Can we speak honestly?
Way too many coworking spaces have lackluster website copy.
I’m not pointing fingers, I’m just sharing an observation.
And the reality is that great web copy is just as important as (if not more important than) great web design and programming. Its impact on user experience can’t be overstated.
It’s not surprising, though, that so many coworking spaces have poorly written web copy. So do a ton of businesses in every industry. It’s a volume thing. With so many coworking spaces across the world, it’s statistically understandable that a high volume would have less-than-captivating web copy.
Here’s the problem, though:
Poorly written web copy can bounce people off of your site faster than a bowling ball landing on a trampoline.
Why’s that?
Because the average visitor on your website will only read 20% of the content on your page—IF it’s good (remember this because we’ll talk about it again shortly).
So, if your web copy is no bueno, you can bet that number’s going to be a whole lot lower.
And as a result, you can lose credibility, make a bad first impression, and, worst of all, lose potential revenue.
In our digital world—especially in the midst of the pandemic—your website is going to be your potential members’ first impression of your coworking space. It’s the first place they’re going to look to get a feel for what your space is about. If it doesn’t grab them, they’ll be gone to the next option quickly.
I know what you’re thinking: “Yeah, yeah, OK, but you’re speaking in vague terms and I don’t really know what you mean.”
Let me clarify.
Here are the biggest and most common problems I see on a lot of coworking space websites:
Please, PLEASE, don’t do this. If somebody’s only going to read 20% of the content on your website and you have a 10-sentence paragraph below the header, you’re going to lose them before they get to the good stuff. How much information can you really convey clearly in a chunky paragraph? Whatever you’re trying to say, write it once. Then scale it back. Then re-read it. Then scale it back again. Two to three sentences, MAX, in any one section. Make that your mission.
Another hazard of having clunky, dense paragraphs of information? People’s brains HATE it. In fact, they’re biologically hardwired against it. In his book, Building a Storybrand, Donald Miller explains that our brains are trained to conserve calories for survival. Literally. And the act of thinking actually burns calories. The more we have to think, the more calories we burn. So, your dense, convoluted website copy is literally making people burn extra calories to decipher it. It goes against their survival instincts. And that won’t fly. You want to say everything in simple, short, digestible sentences.
Remember how I told you to remember the 20% thing?
Voila:
The reason people only consume that much of your website content is because they’re simply scanning it.
Your web copy needs to be scannable. And to do this, you need to use strategically crafted headers followed by short bits of copy. Remember, NO long paragraphs. One idea, one header, one blurb. Then move on.
No offence, but nobody cares about you. Not really. They care about what you can do for them. How you can solve their problems. How you make their lives easier. So, why do so many coworking spaces write copy about themselves rather than about their prospective members? You need to write “you-focused” copy that lets them know quickly and efficiently the exact ways in which you’ll solve the exact problem they have—whether that’s a sense of isolation working at home, challenges with productivity, the need for a professional network, or the services and amenities to run their business.Know your target demo. Write for them.
Here’s another killer: copy that uses a lot of words to tell you absolutely nothing. Copy that never gets to the point. Doesn’t spell out specific benefits. Doesn’t ever actually explain what makes your space unique or separate it from the competition.Make it clear. Make it meaningful. Deliver all and only the important details. Don't bore people with jargon, fluff, and superfluous verbiage.
Your website needs to be a journey for your prospective member. It needs to flow. It needs to guide them into being interested by addressing their challenges, presenting them with the solutions you offer, overcoming their objections, and then validating why you’re the right choice.
All too often, coworking space websites are just a jumble of information. Put yourself in your potential member’s shoes and give some thought to the order in which you’d want to learn key pieces of information about a workspace.
Cringe.
Few things can satobage you're profesional image faster than a website with typos and poor grammar in it.
See?
Just promise me you’ll be thorough in reviewing your writing for typos, spelling mistakes, and grammar.
Now, please understand: none of this is meant to slander anyone’s website.
The reality is that these issues arise because creating compelling and engaging web copy is a craft that demands a ton of strategy and practice. It’s hard. And oftentimes, coworking operators are writing their own copy and they’re simply not seasoned in how to do it the best way possible.
And there’s also the challenge of simply being too close to your brand and your space to be able to objectively articulate the important stuff and leave out the rest.
The best web copy comes from a collaborative tango between coworking space operators and an impartial expert copywriter.
The copywriter can extract the coworking space operator’s deep expertise about their business and their market as well as the coworking space’s unique story. And then they turn it into strategically written web copy designed to drive clicks and convert leads into members.
I work with coworking operators from across North America to create compelling and engaging web copy that helps drive membership sign-ups. If you’d like to learn more about how I can help you, or if you’re interested in bringing on some help to hone in on your space’s identity, get in touch with me today.