Solid branding and copy should be evident throughout your entire website and brand materials – not just the most obvious areas. Every word and image associated with your brand should have a cohesive feel and continue to envelop your customer in your brand experience.
Sure, you’ve spent time crafting the perfect copy for your homepage, sales pages and about page…but have you remembered the 404 page? While the different areas of a website listed below may not always be the most important in the big scheme of things, it’s just as important to pay attention to the copy used as other areas. Don’t forget these parts of your website. Otherwise, these areas are wasted opportunities where you could have easily injected a little more brand voice and personality.
Don't forget these parts of your website
01. Footer
Quick – think of your website footer the way it is right now? Do you know what’s included in it? Can you even picture what it looks like? (I’m checking mine right now…) Though it comes at the end of a page, it shouldn’t be an afterthought. Depending on how much content or what type of content you include (links to other pages, a contact form, etc.), your voice should be apparent.
02. Contact Page
Contact pages should be clean, simple and clearly share the necessary details for viewers to contact you. But they also don’t have to be dry, copy-pasted words from every other contact page out there. Can you add a short not how you’re looking forward to hearing from users? For your contact form submit button can you think of a different way to label “Submit” or “Enter”?
03. Pop-up or Newsletter Sign-up
Same goes for pop-ups. While they’re often at least designed to fit your website’s branding, the wording also often falls flat. I would argue that these are actually two specific areas where copy is particularly important. Just like a final call to action before the sale or buy button, you’re wanting to persuade the viewer to enter their email and capture them as a lead.
04. Email Confirmation
And after the newsletter sign-up form… How many times have you entered your email address for something and received the confirmation email that looks and sounds like an automated Mailchimp message. Too many. I know setting up email lists and opt-ins and making sure everything connects properly can be frustrating. By the time you get it all to work, you just want to be done! But all these messages your customers receive reflect your brand, business and how you interact with people. Don’t leave it to canned responses.
05. 404 Page
Just like everywhere else, the 404 Page is an easy place to add a little personality and copy in your brand voice. Also, instead of simply saying “Whoops – try again!” and leaving the viewer hanging, direct the user to some options where you want them to go, like to your main sales page or some of your most popular posts.
