Editing your own copy

Writing your own website copy is hard. Editing it is even harder — you're too close to it. Every word you wrote felt important when you wrote it. Removing any of them feels wrong.

This guide gives you a practical process for editing your own copy so it's tighter, clearer, and more effective.

Before you start: let it rest

The single biggest mistake in self-editing is editing too soon after writing. Your brain reads what you meant to say, not what you actually wrote.

Write your draft. Then leave it. At minimum: sleep on it. Ideally: wait two or three days. When you come back, you'll see it much more clearly.

Step 1: Read it aloud

Before you change a word, read the whole piece aloud — actually out loud, not just in your head.

You will immediately notice:

• Sentences that are too long (you run out of breath)
• Words that sound awkward or unnatural
• Places where the rhythm breaks down
• Repetition you didn't notice on screen

Mark these as you go, but don't fix them yet. Read the whole thing first.

Step 2: Cut the filler

Most first drafts are longer than they need to be. Common filler to remove:

Throat-clearing openers:

• "In today's competitive landscape…"
• "As a business owner, you know that…"
• "It goes without saying that…"

Just delete these and start with the actual point.

Empty intensifiers:

• "Very unique" → "unique"
• "Extremely important" → "crucial"
• "Really quite effective" → "effective"

Redundant pairs:

• "Each and every" → "every"
• "First and foremost" → "first"
• "New and innovative" → "new"

Vague nouns that need unpacking:

• "Our solution" → say what it actually is
• "We provide services" → say what the services are

Step 3: Simplify every sentence

Take each sentence and ask: can I say this with fewer words or simpler words?

If you can remove half the words and the sentence still makes sense, remove them.

Step 4: Check every heading

Each heading should describe the section content specifically. Vague headings ("Our services," "More information") make it impossible to scan. Rewrite them to say what each section is actually about.

See Writing headlines that work for a full guide to heading writing.

Step 5: Check the calls to action

Every page should end (and often begin) with a clear call to action. Check that yours:

• Uses an action verb
• Says what the reader gets
• Is specific, not vague

See Writing effective calls to action for details.

Step 6: The "so what?" test

Read each paragraph and ask: "So what? Why does this matter to my reader?"

If you can't answer that quickly, the paragraph may not be earning its place. Either make the relevance explicit, or cut the paragraph.

Step 7: Get a second pair of eyes

Ask someone outside your business — a friend, a colleague, anyone who isn't steeped in your industry — to read your copy. Ask them:

1. What does this business do?
2. Who is it for?
3. What should you do next if you're interested?

If they can answer all three clearly, your copy is working. If they hesitate or get it wrong, you have more editing to do.

Common questions

How do I know when my copy is done?

When you can't remove another word without losing meaning — and when a stranger can read it and tell you exactly what the business does and what they should do next. That's done.

Should I use a spell-checker?

Yes, but don't rely on it. Spell-checkers miss correctly spelled wrong words ("their" vs "there", "principle" vs "principal"). Also run a grammar or readability checker — tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor catch things a spell-checker won't.

Is it okay to hire a copywriter to edit my draft?

Absolutely. Many copywriters offer a "copy review" service that's more affordable than writing from scratch. You write the first draft — they sharpen it. This often produces better results than either of you working alone, because you know the business and they know how to write for the web.

Related guides

• Writing for the web
• Writing headlines that work
• Writing effective calls to action
• Finding your brand voice

Learn more

• Hemingway Editor — free readability checker
• Digital.gov — plain language guide series