Ever get off a sales call thinking, “Why do I keep having to explain the same thing over and over again? It’s on my website!”
You’ve sunk countless hours into your website.
Tweaking copy.
Choosing fonts.
Moving buttons around.
The pages are there. The words are there. But it’s not working.
Maybe you find yourself:
- Repeating the same explanations on every call
- Wasting precious hours tweaking your website without better results
- Watching people visit your site and then disappear without taking the next step
In other words, it isn’t converting, building trust, or doing its one damn job.
Here’s the truth (Taylor Swift lyrics do not apply here): you’re not the problem.
Creating a website that actually connects — that sells, guides, and resonates — is f-ing hard.
It takes more than a pretty layout. A gorgeous Showit template won’t solve all your website woes.
A good website tells a story, uses buyer psychology, and is a delight to use.
Unless this is your full-time job (hi, it’s mine), it’s unreasonable to expect to know all the ins and outs.
The good news is that you don’t have to get a second degree specializing in websites. You just need to learn where most websites go wrong and how to fix those mistakes.
That’s when things change:
- You find clarity and resonance
- You stop explaining things over and over again
- You get leads who already trust you — before you ever get on a call
Let’s walk through the three biggest shifts I help my Storycraft clients make when their site feels flat, fuzzy, or just not converting.
1. Be clear, concise, and compelling
Let’s not overcomplicate this: clarity converts.
Not cleverness.
Not long paragraphs.
Not your “unique process.”
If your website isn’t clear, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it is; people won’t stick around long enough to care.
For example, when I’m looking for a new service provider, I read reviews and visit websites to find reasons to eliminate that business from my list. I don’t start considering who I should hire until I have a shortlist of those left standing.
Your prospective clients may be doing the same. If they can’t immediately tell what you do, who it’s for, how it helps, or what their next step is — they’re bouncing.
Your website doesn’t need to say everything. In fact, it shouldn’t. But it does need to say the right things at the right time.
Let’s look at the small but powerful shifts that will turn “meh” messaging into clear, compelling copy that works.
Clarify the core offer
If you can’t explain what you do in one or two sentences, your customers can’t either.
You have to get crystal clear on the one thing you want people to know about you. It’s hard to narrow everything down to just one idea, but the clarity you gain is worth it.
Focus on:
- What is it?
- Who is it for?
- What’s the result?
- Why now?
When you can answer those questions in one or two sentences, you’ll finally have clarity on your website, in your elevator pitch, and everywhere else.
Here’s my sentence:
I make story-led websites for solopreneurs who are ready to ditch DIY so they can spend more time on paid work or living their lives.
Check for clarity with the 5-Second Rule and the “Movie Trailer” Test
You’ve got about 5 seconds to make a first impression. If people have to scroll, squint, or decode to learn what you do, who it’s for, or why it matters, they’ll likely bounce.
Find someone who is unfamiliar with your offer. Pull up your website and have them look at it for 5 seconds. Then ask them to explain your offer. If they can’t do it, you have work to do.
Another way to think of your homepage is that it’s a movie trailer for your offer. Trailers tease the story without giving away the entire plot. They create curiosity and make you want to see more.
Your homepage isn’t the place to explain everything you do. Its job is to make people want to learn more about what you do and how you can help them.
You may be wondering, “How do I get my homepage to pass these two tests?” Short answer: with intention and message hierarchy.
Message hierarchy (aka don’t build a wall of text)
Your site needs visual rhythm. Design plays a role here, but a great design can’t save a weak message.
Every page, every section, every pixel needs a job. You do that with structure and strategy.
Copywriting frameworks are the secret sauce.
Each framework has strengths and weaknesses, so your goals will determine which to use.
PAS (Problem → Agitation → Solution) is great for homepage sections and service pages.
AIDA (Attention → Interest → Desire → Action) works well on long sales pages and case studies.
My personal favorite is storytelling, which describes a before-and-after journey. Donald Miller explains it well in Building a StoryBrand 2.0.
The one thing I want you to take away from this section: use this structure at the top of your homepage:
- Headline: What you do + who it's for + why it matters
- Subhead: Adds clarity, often teases the result or outcome
- Proof: A testimonial, stat, or social proof to build trust
- CTA: A clear and specific next step (“Book a Call,” not “Learn More”)
Choose the right words
My last tip for a clear, concise, and compelling website is to choose your words carefully.
