Three Website Copy Tactics Sustainable Businesses Need to Consider Implementing Now
By Kelcie Ottoes
There are a couple of non-negotiables when writing website copy. You want to let new customers know who you are. You should showcase your services or products. Organize the information amongst a home, shop, about, and contact page.
These practices are great ideas for sustainable businesses, too.
Yet, sustainable companies need to consider more than website best practices when writing their web copy. Where your sustainable business hosts your website can make a big impact on your carbon emissions.
Creating transparency can help win the trust of even the most skeptical conscious consumers. Finally, you can’t sell a product or service to the masses only focusing on sustainability.
Here’s how you can make the most of these sustainable website best practices.
Host Your Sites on a Sustainable Web Hosting Platforms
Before you even get started on your website, you’ll need to decide where you want to host it. This is an important step, because not all web hosting platforms are created equal. In fact, if you’re not intentional, the internet can be a major carbon emitter.
The internet produces 3.8% of the global emissions. To put that number into perspective, “If the internet was a country, it would be the “6th largest polluter.”
A well designed, fast loading website can reduce your site’s carbon footprint. You can find a green website host on the Green Web Foundation’s website directory. Or, consider working with a sustainable web designer. By enlisting the help of an expert, you’ll be able to create a website with a smaller carbon footprint.
Create Transparency with Certifications and a Partner Strategy
The more transparent you can be, the better. You can increase your transparency quickly through relevant certifications and strategic partnerships.
Seek out certifications people already trust. This allows your organization to build trust quickly, as buyers know you aren’t just talking the talk on your website.
You’re walking the walk, with other people who can vouch for you. This can look like B-Corp Certification, a Climate Neutral Certification, Vegan Certified, Cruelty Free and more.
Once you’ve received a certification, talk about why they’re important to your organization on your website. While a certification logo is great, this extra touch can help people better understand what you stand for.
Next, seek out strategic partners. While these relationships should be genuine, they should also be relevant. A great partner for your website could look like a carbon offsetting program, a composting program, or a non-profit that’s related to your industry.
Mentioning your partnership with these organizations will build trust with conscious consumers.
It can also be helpful to start with the basics if you’re in a complex industry. Help consumers understand how other organizations in your industry run their business. Then, share how you run your business in a different way and the reasons for these practices.
Focus on More Than Your Sustainable Practices, Solve a Problem
89% of people say sustainability is important to them, but only 27% of people regularly buy sustainable products. There’s likely a host of reasons for why this could be.
Maybe most sustainable products are too expensive. Or, they may not know what a sustainable product is. Perhaps they want to seem more sustainable than they are when they fill out surveys!
There is one situation that you can fix with your website copy. Don’t focus on your sustainable practices and forget to showcase the problem you solve or the joy you bring. Sustainability isn’t normally a reason to buy a product, solving a problem is.
That said, your sustainability mission shouldn’t exclusively live on your “Sustainability” or “About” page. While those pages are important, you should inject your sustainable “why” throughout your website content.
Keep in mind the backbone of your copy still needs to be how you solve your ideal customer’s problem or help their dreams come true. Create a balance between sustainability and solving problems.
You also can’t only plant a tree for every three purchases or donate to an environmental non-profit with unsustainable products and claim to be sustainable. Conscious consumers are skeptical of practices like these, especially if it has nothing to do with your product or business industry.
While it’s a nice gesture, people will wonder if you’re only taking sustainable measures to sell more products, rather than to do the right thing.
There’s that transparency point we mentioned, again.
If you are a solely sustainable business, like a solar panel company or a wind farm, share why your product or service is different from others. While your why is to save the planet, it doesn’t make you unique in your industry, the way you do things does.
Maybe you do that through selling solar panels and your service is second to none. You go above and beyond to take care of people. Or maybe your difference is that you’ve found a way to make solar installation more affordable to everyone.
You’ll want to make a point that anyone can be a part of your organization.
Sustainable practices don’t belong on one page, they belong on every page. Yet, the fact that you have a sustainable product likely won’t be a reason a consumer chooses to buy from you. Your service or product solving their problem has a much better chance of creating a sale with a wider audience.
The Next Step: Define the Goals of Your Website and Revisit Them Often
Defining the goals of your website content strategy allows you to clear away all the noise and focus on the things that matter. Identify your goals, measure them often, and test new content strategies one by one to see if they make an impact.
Is your primary goal getting more sales?
Consider first focusing on your product description. Go through each description with a fine-toothed comb, looking for opportunities.
Have you shared all the necessary information someone might need to make a sale? Is the call to action as clear as it could be? Have you used emotional techniques and do you address your ideal clients’ pain points, problems, hopes, and dreams?
Is your primary goal creating thought leadership and authority in your industry?
If yes, then it’s time to start creating content. This can look like regularly posting a blog, creating case studies and reports, or authoring white papers.
By creating content, you’ll be engaging with the conversations happening in your industry until you have the opportunity to lead them.
Is your primary goal to attract high ticket clients?
If so, then you’ll need to put in the effort to have a great funnel strategy. High ticket products and services are considered investments to most conscious consumers. They require multiple touch points and soothing of any doubts.
Answer all possible questions throughout the funnel to help convert the sale. Your goals will help you determine the next step for your sustainable website and content strategy.
Once You’ve Defined Your Goals, Partner with a Professional
Creating a website that connects with conscious consumers, creates transparency, and leads to sales isn’t easy. But your website must show up as your organization’s best self. Once you’ve defined your goals, you should consider partnering with professionals.
A web and graphic designer can help you get on a sustainable web platform that will help reduce your organization’s carbon footprint. They can also design and format your website to create an ideal UX for your target conscious consumer.
For the copy, consider working with a professional who can bring your website to life! Not only will you be working with a professional who knows the industry, but you’ll also be partnering with an expert storyteller.
A copywriter will bring together the right amount of authority, sustainability, and product information. Copywriters create transparency and mix the perfect amount of selling and sustainability to create high-converting websites.
If you’re ready to whip your website into shape, book a call here.
About the Author: Kelcie Ottoes is a copywriter that helps sustainable businesses tell their stories well. She blames major oil companies and Fern Gully for her vocation. You can connect with her at www.kelcieottoescopywriting.com.
