Why good businesses struggle to explain what they do on their website - copywriting and SEO fixes

Here’s your first challenge: Tell me your elevator pitch.

You’ve got 30 seconds to explain to your ideal customer what you do.

Go.

Harder than you thought? Here are a few reasons why your business isn’t bad; you’re just not explaining it right, and how to fix it on your website:

You’re too close.
Being so close to your business (i.e. literally being your business) means you know everything about every part of your business and industry. Every detail. So summarising your business’s purpose to someone who has just landed on your website is difficult because you need to filter out the unnecessary information, while keeping the parts that will convert a visitor.
You’re saying too much.
Quit the jibber-jabber and cut to the chase - in plain English. KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) is your guide. Don’t say 100 words when 10 will do. Website traffic has no patience, so tell them what they need to know right off the bat.
You’re trying to appeal to everyone.
It’s tempting to have an answer for everyone, but that directly conflicts with reason number 2. For example, maybe you’re a builder… Well, there are a million of them, so announcing you’re a builder on your website is like a whisper in a tornado. What sets you apart? Your location, a specific skill/service, cheapest, fastest, most reliable, architectural builds… Finding your strength/difference helps you find your ideal customer. Your ideal customer will find you as the ideal service to fix their problem. Keeping it specific doesn’t necessarily reduce traffic in the long run.
Trying to sound bigger than you are.
This links into number 3. Bigger doesn’t mean better - and not every customer is looking for a conglomerate to fix their problem anyway. If you’re a one-man band, don’t try to hide it. A family-run business relates to community, loyalty and trust. A single tradie out on his own links to the idea of an honest business who’s not afraid to hide their face.
Know the problem that you fix.
Yes, include your services on your website, but link it straight back to why the customer is on your page. What’s the problem they’re trying to fix? Including the reason for your services is extremely important for clarity, but it’s also essential for Google as that’s the kind of information it uses to decide who to show your website to.

Now try again. Tell me your elevator pitch with your customer’s problem front of mind, remain honest, and using the fewest words possible.

Are you still just a mechanic who can fix anything? Or are you a trusted mobile mechanic specialising in heavy machinery throughout North Auckland?

The difference isn’t your business, it’s your message.

The Problem Might Not Be Your Business, But Your Message.

Website for a tradie business // Done Diesel Services