You want to avoid fluffy and generic phrases that sound empowering but mean nothing. For example:
- “Custom solutions for impactful change”
- “Unlock your full potential”
- “Holistic support rooted in strategy”
You also want to avoid using jargon — words that are common in your industry, but not to outsiders.
Instead, use plain language: write how people talk.
No one says, “I want to unlock my full potential.”
They do say, “I want to do my best.”
You don’t need to “sound smart.”
You need to sound human.
2. Make it about them (not you)
Your website should be all about you, right? Not quite.
The hard truth: no one visits your website to read about you. They don’t care about where you went to school; they care about how you can help them.
If your website is just your resume plus some other stuff, it isn’t living up to its full potential.
You are an important character in the story your website tells, but you aren’t the hero. Your client is Harry Potter; you are Dumbledore.
You need to tell a story that convinces your client you can help them overcome their problems and become a better version of themselves.
You do that by focusing on their pain points, their goals, and their words. Then you can position your offer as the solution.
Let’s get into how to write copy that reflects you — while speaking directly to them.
Use their actual words
Steal your customers’ words.
It’s simple. Use words from past clients to attract new ones.
The reason? The best copy doesn’t “sell” — it reflects.
If you can get inside your ideal customer’s head and use the words they think, empathize with their struggles, and mirror their hopes and dreams back to them, you’ll score instant trust points.
I really can’t overstate how powerful your target buyer’s words can be.
But where can you find them?
You may already have them.
Pay close attention to what people say during sales calls or in your DMs. You can also find golden nuggets in your testimonials and reviews.
If all else fails, look at Reddit threads or Facebook groups.
When I work with a Storycraft client, I’m listening for these raw phrases and then stealing them liberally for their copy. Your customers say things better than any copywriter ever could.
Talk about outcomes, not methods
This one might sting a little, but your audience doesn’t care about your trademarked framework. They care about how working with you will benefit them.
As founders and creators, we care deeply about our processes, methodologies, and qualifications. Those details feel extremely important to us because it’s how the work gets done well.
But we have to remember, our website isn’t about us, it’s about our customer.
Filter everything through the lens of their desires.
Write about benefits and outcomes, not features and how-tos.
Copywriting legend Eugene Schwartz describes 5 stages of market sophistication. Each level requires a different marketing strategy, ranging from “make a simple, direct claim” to “sell an identity, become iconic.”
When we work together, part of my job is to determine your audience’s level of market sophistication and tailor your messaging to meet them where they’re at.
Flip the About page
A lot of websites get their About page wrong. Too many people use it as a biography or resume page.
Counterintuitively, your About page isn’t about you, it’s about your customer (did you see that coming?).
You still talk about yourself on it, but your story is reframed to explain why it matters to them.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for this. The best way to structure your About page depends on what you do and how you position yourself.
For my clients, I’ve developed three frameworks for About pages in my Storycraft Atlas. I select the best framework for that client’s goals and then use it as an outline for writing the copy.
I use them more as guidelines than rules, but they help ensure that I’m always including what needs to be there.
My own About page is a real-life example of my Hybrid (Story + Strategy) framework. It uses my personal backstory to build a connection, while also communicating the value I offer and how I work.
- Hero: what I do, who I do it for, and why it matters
- Founder Story: my backstory, how I ended up doing what I do
- Manifesto: a belief filter to check alignment
- Process: high-level view of how I run a Storycraft project
- Personal Detail: fun story on how I named (and cat-themed) my business
- Call-to-Action: final nudge to take the next step towards working with me
It’s entirely about me and my business, but it’s framed in a way that makes it relevant to my target audience. I built it to move people from consideration to converting (booking a discovery call). If we work together, I’ll do the same for you.
3. Create an intentional path
A good website takes more than checking pages off a list. It needs to guide readers from “I don’t know anything about them” to “shut up and take my money.”
Most people treat their website like a collection of pages: homepage, about, services, contact — check, check, check.
Those websites are missing the point:
A website isn’t a digital business card. It’s a journey.
Every page should lead somewhere.
Every section should do something.
