The Short Answer
Website copy stands out when it speaks to one specific reader instead of a generic audience, leads with what the customer actually gets rather than a list of features, and is written to be scanned rather than read start to finish. Copy that sounds like it could belong to any business in the industry is the biggest reason visitors skim past it without absorbing anything.
Most generic website copy isn’t badly written — it’s just non-specific. Phrases like “quality service you can trust” or “your satisfaction is our priority” appear on thousands of competitor sites and communicate nothing a visitor couldn’t already assume.
Quick-Reference: Common Website Copy Problems and Fixes
| Copy Problem | Why It Happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sounds like every competitor | Generic industry phrases used as filler | Replace with specifics only true of your business |
| Leads with features, not outcomes | Written from the business’s perspective, not the customer’s | Rewrite to open with what the customer gets |
| Reads as a wall of text | Written like a brochure, not a webpage | Break into short paragraphs, subheadings, and bullets |
| Full of jargon or buzzwords | Trying to sound more sophisticated | Cut anything a real customer wouldn’t say out loud |
Speak to One Specific Reader, Not Everyone
What it means: Copy written to appeal to “everyone” usually ends up speaking clearly to no one. The most persuasive website copy is written as if addressing one real person with a specific problem, not a broad demographic.
What to do:
- ✓ Name the specific problem your best customers actually have, in their own words
- ✓ Replace industry jargon with the phrases customers use when describing the problem themselves
- ✓ Write the homepage as if answering “why should I choose you” for one person, not a category of people
This differentiation-first approach matters just as much as the visuals — generic copy undermines even strong custom website design work if the words on the page could belong to any competitor.
Lead With the Outcome, Not the Feature List
What it means: Visitors care first about what changes for them, not the mechanics of how a business delivers it. Copy that opens with credentials, process details, or feature lists before stating the outcome loses attention before it earns it.
What to do:
- ✓ State the customer’s outcome in the first sentence of a section, then explain how you deliver it
- ✓ Move credentials, certifications, and process detail below the outcome statement, not above it
- ✓ Check whether your current homepage headline reads as a benefit statement or just a description of what you do
See our guide on what to include on your homepage for which sections carry the most weight for this kind of outcome-first framing.
Write for Scanning, Not Reading Start to Finish
What it means: Most website visitors scan rather than read every word. Nielsen Norman Group’s eyetracking research found that users typically read only 20–28% of the text on an average page, scanning in an F-shaped pattern across headlines and the first few words of paragraphs.
What to do:
- ✓ Front-load the key point of each paragraph in its first sentence, not its last
- ✓ Use subheadings that work as a skimmable outline even if nothing else on the page gets read
- ✓ Bold the one phrase in a paragraph that a scanning visitor most needs to catch
Cut Jargon and Filler Phrases That Add Nothing
What it means: Filler phrases like “we pride ourselves on” or “committed to excellence” take up space without telling a visitor anything they couldn’t already assume about any business in the category.
What to do:
Read every sentence and ask whether a specific, honest fact could replace it — a real number, a real example, or a real detail about how the work actually gets done. If a sentence would sound identical on a direct competitor’s site, it’s a strong candidate to cut or rewrite.
When to Bring in Help
If your copy reads fine sentence by sentence but the whole page still feels forgettable, that’s usually a sign the issue is structural — outcome-first framing and specificity, not grammar or polish. Get a Free Consultation with SDB4U at 416-477-3285 and we can review your current copy against what’s actually working for similar businesses.
FAQ
What makes website copy sound generic?
Overused industry phrases that could apply to any business in the category, such as “quality you can trust” or “customer-focused service,” without specific details that only your business could honestly claim.
Should website copy be short or long?
It should be as long as it needs to be to answer a visitor’s real questions, structured so the key points can be scanned even by someone who won’t read every word. Length matters less than whether the most important information is easy to find.
How is website copy different from a brochure?
A brochure is typically read in one sitting; website copy is scanned in short bursts and needs subheadings, short paragraphs, and front-loaded key points to work the way visitors actually browse.
Can good copy fix a website with low conversions?
It helps, but copy is only one factor. See our guide on what makes a call-to-action actually work for the layout and placement side of the same problem.
Do I need a professional copywriter, or can I write my own website copy?
Many business owners can write effective copy themselves once they know the specific customer problem and outcome to lead with — the harder part is usually being specific enough, which a second set of eyes often catches faster than a solo rewrite.
Disclaimer
Nielsen Norman Group is a trademark of its respective owner. SDB4U is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nielsen Norman Group. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners.