other messages that are available.

As a freelance copywriter, I visualise writing for the web as a triangle. I have to balance the requirements of the company, the target customer and the search engines.

Common Challenges of Writing for the Web

The challenges are writing for the web can be illustrated by the Family Law pages of two solicitor websites that I have come across.

Content on Family Law Page of Website One

This read along the lines of:

“Our experienced family law solicitors are aware of the financial and emotional cost that family proceedings can bring. Timely, focused legal advice can be crucial in cases of:
• Divorce and Separation
• Paternity and Parental Responsibility Issues
• Adoption Proceedings
• Domestic Violence and Injunctions”
(and the list extended to cover every other element of family law).

Now, this clearly states what they offer, but my first question is, how does this differ from the message that any other family law solicitors are sending out?

The content is full of keywords that people might search for and included geographical location, which can help them to be found online. However, when someone reaches their web page, it is impersonal. Despite stating that individuals needing their service are likely to have financial concerns and be in an emotional state of mind, they have not addressed this in the written content.

What is more, the list was so long that it was overwhelming. If you were going through a separation or divorce, do you need to speak to have a separate meeting to discuss parental responsibility? How much is that going to cost?

Content on the Family Law Page of Website Two

The second was at the opposite end of the spectrum:

“As an established firm, our committed team have earned a reputation for providing responsive and caring advice.

We offer all new clients a free 30-minute consultation. In this session, we ascertain your situation and advise on how we can use our expertise to help you. We recognise that this is a stressful time, so to get the most from this consultation, it can be beneficial to note down any key points in advance.”

It continued in this caring tone, which addresses the emotional and financial concerns by providing a clear idea of what to expect.

The issue in this example was that no relevant keywords could be found on the page. There was no mention of ‘divorce solicitors’ ‘legal advice’ ‘parental rights in a relationship breakdown’ or any other words or phrases that someone needing their services would search for.

Updating Website Copy

Both of these solicitors were in the process of upgrading their websites. As part of this process, they asked me to review the existing page content and provide feedback. I was then involved in creating fresh copy for the web pages; balancing the requirements of the company, the target customer and the search engines.