Every click should bring your visitor one step closer to taking action.
To do this, your website needs to tell an intentional story that builds trust and guides your visitor to the final call to action.
“Business card” websites get this wrong. A lot of times, they go nowhere and end up at dead ends.
Think about it: when that happens to you, do you keep clicking aimlessly, or do you leave and check out the competition?
To design that path with purpose, you need to know:
- How to map the journey your client needs to take (not just the one you want them to take)
- How to make sure every page has a clear next step
- And how to use story-driven structure to gently lead people toward saying “yes”
Because the best websites don’t just look good — they move people.
Let’s talk about how to make yours do exactly that.
Map the journey
One of the most important (and most overlooked) parts of a high-converting website is mapping the client journey — the intentional path someone takes from the moment they land on your site to the moment they reach out or buy.
Most people think the path is obvious:
Homepage → About → Services → Contact → Done.
But in reality?
That’s not how people move through websites.
People won’t always start on your homepage. They might find you through a podcast link, a blog post, or a referral that sends them straight to your services page.
That means every page needs context.
Every page should quickly answer:
- Who is this for?
- What’s the transformation or benefit?
- What’s the next step?
You may worry that doing this makes you sound repetitive. It doesn’t. No one will read every word on your website, but if they did, repetition actually builds trust.
The other thing every page needs to do is guide your visitor forward. That could be:
- Booking a call
- Reading a client story
- Downloading a free resource
- Exploring the offer in more detail
Whatever it is, it needs to be clear, simple, and aligned with where they are in their decision-making process.
“Ok, but what does mapping the journey actually look like?” you ask.
For my clients, I use my Storycraft Atlas to:
- Identify the website’s page types (e.g. home, about, service, sales, start here, etc.)
- Plan the sections for each page (e.g. hero, offer snapshot, client proof, call to action, etc.)
- Connect everything by planning strategic links between pages and within sections
I do this before writing a single word of copy. This way, every word I write guides your visitors through your website, regardless of where they start.
Use strong, specific CTAs
Most websites have some calls to action. But many of them are too vague to actually work.
Here’s the truth:
“Click here” and “Learn more” aren’t real CTAs.
They don’t tell your visitor what they’re getting or why they should care.
(They’re also very bad for accessibility. Screenreaders often read links without context — “click here” and “learn more” mean nothing in isolation.)
Your call to action (CTA) is what turns interest into momentum. It’s how you guide people towards the next step in the journey.
Active verbs and descriptive, helpful, human language work best.
Here are some examples of clear, specific CTAs that give direction and context:
- “Start your story” – great for someone just beginning to explore your work
- “See how it works” – ideal for a service or process page
- “Get clarity on your message” – positions your call or lead magnet as a solution
- “Book your free discovery call” – tells them exactly what they’re signing up for
- “Find the right package for you” – matches people who aren’t ready to commit, but are open to exploring
Every CTA should answer the unspoken question:
“What happens if I click this?”
This next point is very important:
Not every visitor is ready to buy — and your CTAs should reflect that.
Someone at the top of your funnel (say, landing on your homepage for the first time) may not be ready to jump on a sales call. They might just be curious, cautious, or trying to figure out what you even do.
So instead of pushing them to “Book Now” right away, guide them gently with options like:
- “Get to know my process”
- “Read a client success story”
- “Download the roadmap”
On the flip side, someone who’s clicked through to your “Work With Me” page, scrolled all the way to the end, and nodded along the whole way? That person is likely more ready — so give them a CTA like:
- “Book your call”
- “Apply to work together”
- “Let’s start your project”
Matching the CTA to the stage your visitor is in builds trust and reduces friction. It says: “I see where you’re at, and I’ve got the right next step for you.”
The frameworks in my Storycraft Atlas describe how each section fits into the funnel, matching every CTA to user intent. I’ve built a robust system to ensure that your visitors find what they need when they need it.
That means no dead ends, no generic buttons, and no pressure-heavy prompts that scare people off.
Just clear, thoughtful direction that moves people forward — in a way that feels good.
Think like a storyteller
At its core, your website isn’t just a place to list your services. It’s not a digital flyer or a glorified contact form.
It’s a narrative.
And in that narrative, your visitor is the main character, not you.
