How to Write Website Copy for a Small Business (Canada)

Visitors arrive with a question: can this business solve my problem, near me, at a price I can accept? Copy that answers quickly wins. Copy that opens with "Welcome to our website" or a long company history loses them.

Before writing, answer four questions in a notes document. Who is the customer (homeowner, restaurant owner, parent)? What problem do they have when they search? What makes your approach different in a way they can verify? What is the one action you want them to take? Everything you write should serve those answers. This is easier if you have already planned pages, as covered in how to prepare content for a website.

Use this order as a draft skeleton, then trim whatever a visitor would not miss.

A feature is what you do. A benefit is what the customer gets. Always connect them.

• Feature: "We use certified technicians." Benefit: "Work is done correctly the first time, so you avoid repeat visits."
• Feature: "Open Saturdays." Benefit: "Book around your work week without taking time off."

Specifics beat adjectives. "Quick turnaround" is vague. "Most jobs finished within three business days" is concrete, but only write it if it is true. Avoid words like best, leading, top-rated or number one unless you can prove them. Canada's Competition Act prohibits false or misleading claims in advertising, so keep guarantees, comparisons and prices accurate and keep records that support them.

1. Write the headline last but draft three options first. Include the service and place when it fits naturally.
2. Dump the content: write answers to the questions customers ask you on the phone.
3. Organize into short sections with subheadings that make sense when skimmed.
4. Cut ruthlessly. Remove filler, repetition and any sentence that does not help a decision.
5. Read it aloud. If you stumble, rewrite it more simply.
6. Add one call to action near the top and again at the end.
7. Check facts: prices, licences, hours, guarantees.
8. Proofread the next day, or ask someone else.

Aim for 300 to 600 words on most pages, and 600 to 1,000 on key service pages that you want to rank. Longer is not better unless every paragraph answers something real.

Use the words customers actually type, such as "furnace repair" rather than "heating solutions". Put the main phrase and place in the title, the main heading and the first paragraph, then write naturally. Do not repeat keywords unnaturally. Answer common questions directly, since clear answers can earn featured placement in search results.

Each page should have its own unique title and description. If you serve several areas, write area pages with genuine local details rather than copying and swapping city names. For more on this, see how to optimize a website for local search and the local SEO guide.

• Quebec and Bill 96: commercial content aimed at Quebec customers is expected to be available in French, and French should be at least as prominent as other languages in many cases. Use a professional translator, not machine translation alone.
• Plain bilingual wording: English-speaking regions in New Brunswick and Ontario may also benefit from French pages.
• Prices: state clearly whether GST, HST or PST is included. Provincial rules differ.
• Privacy: explain what you do with form data, consistent with PIPEDA, and with Law 25 for Quebec residents.
• CASL: do not promise newsletters or marketing emails unless the visitor opts in.
• Testimonials: use real ones, with permission. Fabricated reviews can breach advertising law.
• Spelling: use Canadian spelling consistently, such as colour and centre.

• Talking about yourself first. Start with the customer's need.
• Jargon. Use the words your customers use. Explain any technical term once.
• Walls of text. Use short paragraphs and bullet lists.
• Weak calls to action. "Learn more" is vague. "Get a free quote" is clear.
• Unsupported claims. Back statements with reviews, licences or examples.
• Inconsistent tone. Pick a voice and keep it across the site.
• Hiding price signals. A range helps good-fit customers contact you. For a sense of typical numbers, see how much a website costs as an example of useful price context.

Before: "Welcome to Maple Leaf Cleaning Services. We have been in business for many years and offer a wide range of quality cleaning solutions." After: "Office cleaning for Halifax small businesses. Evening and weekend visits, one monthly invoice, and a simple 30-day cancellation. Request a quote in two minutes."

The second version states the audience, place, three concrete benefits and one action, and every claim can be checked by the owner. Below it, the company adds three short service blocks, a line on insurance and bonding, two genuine client quotes with permission, and a short FAQ on supplies and security. The rewrite takes about two hours. If you want a second set of eyes or help turning copy into a full local marketing plan, lead4pro.com works with Canadian small businesses, and the guide to a more professional website covers the visual side.