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How to Write Content for a Website (With Examples!)
- By Kristie Parker
- September 15, 2025
Your customers are having a conversation in their head, and the businesses that win are the ones who know how to listen.
“Write how you talk” is probably the most common copywriting advice you’ll hear when learning how to write content for a website. And it’s not wrong.
Most business owners write way too formally on their websites. They use corporate speak that makes people’s eyes glaze over instead of just talking like a human being.
The advice works because it cuts through the stiffness. When you write conversationally, you’re more approachable. You build connection. You sound like someone people actually want to work with instead of some faceless corporation.
But here’s the problem: if you literally write exactly how you talk, you won’t get to the point fast enough.
Why "Write How You Talk" Isn't Enough for Website Content
When we speak, we meander. We use filler words, restart sentences halfway through, go off on tangents, and circle back to our point three times before we actually make it. That works fine in conversation because the other person can redirect us or ask for clarification.
But on your website? People will just leave.
Good website content needs the warmth and directness of conversation, but with structure and purpose that casual speech often lacks.
Every sentence needs to serve your ultimate goal which could be getting someone to call, book, or trust you enough to let you in their house.
Better: Write Website Content Like They Talk
So you go a step further and write like they talk. This is better because when you use the same words your customers do, you’re literally speaking their language.
Instead of saying “optimize your workflow efficiency,” you say “stop wasting time on stuff that doesn’t matter” because that’s how they actually describe their frustration.
You mirror their problems back to them using their exact words and phrases. There’s no mental translation required. The connection is immediate, and you build instant credibility because you clearly understand their world.
The trick is actually listening to how your customers talk in phone calls when they’re describing the problem, text messages when they’re scheduling, what they say when you walk in the door, and questions they ask during the service. The words they choose reveal how they think about their problems and what solutions would resonate.
The Ultimate Website Content Strategy: Write How They Think
There’s one more, much deeper way to write your website content.
When you write the way they think, you uncover the hidden, never-said-out-loud questions, objections, and wants that drive their behavior.
The Psychology Behind Customer Fear
Here’s what you need to understand: every single customer is dealing with the same core fears:
- Imposter syndrome – feeling like they should know more than they do
- Fear of judgment – worrying the professional will think less of them
- Financial anxiety – scared of unexpected costs or being ripped off
- Social comparison – feeling behind compared to neighbors/friends
- Loss of control – not understanding the process or terminology
When you write website content that acknowledges these fears without making people feel worse about them, you create an instant connection that goes way deeper than just using their vocabulary.
Let me show you what I mean with before and after website content examples:
Website Content Examples: From Generic to Magnetic
Tax Services Website Content: Before and After
What they say: “I need help with my taxes.”
What they’re really thinking: “I’m pretty sure I’m doing everything wrong and the IRS is going to come after me. I have a shoebox full of receipts and no system. This person is going to think I’m an idiot. Am I going to owe a ton of money? Did I screw something up that’s going to get me in trouble?”
Generic version:
Headline: Professional Tax Services
Body copy: We provide comprehensive tax preparation services for individuals and small businesses. Our certified professionals ensure accuracy and maximize your deductions.
Mind-reading version:
Headline: Bring Your Shoebox. We’ll Sort Out the Rest.
Body: Look, we get it. You’ve got receipts stuffed in random places, you’re not sure what counts as a deduction, and you’re lying awake wondering if you missed something that’s going to come back and bite you.
Here’s the thing: You’re not an idiot. The tax code is deliberately confusing. We’ve seen every version of ‘messy records’ you can imagine. And if you have three years of unfiled paperwork? You’re not going to get in trouble for asking for help. Actually, you’re being smart.
HVAC Website Content: Before and After
What they say: “My AC is broken.”
What they’re really thinking: Oh god, how much is this going to cost? Is this guy going to try to sell me a whole new system? I have no idea if what he’s telling me is true or if I’m being ripped off. I feel so stupid about this stuff.
Generic version:
Headline: Quality HVAC Repair & Installation
Body copy: We provide reliable heating and cooling solutions for residential and commercial customers. Our experienced team is committed to excellence and customer satisfaction.
Mind-reading version:
Headline: Find Out What’s Wrong (Before You Spend a Dime)
Body copy: Worried we’re going to walk in and tell you that you need a whole new system? We get it. You’ve heard the horror stories. Here’s our promise: We’ll diagnose the actual problem first, explain it in words that make sense, and give you the real cost upfront. No ‘while we’re here’ upsells. If it’s a $50 fix, we’ll tell you it’s a $50 fix.
House Cleaning Website Content: Before and After
What they say: “I need help cleaning my house.”
What they’re really thinking: I’m embarrassed that my house is this messy. What if she judges me? Should I clean before she gets here? That sounds crazy, but I don’t want her to think I’m a slob. Also, can I trust her alone in my house with all my stuff?
Generic version:
Headline: Residential Cleaning Services
Body copy: Professional house cleaning services. Licensed, bonded, and insured. Weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly service available.
Mind-reading version:
Headline: We Know It’s Messy (That’s Why You Called Us!)
Body: Embarrassed about the state of your house? Don’t be. We’ve cleaned homes where you couldn’t see the kitchen counter, where the laundry pile had its own ecosystem, where kids’ toys created an obstacle course from the front door to the couch. If everything were already spic and span you wouldn’t need us.
How to Discover What They're Really Thinking
- Listen to phone calls and in-person conversations – What questions do they ask? What concerns do they have? How do they describe their problems?
- Pay attention to their first words when you arrive – “Sorry about the mess” or “I hope this isn’t too complicated” reveals their mindset.
- Notice what they apologize for – “I know this is probably a stupid question, but…” or “I should have called sooner, but…”
- Ask follow-up questions – When they say they want X, ask “What would that do for you?” or “What’s been your biggest frustration with this?”
- Read online forums and social media – How do people in your target market talk about their problems when they think no professionals are listening?
Maybe You Have Hidden Thoughts Too?
This approach to writing website content doesn’t just work for customer-facing copy. It works for reaching business owners like you too.
What you say: “I need help with my website copy.”
What you’re really thinking: My website sounds exactly like every other contractor in town. I know my customers have questions they’re not asking out loud. I know they’re comparing me to the cheap guy down the street. I know they’re scared I’m going to judge their mess or rip them off or make them feel stupid. But my website just says ‘professional service’ and ‘quality work’ like everyone else. How do I actually differentiate myself without sounding like I’m bragging or trying too hard?
See? Even you have the hidden thoughts behind what you’re willing to say out loud.
Your Next Step
Stop writing like everyone else in your industry.
Start writing like you can read your customers’ minds because once you understand what they’re really thinking, you can.
That’s the difference between copy that gets ignored and copy that gets customers.
Ready to stop sounding like everyone else? Let’s dig into what your customers are really thinking and turn those insights into copy that actually converts. Get started.
Kristie Parker
Kristie is the co-owner of Bungalow Web Design. She pretends to be a real adult by writing copy for small business websites from her actual bungalow in Tampa, Florida. When she's not web designing, you can find her in the gym, air frying something, or tucking into a Joyce Carol Oates novel with a dirty martini and orange cat nearby.
Kristie Parker
Kristie is the co-owner of Bungalow Web Design. She pretends to be a real adult by writing copy for small business websites from her actual bungalow in Tampa, Florida. When she's not web designing, you can find her in the gym, air frying something, or tucking into a Joyce Carol Oates novel with a dirty martini and orange cat nearby.