When you start a website project, one of your first priorities is deciding how the site can best reflect your business identity – what impression do you want people to get when they visit your site?
Design is a big factor in both appearance and functionality, but you must also consider the tone or style of the copy.
If a website is a building, design is the architecture. How large will it be? How is it constructed? How many rooms will there be?
The copy represents the furnishings. What will people see when they enter?
- A cozy space with overstuffed chairs where they can relax?
- A formal room with elegant touches and straight-backed chairs?
- A modern collaborative space featuring all the latest trends?
- Durable flooring where work boots are welcome?
You have some important decisions to make.
Choose the tone of your copy wisely, marry it with the right design and imagery and you’ll have an accurate reflection of your business, ensuring that you attract clients and candidates that will work well with you.
Want to see copy tone in action?
Here are some examples of how temporary staffing can be described in a variety of tones.
Professional/Formal
Precise, upscale and always grammatically correct.
Example:
Secure exceptional talent on a contract basis for interim requirements or to meet unanticipated business demands.
Conversational/Friendly
Speaks directly to the reader. It’s the way you would speak to a friend or colleague.
Example:
Need help for a project or to fill in for an employee out on leave? Have busy seasons that are difficult to staff for? We provide great people just when you need them.
Straightforward/informational
Factual, concise and will often contain bulleted lists.
Example:
Adapt to variable business demands while avoiding excess overtime and labor shortages.
• Manage seasonal workloads
• Meet critical project deadlines
• Reduce risks and ensure safety and compliance
Fun/Humorous
Adds a little whimsy to reflect a work hard/play hard business philosophy.
Example:
Have projects you need to get done? We’ve got your back! We’ll send some awesome people to you fast. When they’ve finished their tasks, you can send them on their merry way.
Edgy/Irreverent
Sets you apart from me-too organizations; it’s not for all industries and definitely not for the faint of heart.
Example:
Crushing deadlines? Need help fast? Hit us up! Whether you need a tech guru to code all night, or an admin to juggle back office priorities, we handle all the hassles and make you look awesome.
All but the most formal website copy will sometimes bend the rules of grammar. You’ll see sentence fragments. Mostly for impact or to make it easy to scan. And you may see sentences that begin with conjunctions.
The marketing specialists at Haley Marketing Group can provide you with specific examples the wide variety of copy and design choices our clients have made and help you choose the right tone for your staffing business.