When you’re budgeting for your website redesign, there’s one item that often gets overlooked: website copy.

But a high-converting website relies on both design and copy to ensure that you get more inquiries from your ideal clients.

Ask most designers and copywriters, and you’ll get consensus on two things: 

One, if you’re rebranding or relaunching your website, you should invest in copywriting and brand messaging along with website design.

And two, your copywriter should finish your website copy before web design begins.

What Difference Does Investing in Website Copy Make?

Many wedding pros assume that their main selling point is aesthetics, and that if they have a social feed and a website full of gorgeous photos of their work, that’s enough to ensure that they stay booked far in advance.

But if you comb through the 5-star reviews of successful wedding pros, you’ll start to notice a pattern:

Couples aren’t just raving about the photos of their sparkler exit, or how their planner made sure everyone (even Aunt Kathy) stuck to the timeline. 

They’re talking about the experience they had with their vendors. How their planner helped them feel relaxed on their wedding week by making sure every detail was taken care of. How their photographer got them to loosen up in front of the camera, even though they “aren’t picture people.”

Your copywriter’s job is to pull back the curtain on your business and understand who you are, what you do, and exactly why clients book you over the competition. 

Then they transform that into copy that shows couples exactly what the wedding experience will be like when they book with you, and builds a connection through sensory details and storytelling that’s infused with emotions.

Your Website Copy Should Shape Your Design—Not the Other Way Around

The number one question I get asked as a website copywriter is “Which should come first, copy or design?”

While everyone’s answer is a little different, 9 out of 10 copywriters—including me—are going to tell you that you’ll get a better result if the copy is done before the design process starts.

If your copy is complete first, your web designer will be able to build a layout that showcases the copy to its fullest advantage.

For example, I’ve worked with several elopement photographers, and they know that many couples have never actually been to an elopement before. To help them envision what their day will look like, we wrote out a detailed timeline, and then their designer mapped it out within Showit.

Designers also need to take into account the amount of space that copy is going to take up. Having the copy done first allows them to take space into consideration, rather than tweaking an existing layout because there’s too much (or too little) copy for the original design.

Having Your Copy Done and Dusted Keeps the Website Design Process Moving

It’s tempting to think that you can DIY your copy—after all, it’s just words on a page, right? How hard can it be?

Fast-forward to a month later, when you’re supposed to be handing a Google Doc over to your designer, but it’s….still blank.

Now you’re faced with a choice: either delay the web design step (which may or may not be an option, depending on the contract you signed with your designer), or receive a finished site with filler text.

Investing in a copywriter ensures that you’ll have completed website copy in your hands by the time your designer needs to get started on your website, so that you can launch on time.

Your Website Copy Does the Selling for You

As a copywriter, my goal is always for you to hop on a sales call with an ideal couple and have them tell you that it’s just a formality—they’re 100% sold on working with you after reading your website.

But to make that magic happen, we first weave in elements of SEO, user experience, buyer psychology, and storytelling—exactly the same way your web designer does.

When you pair well-crafted copy with professional web design, your website is going to be a powerhouse that helps you achieve your business goals—whether that means booking fewer weddings at a higher price, working exclusively with couples that share your values, or building up your team because you’re getting more inquiries than one person can handle.

This is a guest post by Andrea Shah. Adrea is a copywriter for photographers, weddings pros and ambitious creatives.

If you want to learn more about Andrea – go check her out HERE and see for yourself just what a word wizard she is!