How to write website copy that people read, trust and act on

Start with what Google actually asks for

Google's guidance on helpful, reliable, people-first content is a useful writing brief. It suggests asking whether your content provides original information, comprehensive coverage and insight, and whether it is the sort of page someone would bookmark, share or recommend.¹ It describes trust as the most important part of what it calls E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.¹

It also suggests thinking about three questions:¹

Who wrote it? Clear authorship, such as a byline and author information, builds trust.
How was it created? Being open about how content was produced, including any use of AI, helps readers understand it.
Why does it exist? Content should exist mainly to serve readers, not to manipulate rankings.

And it lists warning signs of search-engine-first content: producing content mainly to attract search traffic, mass-producing pages on many topics, relying heavily on automation without curation, and manipulating publication dates.¹

The structure of a page that works

A headline that says what you do. "Marketing for New Zealand businesses" beats "Welcome".
One sentence on who it is for and what changes for them. The result, not the process.
A clear next step, visible without scrolling, in plain words: "Send an enquiry".
Proof. A named testimonial, a result with a number, or a credential that is easy to verify.
How it works, in three or four short steps, so the unknown feels manageable.
Answers to the usual doubts: price approach, timing, what you need from them, what happens if it is not a fit.
The same next step again, at the end of the page.

Write like a person

Use short sentences and everyday words. If you would not say it out loud, rewrite it.
Talk about the customer ("you") more than yourself ("we").
Be specific. "Reply within 24 hours" beats "fast response".
Cut anything that could be on any competitor's site.
Put the answer first, then the explanation.

Build trust with honest detail

Specifics are more believable than adjectives. Show the process, name what you will and will not do, and be open about limits. Do not claim results you cannot back up. Under New Zealand law, claims need evidence, which is covered in my guide to NZ marketing rules.

Google also says trust is especially important for topics that affect people's finances, health or safety, and that clear sourcing and author credentials help show it.¹ If your page touches those areas, say who is behind it and cite where facts come from.

Titles, descriptions and headings

Google's SEO starter guide asks for page titles that are unique to the page, clear and concise, and accurately describe it, and for short, unique descriptions that summarise the page in one or two sentences.² It also recommends breaking long content into paragraphs under descriptive headings.² Write the title and description first. If you cannot summarise the page in a line, the page is probably unfocused.

Page-by-page checklist

Home: what you do, who for, where, one proof point, one next step.
Service pages: who it suits, what is included, how it works, common questions, next step.
About: who you are and why you can be trusted. A real photo helps.
Contact: every way to reach you and what happens after you do.
Articles: one clear question per article, answered early, with sources.

Edit ruthlessly

Read it aloud. Anything you stumble on needs rewriting.
Delete the first paragraph and see if the page improves. It often does.
Replace every vague claim with a fact or remove it.
Ask someone outside your industry what they think you do, after five seconds.
Check it on a phone.

Using AI to help

AI can speed up drafting, but the facts, the voice and the proof have to be yours, and Google asks creators to be open about how content is made.¹ Use it for first drafts and tidying, then edit it until it says something only you could say. My guide to using AI safely covers the risks.

Words are a big part of every website I build. If you would like me to look at yours, send me the address.

References

Creating Helpful, Reliable, People-First Content. Google Search Central.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide. Google Search Central.