From hearing many different client stories, there seem to be three types of web designers: ones who want your business, tells you anything, designs the site and whose only interest is to make a profit… leaving you stranded with a quickly outdated and solitary website. Then there are designers who come from a graphic design background, can put together a navigable, nice looking site, but expect you to go elsewhere for search engine optimization, copywriting and the like.
The third kind of web designer/development company takes a brief and wants the client’s website to exceed their expectations and return them a handsome profit… by being found online and being popular with customers. You can probably tell that category is where Red Planet Design is.
To do this, we design the site according to client’s preferences. Once our client is happy, then the coding of the website is done by the top talent in Expression Engine or WordPress, both flexible CMS systems that have their place.
Copywriting to Sell
To top it off, a freelance copywriter (aka your writer here) is put to work in creating or editing all the content and metatags for your new website – in conjunction with the designer. You wouldn’t know how rare this is, because mostly clients don’t realise that copywriting or editing is usually outsourced 90% of the time, if you’re offered that option at all.
It’s plain as day the websites which have employed a professional copywriter and which have cobbled it together themselves, doing an admirable job. Compare this first paragraph for a roof repairer (#1 on Google):
“Our aim is to make your roof repair and gutter replacement needs simple and easy. We do all we can to make your roof restoration as best as possible”, OR #4 on Google for roof repairs:
“Welcome to Queensland Roof Restorations (QRR)
QRR have 25 years domestic and commercial roofing experience throughout Brisbane suburbs and Ipswich. Re-roofing, roof painting, and roof restoration are all part of QRR’s of the services we provide.”
QRR has put where they are operating, so that is one vital point, and they do list their main services. Crucially their copy lacks a little finesse – note the grammatical error – and a customer-oriented headline. Overall its OK, but is OK going to make your prospect call?
The first paragraph is often shown in the search engine results page… so it’s important to make this the best it can be.
Don’t leave your website to a freelance web developer who is not in tune with the entire sales process, and don’t leave your content in the hands of a keyword junkie (oops I mean SEO professional).