7 brilliant copywriting websites that inspired me.
Posted by James, 30 October 2020 (5-6 minute read)
“The only kind of writing is rewriting”.
- Ernest Hemingway
In last week’s post, I focused on some of the great advice there is out there when it comes to building a website. CMS, SEO, Google Analytics, how to add a PDF file to Elementor. It was all covered.
But copywriting websites are much more than their mechanics (as is any website for that matter). They are layout, style, functionality, colour, theme and, of course, great content.
For this, I did what I’m sure everyone does when building a website. I looked at what my competitors were doing. So here are 7 freelance copywriting websites that inspired me in the creation of JW Copywriting Services.
1. Laurence Blume
Laurence’s website was one of the first I looked at. I was drawn to its straightforward, clean style and its no-fuss approach. Important information was placed ‘above the fold’, including contact details and a clear tagline – ‘Powerful, intelligent copywriting that makes your marketing work harder’.
I also liked the inclusion of video, which isn’t something you necessarily find on every freelancer’s website. Moving image is a really nice way to break down ‘online barriers’ with an audience, humanising any service and making a real difference to the visitor experience. In other words, a big thumbs up for ‘The Freelance Copywriter’!
2. Word Nerds
Another great site I found was Word Nerds, a copywriting agency based in sunny Staffordshire (their own adjective…).
I liked the overall look of this site. The headings were clean and eye-catching, while the copy was sharp and focused (which is probably to be expected)!
But one of the things I was particularly drawn to on the Word Nerds site was their use of social media links and contact buttons. The use of boxed contact buttons, including a call to action asking visitors to follow their Twitter account, was a neat touch. One I incorporated into my own designs.
3. Coast Copywriting
Coast Copywriting immediately looks to sell their services to visitors. The section ‘above the fold’ on the home page presents us with a carousel of portfolio images, instantly showcasing great examples of their work. A really notable feature.
The header is also clean and straightforward, making navigation around the site easy. I liked the use of social media icons here too, which would surely help drive traffic between the website and any of its corresponding social media channels.
4. Richmond Walker
An interesting site, this one. A striking image above the fold on the home page again (you can see this theme is one that appealed … my own home page is evidence of that!).
But probably the most powerful element of Richmond’s website was his use of informal language. In a nutshell, this is someone who isn’t afraid of one-word sentences, ellipses, or onomatopoeic words when it comes to talking directly to his audience.
Let’s be honest, a copywriter’s website is just one big advertisement. Richmond’s use of copy undoubtedly demonstrates his skills in writing, so it does the job. Simple as that!
5. Jessica Clifton Copywriting
This was certainly one of the copywriting websites that inspired my own layout decisions. I was immediately drawn to Jessica’s use of layout and colour schemes, both of which suggest the kind of creative copywriting she will produce for her clients.
The short service pages were also appealing. I liked how Jessica wrote short descriptors of her services with links to pages containing more information. It’s pretty much the age-old thing of knowing how descriptive to be, as well as being aware of how much an intended reader already knows about copywriting. I think Jessica gets that balance just right!
6. Jacob McMillen
Jacob boldly claims he is the Number 1 search for ‘copywriter’ on Google. While I didn’t find this when I tried, his website is still very impressive.
Again, he goes for a clean style and accessible content. The ‘above the fold’ section of his home page uses the classic triple-tagline strategy. But it works. I guess Matt Bailey was right when he suggested everything we need to know about copywriting was written by 1935!
Jacob is almost exclusively focused on web copy and uses some great analogies (light bulbs, electricity) to present the importance of a good copywriter and how they can drive a business forward. I think it’s fair to say that some of his phrasing influenced how I wrote the web copy for JW Copywriting Services.
7. Laura Bracher
Lastly, we have Laura’s website. I was struck by its simplicity (a good thing). The colour choices are soft and clean, while the use of informal titles in the navigation bar (like ‘Nice Words’ instead of ‘Testimonials’) is a lovely touch.
I also liked the way Laura uses her tagline to subtly point to how the copywriter is there to help ‘you’ (the business). These clever, understated uses of language show off the skill of the freelancer, while also giving a website builder (like me) lots of inspiration when it came to word choices of my own.
Every website was useful. They collectively taught me what I wanted to do with my own online platforms and, just as importantly, what I didn’t want to do with my own online platforms.
5 things really struck me though:
- ‘Above the fold’ on the home page is crucial
- Ease of navigation / the user experience
- Use the website to sell yourself as a freelancer. The copy you write is you as a copywriter
- Balance between text, images and buttons is important
- Layout and style are vital. Perhaps as vital as the text
But the biggest lesson I learnt takes me all the way back to that Hemingway quote. Don’t be afraid to ‘rewrite’ your competitors. If you know what they’re doing, then you have to find ways to do it better. To show that you are one of those freelance copywriting websites that everyone should be visiting!
If you need great website copy or content for any of your online platforms, then JW Copywriting Services is here to help! Take a look at my website to give you an idea of what I offer.
You can then contact me using the form here – I aim to reply within 24 hours. And don’t forget to take a look at my social media channels. Follow me on Twitter @JWCopywriting and like my Facebook page.
Next Friday, I’ll be taking you on a journey through the best lockdown adverts of 2020!
Have a great week,
JW