Does Your Website Actually Say What You Do? A Checklist for Copywriters
You know that moment when someone asks what you do, and you launch into a 30-second explanation, and halfway through you realize their eyes have glazed over? Now imagine that feeling, except it’s happening on your website, and the person glazing over is a potential client who will never come back.
That’s the fog I’m talking about. And I see it everywhere.
A lot of business owners I talk to have websites that describe what they do in a way that makes perfect sense… to them. The language is professional. It might even be beautifully written. But here’s the thing, it doesn’t actually tell a visitor what they’re getting. Not really. Not in a way that makes them think, “Oh, that’s exactly what I need.”
Instead, visitors leave confused. Or worse, they don’t even understand what you’re offering in the first place, so they never click anything at all.
This isn’t a failure on your part. This is actually one of the most common opportunities I see when I work with women solopreneurs who are ready to refresh their websites. You’ve been so close to your own work for so long that you can’t see it the way a stranger would see it. You use industry language. You skip steps because they’re obvious to you. You assume people know what “coaching” means, or what “consulting” actually looks like when you do it.
The good news? This is completely fixable. And it doesn’t require a total website overhaul. It requires clarity.
Why “Foggy Message” Is Costing You Business
When someone lands on your website, they have about 8 seconds before they decide if they’re in the right place or not. That’s not a made-up number based on a study I read somewhere, that’s just real life. People are impatient online. They’re also usually looking for something specific, and they want to know immediately if you have it.
If your website makes them work too hard to figure out what you do, they’ll leave. Not because you’re not good at what you do, but because the message is unclear.
A foggy message sounds like this:
– “I help people achieve their goals” (which do you help? in what way?)
– “I offer coaching and consulting services” (great, but what’s the outcome?)
– “I work with entrepreneurs to scale their businesses” (what kind of scaling? what kind of entrepreneurs?)
– “I partner with clients to create transformation” (transformation in what area of their life or business?)
These aren’t lies. They’re just… vague. And vagueness sends a message that you’re not sure what you do, or that you do a little bit of everything, which is actually worse than doing one thing.
Here’s what I know about you: You’re actually very specific about what you do. You have an ideal client. You know exactly what problems you solve and what difference you make. But somewhere between your brain and your website, that specificity gets lost.
The opportunity here is to bridge that gap. To translate what you know about your own work into language that makes a stranger immediately understand if you’re the person for them.
The Real Problem With “Everything to Everyone” Language
When you try to describe what you do in a way that appeals to everyone, you end up appealing to no one.
I know that sounds harsh, so let me explain why it’s actually an opportunity.
If your website says you help “busy professionals,” you’re describing about half the population. If it says you help “women who want to feel more confident,” you’re describing most women. If it says you help “entrepreneurs,” you’re describing anyone who sells anything.
When your message is that broad, a visitor doesn’t see themselves in it. They see a generic description that could apply to anyone, which means it doesn’t apply specifically to them. And if it doesn’t apply specifically to them, they don’t feel like you made this for them.
But here’s the thing, you didn’t make this for everyone. You know that. I know that. But your website is making it sound like you did.
The opportunity is to get specific. Beautifully, unapologetically specific.
That might feel risky. You might worry that if you’re specific, you’ll turn people away. And you know what? You will. Some people will leave your website because they realize you’re not for them. And that’s actually perfect. Those weren’t your people anyway. The people who stay and read will be thinking, “Oh my God, she’s talking directly to me.”
What Clear Copy Actually Looks Like
Let me show you the difference between foggy and clear.
Foggy version:
“I’m a business coach who helps entrepreneurs build successful companies through strategic planning and mindset work.”
Clear version:
“I work with female coaches in the first 5 years of their practice who are tired of trading time for money. I help them design a business model that actually feels sustainable.”
See the difference? The clear version tells you:
– Who the client is (female coaches)
– When in their journey (first 5 years)
– What the problem is (trading time for money)
– What the outcome is (a sustainable business model)
It’s longer? Yes. But it’s also unmistakably clear. If you’re a female coach in the first 5 years of your practice, you just read something that made you sit up and pay attention.
A lot of solopreneurs worry that being this specific will make their website too narrow. But I promise you, the opposite is true. Clarity attracts. Vagueness repels. When someone reads clear copy about exactly what you do, they either think “That’s me” or they don’t. And if they don’t, they’ll refer you to someone else because now they understand what you do.
This is the marketing-first principle at work. Before your website needs to be beautiful, it needs to be understood.
The Copywriter’s Checklist: Does Your Website Say What You Actually Do?
If you want to know whether your website has a foggy message problem, use this checklist. Go through each line and be honest with yourself. There’s no judgment here, just clarity.
Does your headline tell a stranger what you do?
Not what you believe in, not your philosophy, but what you actually do? If someone read only your headline, could they finish this sentence: “This person helps _ with _”? If the answer is no, that’s an opportunity.
Do you mention who your ideal client is?
Specific is better than general. Instead of “entrepreneurs,” say “female founders” or “consultants.” Instead of “busy professionals,” say “marketing directors at mid-size tech companies.” If your website says you work with “anyone,” that’s a sign that your message is foggy.
Do you describe the actual problem you solve?
