I’m going to say something that might sting a little: the reason your website isn’t generating leads probably isn’t the design. It’s the words.
Over 15 years and nearly 300 website projects, the single biggest difference between sites that generate leads and sites that don’t isn’t the color scheme, the animation effects, or even the layout. It’s the content. The actual words on the page. What you say, how you say it, and whether any of it answers the one question every visitor is silently asking: “Can this company solve my problem?”
If you’re getting ready for a website redesign (or just tired of a site that looks good but doesn’t do anything), this is where you start. Here’s how to write website content that actually gets you leads, even if writing isn’t your favorite thing in the world.
Why Website Content Matters More Than Most People Think
Let me paint a picture. You’re a potential customer. You Google a problem you have. You click on a result. You land on a website. Within about five seconds, you’re going to decide whether to stay or hit the back button. What’s driving that decision? Not the font. Not the stock photo of people shaking hands in a conference room. It’s whether the first few sentences on the page make you feel like you’re in the right place.
That’s what good website content does. It says, “Hey, we get it. Here’s what we can do about it.” And then it gives you a clear next step.
Bad website content, on the other hand, talks about the company’s mission statement, uses a lot of words like “synergy” and “innovative solutions,” and buries the contact form three clicks deep. We’ve all seen these sites. Some of us have built them (not recently, I swear).
The good news is that writing effective website content isn’t about being a great writer. It’s about following a handful of principles that work. Let me walk you through them.
Start With What Your Customer Needs, Not What You Want to Say
This is the most important mindset shift, and the one most business owners get backwards. Your homepage isn’t about you. Your services page isn’t about your history, your awards, or the year you were founded. It’s about the person reading it and the problem they’re trying to solve.
Here’s a test. Pull up your current website. Read the first paragraph on your homepage. Does it talk about you or them? If the first sentence is “Founded in 2004, XYZ Corp is a leading provider of…” then congratulations, you’ve already lost most of your visitors.
Instead, lead with the problem or the outcome. Something like: “Your HVAC system broke down at 2 a.m. and you need someone who’ll actually show up.” That speaks to the person. That makes them feel like they’ve found the right place.
Every page on your site should answer three questions within the first few seconds: What do you do? Who do you do it for? Why should I care? If a visitor has to scroll or click around to find those answers, your content needs work.
Write Like You Talk (Seriously)
One of the weirdest things that happens when business owners sit down to write website content is that they suddenly forget how to sound like themselves. They start writing in this stiff, formal, third-person voice that they would never use in an actual conversation with a customer.
“Our organization is committed to delivering best-in-class solutions that leverage cutting-edge technology to drive meaningful outcomes for stakeholders.”
Nobody talks like that. And nobody wants to read it. If you wouldn’t say it in a meeting, don’t put it on your website.
The best website content reads like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend. It’s warm. It’s direct. It uses “you” and “your” more than “we” and “our.” It explains things clearly without being condescending. (That’s harder than it sounds, by the way.)
If you’re struggling with tone, try this: record yourself explaining your business to someone who knows nothing about it. Then transcribe it and clean it up. That’s your starting point. It’ll be ten times more engaging than whatever you were going to write at your desk.
Every Page Needs a Job
Here’s something I see constantly: websites where every page kind of says the same thing. The homepage mentions your services. The services page mentions your services again, slightly differently. The about page mentions your services again. And none of them tell the visitor what to do next.
Every page on your website should have one primary job. Your homepage’s job is to orient the visitor and direct them to the right place. Your services page’s job is to explain what you offer and why it matters. Your about page’s job is to build trust. Your contact page’s job is to make it absurdly easy to get in touch.
And every single page needs a clear call to action. Not three. Not five. One primary CTA that tells the visitor exactly what to do next. “Get a free quote.” “Schedule a consultation.” “Download the guide.” Conversion rate optimization starts with making the next step obvious.
Headlines Do the Heavy Lifting
Most people don’t read websites. They scan. They look at headlines, subheadings, and maybe the first sentence of a paragraph before deciding whether to keep going. This means your headlines need to do real work.
A headline like “Our Services” tells the reader nothing. A headline like “Custom WordPress Websites That Actually Generate Leads” tells them exactly what they’re going to find on that page and why they should care.
Good headlines are specific. They include a benefit. And they make the reader want to keep going. Here are a few formulas that work well for service-based businesses:
“[Outcome] for [Audience]” – Example: “Reliable IT Support for Indianapolis Law Firms”
“How We Help [Audience] [Achieve Result]” – Example: “How We Help Manufacturers Get Found Online”
“[Pain Point]? Here’s [Solution]” – Example: “Tired of a Website That Never Gets Updated? We Handle It.”
