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That Dreaded Writing for Your New Website

That Dreaded Writing for Your New Website

Writing for your own website is hard for everyone. It might be extra challenging for introverts because even if you’re a good writer, the exposure feeling and thinking of so many people reading about you and your ideas is hard.

So I’m going to break it down into bite-sized pieces that I know you can do. I’ll include some ways to deal with stuckness and dread.

One of my first clients came to me because she had been trying to write the content for her website for … years. And it was driving her crazy.

Every time she thought about that unfinished website that wasn’t getting launched, she would have anxiety about putting herself out there. Her business was so important to her, so close to her heart, that to write about it, in public, felt too exposing, like the whole world could trample on her heart.

Do you know that feeling? I sure do.

F1-help

Most helping professionals, especially the quiet or introverted ones, go through this struggle. It’s usually the worst when they are first thinking of publishing a website.

They might go hire a web designer first and then that designer says “What do you want your website to say?” and there’s the big gulp. “Ummmmmm, hmmmm, well uh, lemme get back to ya’.” And it sits and sits and sits. 

That’s when I’ve had calls from a web designer saying: “Argh, my website client won’t send me their content and I’m never going to get this website done if they don’t. Can you help them find some clarity?”

That’s pretty much how my coaching business got started. And I continue to hear this same struggle from self-employed introverts. I help them find the clarity and confidence to get it done.

That early client with the website that sat unpublished for years? She finished the writing and got it launched within a few short weeks, and we got it showing up in Google soon after. Then within about three months, she finally got the steady stream of clients she was wanting. A little effort, a little patience, then watch what happens.

Getting That Website Content Easily Done

These insider secrets will help you feel relaxed about your website content:

  1. The words will never feel perfect, no matter how much you fuss with it.
    And that’s OK. Here’s why the words are hard and why brief good-enough words are great.
  2. It’s really OK to launch a website that has only a few words on it.
    Seriously, I’ll give you a cheat sheet on the minimum content below and that’s enough!
  3. You can always change it.
    In fact, that’s the beauty of a website. No brochure to reprint. You can easily edit it yourself whenever you want (assuming you choose an easy-to-use website service).
  4. Most people won’t even read your website.
    But that’s OK, because your favorite audience will stop and read. Most people glance at the images, scan a few headings, and make a snap decision.
  5. Occasionally your kindred spirits will stop and read a little, and they are already liking you by that time!
    They are not the perfectionist police. What a relief.
  6. You can hand over your rough notes to a copyeditor, and they can whip it into shape.
    Or they can interview you and write it. Easy, huh? If this gets it done, then you’re likely to get clients sooner, so it will be worth the investment.
  7. When you let in feedback along the way with writing, it’s so much easier than keeping it all in your head by yourself.
    (Letting others give me feedback saves me so much time and headache.)

Minimum Content for a New Website

When you’re just starting out, your head is probably swimming with ideas of all the things you want to say, or think you should include. Let me bring it down to size for the first phase of your website, just to get it out the door.

Start with just these pages. And all you need is a minimum of one paragraph on each page:

  1. Home
  2. About
  3. Services
  4. Contact

For most service professionals, these are the exact page names you’ll want to use. Don’t confuse people with cute words. Stick to these familiar words for page names.

Now, of course choosing the content for each page is not so simple. But imagine that all you need is a paragraph and maybe you can breathe easier.

The truth is that it will be harder to write only one paragraph than to write a whole page. Brevity is hard. So start with what’s easy. Write a messy draft of any length and edit later, or get help to edit.

Juicy Tips for Making Your Content Sing

Look to what your favorite clients say about you and use their words. Their words will be just the right words to appeal to your ideal audience.

Add in some quotes from people you have helped already. That’s what your website readers want to read. I regularly get contacted by people who say they reached out because of the testimonials.

If you don’t have testimonials, learn how to get some that tell the story. It’s easier than you think. (See the resources below for tips on this.)

Whatever you do, tune into your heart and speak from there. That’s what others can relate to and take action on.

How To Know When Your Content Is Good

Ask some people from your ideal audience (who don’t already know you well) how it strikes them. Let in the feedback. Stop trying to do it all alone in a vacuum.

The true test is when it gets results in the form of new subscribers or new inquiries. Of course, getting people to find your website is a whole other story (see the resources below).

Getting It Done

Just get a basic few paragraphs down and figure out the rest later. One step at a time gets it done. (I think that applies to everything in life.) And if it feels too hard, it just means it’s time to get help.

If you want to improve your business alongside others who can relate to website worries and other marketing concerns, check out The Introvert SOULpreneurs Circle. Membership includes understanding support and practical guidance (including website help).

Resources

These other articles might help you tame your website worries:

Val Nelson

Val Nelson

I’ve been a self-employed career/business/purpose coach since 2009. I help introverts and HSPs (like me) who want to make a difference — in a way that fits our practical needs too.
Val Nelson | Coaching | Groups | Courses | Newsletter | LinkedIn

I appreciate feedback, good and bad. You can comment below or email.

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