You’re not the hero of this story. You’re the guide; the person who understands where they are, can clearly show them what’s possible, and walk alongside them to help them get there.
When you frame your site like a story, you’re not just sharing information.
You’re building belief.
Belief that:
- Change is possible
- They’re not alone
- You understand them
- You have a path forward
To be clear, storytelling is not “once upon a time there was a solo web designer struggling to attract clients.” It’s far more subtle than that, but it does contain the elements we’re used to finding in a story.
The StoryBrand framework includes 7 story elements. Here’s what they look like using my business as an example:
- A character: solo coaches, consultants, and service providers
- Has a problem: your DIY disaster consumes your time with little ROI
- They meet a guide: my business, Neva Masquerade
- Who gives them a plan: Storycraft starts with your story, the one value proposition no one else can duplicate
- And calls them to action: “start your story”
- They succeed: a Storycraft site is managed for you (more time) and is built to convert (more clients)
- Or fail: the DIY disaster continues to drag you down
- And transform: you have more time for paid work, hobbies, and loved ones
You don’t have to use all 7 elements on every page. You also don’t have to use them in order (you could start with the transformation and then “flashback” to the problem).
I like pairing storytelling with other copywriting frameworks, such as PAS (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action).
My Storycraft Atlas includes the most effective copy frameworks for each page, along with how they are used in each section. This approach helps me create compelling messages that support the overarching story of the website.
That means every page, every section, and every piece of messaging is designed to gently guide your reader through a transformation. You don’t just tell them what you do — you show them what’s possible.
And that’s the difference between a website people forget and one that makes them reach out and say:
“I felt like you were speaking directly to me.”
You might be wondering…
“Okay, this all sounds great… but how do I actually fix this without rebuilding the whole damn site?”
Fair question. And if that’s where your brain went, you’re not alone.
Here’s the good news:
You don’t have to tear everything down.
You don’t need to rewrite your entire site from scratch.
And you definitely don’t need to wait until “things calm down” or you finally find time for a full rebrand.
A handful of smart, strategic tweaks can make a surprisingly big difference.
Here’s where I recommend starting:
1. Tighten up your homepage headline & subhead
This is prime real estate.
If someone lands on your site, can they tell what you do, who it’s for, and why it matters — in five seconds or less?
If not, you’re probably losing people before they even scroll.
One strong, clear sentence up top can change everything.
2. Cut the fluff
Read through your main pages. Highlight anything that feels vague, bloated, or like it’s trying too hard.
You don’t need to sound “professional.” You need to sound like you.
The clearer and plainer your language, the more people will trust you.
3. Make your CTAs actually say something
“Learn more” and “Click here” aren’t calls to action.
Tell people what they’re doing and why it matters:
- “See the process”
- “Start your project”
- “Get expert eyes on your site”
This kind of clarity keeps people moving and turns browsers into buyers.
These small changes don’t require a full site overhaul.
But they do have the power to shift how your site feels, how it flows, and how it performs.
And if you’d rather not spend your nights rewriting web copy, that’s exactly what I’m here for.
Your website doesn’t have to feel flat
Quick recap:
Be Clear, Concise, and Compelling
Because clarity builds trust — and trust is what leads to clicks, calls, and clients.
Make It About Them, Not You
Your story matters, but your copy should focus on them. Speak their language. Show the transformation. Be the guide.
Create an Intentional Path
Even great copy falls flat without structure. Every page should have a purpose and a clear next step.
When those three things are dialed in, your website stops being an online business card and starts working like a strategic asset that earns trust, answers questions, and brings the right people to your inbox.
You’re not just making your site look better.
You’re making it work harder.
Want help making it happen?
If your current site feels flat, scattered, or “fine, I guess” — and you know it’s not doing your work justice — let’s change that.
I help coaches, consultants, and creative pros ditch their DIY disaster and get a site that actually reflects their clarity, confidence, and credibility.
Because your message is too important to get buried in buzzwords, vague pages, or confusing layouts.
Book a free discovery call
We’ll talk through what’s working, what’s not, and where you’re leaving money (or momentum) on the table.
No pressure, no pitch — just real talk and honest insight.
Let’s build a site you’re proud to share.
And even more proud to send clients to.
