5 ways to write socially inclusive website copy and make your potential clients feel welcome
I know you probably have the best intentions – and the last thing you’d want is for the words on your website to make anyone feel unsafe, unwelcome, or less-than.
But here’s the thing: socially inclusive copy doesn’t usually just happen on its own.
The words we use are rooted in history and shaped by culture. And if we’re not careful with how we use them, we might end up communicating something completely different than we’d intended – especially if we’re coming from a place of privilege.
The good news is that by approaching our copy purposefully, checking our personal biases, and refining the way we communicate as we learn (and unlearn) over time, we can write the kind of copy that makes our readers and dream clients feel safe and seen – and, of course, excited to hire us, too!
This is something I always take into consideration when I work with entrepreneurs on custom website copy and Brand Message Consulting – and it’s an area where I’m continually working to educate myself, so I can become a better resource for my clients and a more caring neighbor in our digital world. I invite you to do the same!
It’s a process, but it’s so worth it. (Humanity always is.)
To be honest, this topic is one I’ve been afraid to write about in the past, because I know I come from a place of immense privilege. But even though I’m still learning (and always will be), I know from experience that our words are powerful, and I want to help you use them for good.
Whether or not you and I have the opportunity to work together on your website copy, this conversation is important and the information needs to be shared.
So today, I’m unpacking five key ways you can write more socially inclusive website copy, so your potential clients can feel good about working with you from the moment they land on your website.
1. Take gender out of the equation.
I see it all the time: brands that position themselves to serve only one gender.
On one hand, I get it. We know that the more specific you can get about who you serve, the more likely it is that you’ll create a real connection with that dream client when they land on your website.
And maybe you’ve found that your style, personality, or background is best suited for a specific type of client.
But when you define your ideal client’s gender and broadcast it on your website, it’s worth considering who you might be excluding.
For example, maybe you’re a designer who serves female entrepreneurs, because your natural design aesthetic skews more feminine. But what if an incredible male entrepreneur loves your style and wants to work with you? And what about people who are transgender, non-binary, or any of the many other gender identities that make up our world?
If your site is only addressing women, anyone else could feel uncomfortable inquiring to work with you because they don’t exactly fit that mold.
Here’s my take: you can let your work speak for itself and communicate in a way that resonates with your ideal client, without singling out one gender or another. When I’m writing copy for a client, that could mean expressing their personality, values, and style in a way that appeals to their ideal client, without necessarily identifying that person’s gender.
There will always be exceptions to this – and if you truly only work with people of one gender, then of course it’s best to be clear about that on your website.
But as we learn more about the complex and fluid nature of gender identity, it’s worth considering whether you actually could work with more than one type of person, and how the language you’re using is landing with the variety of potential clients who read your site.
Using gender-inclusive language isn’t about trying to appeal to everyone; it’s about connecting with our ideal client based on something deeper than which box they might check on a medical history form.
2. Learn (and unlearn) racist terms.
Over the past year, I’ve started to discover how many everyday words are rooted in racism.
There are words that are racially sensitive or oppressive, like “master,” “tribe,” “uppity,” and “blacklist.”
And then there are words that white people have wrongfully started claiming as our own – like calling someone “sis” or “queen.”
In my own learning process, it’s been humbling to realize I’ve unknowingly used words that don’t align with the values I want to live by. And even though I still don’t feel like the most qualified person to talk about this particular subject (as a highly privileged white woman), it’s also something we can’t ignore when it comes to writing copy that makes our readers feel safe and welcome.
So, how can we do better? To start, we can do our research. A quick Google search of something as simple as “racist terms” will bring up list after list of offensive words and the history behind them.
And as we learn, we can commit to using more racially sensitive language, even if we don’t always get it right the first time.
Believe me – I completely understand how challenging it can be to retire a default word or phrase you’re used to using, and to find an alternative. But if it allows you to make your website a truly inclusive space for anyone who happens to come across it and wants to work with you, I think we can all agree it’s worth the effort.
3. Write to empower.
When someone lands on our website, it’s safe to say we don’t know their full story.
We don’t know how they grew up or what they’ve been through. We don’t know what experiences have shaped them into the person they are today.