Not the industry problem, not the global problem, but the specific problem your client has when they find you. “My website looks unprofessional and I’m embarrassed to share it” is clearer than “I help with web design.” “I have 15 years of expertise but nobody takes me seriously because I don’t have a presence online” is more specific than “I offer personal branding.”
Do you describe the outcome in concrete terms?
Avoid words like “empowerment,” “transformation,” and “success” without definition. Instead, describe what the client will actually have, do, or feel when they work with you. “A website that sounds like me and makes me feel confident introducing myself” is clearer than “a website that transforms your image.”
Could someone summarize what you do in one sentence without guessing?
This is the real test. Ask someone who doesn’t know you to read your website, then ask them to tell you what you do. If their answer matches what you actually offer, you’re good. If they’re confused or vague, that’s the fog you need to clear.
Does your copy explain the difference between what you do and what anyone else in your field does?
A lot of websites describe what everyone in that industry does. “I’m a life coach” is generic. “I coach women over 50 who are rebuilding their careers after leaving corporate jobs” is distinctive. What makes your approach different? Is it the people you work with? The specific problem? The method? If someone can’t answer this from your website, there’s an opportunity to add specificity.
Is your language the language your client would use?
This is subtle but important. If your ideal client would say, “I need help with my sales strategy,” but your website says, “Revenue optimization and go-to-market positioning,” there’s a disconnect. Your ideal client is reading your website thinking, “Is this for me?” Use their language, not industry jargon.
Do you explain what the client gets out of working with you, not just what you do?
“I offer strategic consulting” is about what you do. “You’ll walk away with a 90-day action plan you can implement yourself” is about what they get. One is about you. One is about them. Guess which one matters more to someone visiting your website?
Go through your website with these eight questions. Every yes is great. Every no is an opportunity to clarify your message.
How to Fix Foggy Copy Without Starting Over
Here’s the thing I want you to know: you don’t have to rebuild your entire website to fix this. You don’t have to hire a copywriter (though you can). You don’t have to redesign anything.
You just have to get clearer about what you say.
Start with your headline. If it’s vague, replace it with something specific. Then look at your “About” section or your service description. If someone is confused about what you do after reading it, that’s the section that needs work.
The process is simple:
Step 1: Write down what you actually do.
Not the polished version. The real version. “I help women who left corporate jobs figure out what comes next and build a business around it.” That kind of thing.
Step 2: Write down who benefits most from working with you.
Not everyone. The people who always say yes, the people who refer others to you, the people you enjoy working with. Get specific. Age, industry, situation, whatever details matter.
Step 3: Write down the main problem those people have.
Not a generic problem. The problem they have when they find you. What’s keeping them up at night? What are they stuck on?
Step 4: Write down what’s different after they work with you.
Not how they feel (though that matters), but what they can actually do, have, or understand that they couldn’t before. This is the outcome.
Step 5: Look at your website and see where these things appear.
If they don’t appear, or if they’re buried, that’s where you need to add clarity.
This doesn’t require technical skills. This doesn’t require a full redesign. This is just translating what you already know about your work into language that makes sense to a stranger.
If you want help doing this, let’s talk about it. Sometimes all you need is someone to ask the right questions and help you see what’s actually foggy.
The Relief That Comes With Clarity
I’ll be honest with you. One of the most satisfying parts of my work isn’t the design or the technical side. It’s the moment when a website owner reads her new homepage and exhales. She stops thinking, “I hope people understand what I do.” She starts thinking, “Yeah, that’s me. That’s exactly what I do.”
That’s what clear copy feels like. It feels like permission to stop worrying so much about whether people get it. Because they will. Because you finally explained it in a way that makes sense.
Your website should sound like you. It should describe your work in your words, for your people, in a way that makes them immediately understand if you’re the person for them. That’s what I help with, and it starts with clarity.
Everything else builds from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my business serves multiple types of clients? Can I still be specific?
You absolutely can. But here’s the opportunity: most solopreneurs find that one type of client is easier to work with, more profitable, or just more enjoyable. That’s your starting point. You can have additional service offerings on your website, but your main message should focus on your primary ideal client. Clarity doesn’t mean you can never work with anyone else, it means your website clearly communicates who you serve best.
How specific is too specific? Won’t I turn people away?
Yes, you will turn some people away. And that’s the whole point. Those people weren’t going to hire you anyway. When your message is too broad, you turn away the people who might hire you because they can’t tell if you’re actually for them. Specific turns away the wrong people and attracts the right ones. That’s much better than vague, which confuses everyone.
My services are complicated. Can I still explain them clearly on my website?
Complicated services need even clearer explanation, not less. Instead of trying to describe everything, focus on the main outcome or the biggest problem you solve. You can add more detail on service pages, but your headline and intro should be crystal clear about the one thing someone needs to understand first. Remember, your website doesn’t have to explain everything about what you do, it just has to make people want to talk to you.
If I make my message more specific, will I limit my earning potential?
This is the question I hear a lot, and the answer is no. Specificity actually increases your earning potential because you attract people who genuinely want what you offer. They’re ready to work with you, they value your expertise, and they’re less likely to negotiate your fees. Vague messaging attracts people who are still shopping around and unsure if they need you at all. Clear messaging attracts people who know they need exactly what you do.
If your website no longer feels like you, let’s talk about it – Book a Free Website Clarity Call with Beth →