These aren’t clever or flashy. They don’t need to be. They’re clear, and clear beats clever on a business website every single time.
Use Social Proof Everywhere (But Make It Real)
Testimonials, case studies, client logos, reviews, project stats. These are the things that turn “they say they’re good” into “other people confirm they’re good.” And they belong on more than just your testimonials page.
Sprinkle social proof throughout your site. A testimonial on your services page. A case study link on your homepage. A “Trusted by” logo bar near your contact form. This isn’t being braggy. It’s giving potential customers the confidence to take the next step.
The key is making it real and specific. Sharp Guys did a great job!” is nice but generic. Sharp Guys redesigned our website and within three months, our monthly leads increased by 40%” tells a story. If you can get clients to talk about results, not just feelings, your social proof will work ten times harder.
We’ve built entire case studies around this idea. Take a look at what we did for Horner Industrial or CILRA to see how we turn project results into compelling content.
SEO Is Not a Separate Step (It’s Baked Into Good Content)
I know, I know. SEO feels like this mysterious black box that only “experts” understand. But here’s the secret: if you write content that genuinely answers the questions your customers are asking, you’re already doing 80% of SEO correctly.
Google’s job is to match people with the best answer to their question. If your website content directly addresses the things your customers are searching for, in plain language, with real expertise behind it, you’re going to rank. Maybe not overnight. But over time, consistently.
The technical stuff matters too (page speed, mobile responsiveness, proper heading structures), and that’s where a solid SEO strategy comes in. But the content is the foundation. Without good content, all the technical SEO in the world won’t save you.
Here’s a practical tip: make a list of the 20 questions you hear most often from customers and prospects. Things like “How much does it cost?” and “How long does it take?” and “What’s the difference between X and Y?” Those questions are what people are Googling. Write content that answers them, and you’ll start showing up.
(This is basically how we approach our own blog content and it works.)
The Pages That Matter Most (And What to Put on Them)
Not every page is created equal. If you’re limited on time or energy, prioritize these:
Homepage
Your homepage needs to answer “What is this company, who do they serve, and what should I do next?” within the first screen (before the visitor scrolls). Lead with a strong headline and a clear call to action. Include a brief overview of your services, some social proof, and a path to your most important inner pages.
Services/What We Do Pages
Each service should have its own page. Not a paragraph on a shared page. Its own page. This matters for SEO and for the visitor experience. On each page, explain what the service is, who it’s for, what the outcome looks like, and how to get started. Use social proof specific to that service if you have it.
About Page
Your about page is one of the most visited pages on your site. Don’t waste it on corporate jargon. Tell your story. Why did you start this business? What do you believe in? Who’s on your team? People buy from people, not logos. Show the humans behind the company.
Contact Page
Make it simple. Name, email, phone, message. Maybe a dropdown for the type of inquiry. That’s it. Don’t ask for their mother’s maiden name and their first pet’s birthday. The more fields you add, the fewer people will fill it out. Bad lead forms are costing businesses leads every single day.
A Few Tactical Tips Before You Start Writing
Keep paragraphs short. Two to three sentences max for web content. Long paragraphs look like walls of text on mobile, and that’s where more than half your traffic is coming from.
Use subheadings liberally. They help scanners find what they’re looking for. They also help search engines understand your content structure.
Read it out loud. If you stumble over a sentence, rewrite it. If you run out of breath, the sentence is too long.
Don’t bury the important stuff. Lead with the most valuable information. The people who want more detail will scroll. The people who just need the key points won’t. Serve both.
Get someone else to read it. Preferably someone who doesn’t work at your company. If they can explain what your business does and who it’s for after reading your homepage, you’ve nailed it. If they can’t, keep revising.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
Look, I know writing website content feels like a chore. It’s one of those tasks that business owners push off for weeks (or months) because it’s hard to find the right words when you’re also the person answering phones, managing projects, and making sure payroll goes out on time.
If writing website content isn’t your thing, that’s fine. A good web design partner can help you develop your content strategy and/or guide you through the writing process. What matters is that the content gets done, and that it does its job: turning visitors into leads.
If you’re ready to start a conversation about your website’s content (or the whole website, honestly), give us a shout. Or if you’re not quite there yet, check out our free website analysis to see where your current site stands.
Sharp Guys Web Design has been designing and building custom WordPress websites for businesses in Indianapolis and across the country since 2011. We’re a small, remote team that never outsources, and we think your website should work as hard as you do.