And because of that, it’s important to avoid using language in our copy that could make anyone feel marginalized, victimized, or misunderstood.
You could apply these principles to practically any other human experience – race, income level, educational background, etc. – but the important thing is to work on being mindful of how your words could be received by the people reading them, and to edit and adjust accordingly.
For example, here are two filters to make your copy more empowering, regardless of a reader’s health, abilities, or condition:
Identify people in the way they prefer. Some people prefer “people-first” language (for example, “people experiencing homelessness” instead of “homeless people”). Others prefer “identity-first” language (for example, “disabled person” vs. “a person with disabilities.”) This can vary widely from group to group and person to person, so whenever possible, it’s best to ask how your audience prefers to be identified.
Swap ableist phrases for more specific language. Instead of “I was blind to …”, try “I didn’t realize …” and instead of “that’s insane,” swap in “that’s unbelievable.”
By writing in a way that lifts your readers up, rather than defining them by a situation or a limitation, you’ll be able to welcome all kinds of people to your website and make them feel genuinely excited to work with you.
4. Respect financial boundaries.
Imagine walking into a clothing store where you had to personally ask the owner what each piece cost, instead of being able to look at a price tag.
For many of us, this experience would be totally annoying at best … and awkward, uncomfortable, and embarrassing at worst.
But here’s the thing: when we leave our pricing off of our websites, we’re doing the same thing to our potential clients.
I know that if you’ve kept pricing off your website up until now, you probably had a good reason for it. But I still have to wonder how that’s impacting your potential clients (and whether it’s even making them feel hesitant to reach out about working with you).
As researcher, speaker, and author Brené Brown writes, “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”
By giving our potential clients easy access to the information they need to know before they can work with us – like our pricing – we’re empowering them to decide for themselves whether what we’re offering is the best fit for their budget. We’re showing them kindness. We’re respecting their boundaries.
So, even if your pricing isn’t plain and simple (because you custom-quote projects or don’t want to list out specific package pricing for every service you offer), I encourage you to clearly state your starting prices on your website, along with your clients’ average investment, if that number typically ends up being a lot higher.
Naming your prices will help your true clients feel more welcome on your website, because they’ll be confident that they’re in the right place and can actually afford what you’re offering. And as a result of displaying pricing on my site, I’ve found that I have more conversations with potential clients who understand the value of working with me and are ready to invest in their copy!
5. Use accessible language.
When I started my career as a newspaper reporter, my editors taught me to write at a fifth-grade level.
The goal wasn’t to impress anyone with our vocabulary or our knowledge of jargon; we were trying to give everyday people access to critical news and information. So, I made an effort to use practical language that everyone could understand, no matter their education level or background.
And as a website copywriter, I do the same thing today to write content that’s clear and easy for my clients’ audiences to take in.
Now, that isn’t to say you need to cut all jargon and slang from your website. For example, if your ideal client is a photographer, it’s likely that you’ll pepper your copy with the kind of jargon that speaks to that person’s knowledge in their industry.
But by removing the pressure to impress your audience with your writing, you can focus on relating to them, speaking their language, and showing them you understand where they’re coming from.
And that’s only going to boost their trust in you as a professional and make them feel more comfortable hiring you.
Writing socially inclusive website copy for your business
Feel like you’re walking on eggshells whenever you write copy for your business? It doesn’t have to be that way.
Because as much as we don’t want to offend anyone with our words, we’re also human – and we’re bound to mess up every now and then.
But we can start writing more inclusive copy today by approaching the process with information and intentionality, by being open to feedback from our readers, and by owning our mistakes.
And when we know better, we can do better.
If you’re struggling with writing website copy that turns your readers into dream clients in a warm, welcoming, and inclusive way, I’d love to help. Seriously – it’s such a joy to team up with caring entrepreneurs like you to bring out the best in your voice through custom website copy and Brand Message Consulting.
Join me for a free 30-minute Copy Chat call, where we’ll unpack your vision for your message and talk about how we can collaborate to create copy that sounds like you and sparks genuine sales.
Because when the words on your website actually speak to the people you want to reach, you’ll be able to create meaningful connections with those dream clients and grow your business in a way that actually feels good.
