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Market This | Marketing For Local Business Owners
Are you a local business owner who's spent money on marketing and still isn't seeing results? You might not have a strategy problem. You might have a messaging problem.
Market This is the podcast that helps local service businesses fix what they're saying so their marketing actually works.
I'm Lindsay! A messaging strategist and website copywriter with 20+ years in journalism and advertising. I've written for CBC Radio and led copy on million-dollar campaigns, and now I help local business owners compete on clarity, not budget.
Each week, you'll get practical marketing strategy and content marketing tips you can actually use, like how to write website copy that converts, what to say (and stop saying) in your marketing, and how to build a local business strategy around messaging that's clear, not complicated.
Inside each episode, you’ll learn:
⚡️How to write website copy that actually converts
⚡️How to build a marketing strategy that fits a local business
⚡️What to say (and cut) from your homepage, about page, and social content
⚡️Simple content marketing that doesn't eat your whole week
⚡️When to DIY your copy and when to bring in help
If you’re ready to stop second-guessing your words and start using copy that actually sells, hit subscribe and follow along. And come hang out with me on Instagram too: @lindsaysmithcreative
And if you want expert eyes on your website, you can book your copy audit here:
https://www.lindsaysmithcreative.ca/audit
Let’s turn your words into your hardest-working salesperson.
Market This | Marketing For Local Business Owners
S1 #14: Why Your Website Copy Should Come Before Design
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Most small business owners start their website refresh the same way:
“I need a web designer.”
But if you don’t have clear messaging, strong positioning, and words that actually connect with your ideal clients, no amount of beautiful design is going to fix that.
In this episode, I’m breaking down why copy needs to come before design, especially for small business owners who want their website to actually do its job, not just look nice.
I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at how big agencies approach websites versus what small businesses actually need, plus the three reasons your words are doing more heavy lifting than you think.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why “design first, copy later” works for big brands but not for small businesses
- The three things your website copy must communicate clearly (and quickly)
- Why your homepage headline has one of the hardest jobs in your entire marketing
- How brand tone, messaging, and positioning all live in your words
- Why a beautiful website with vague language won’t convert
- How to think of your website as a communication and marketing tool, not just a digital brochure
If you’re planning a website update, or wondering why your current site isn’t converting, this episode will help you rethink where to start (and save you a lot of frustration).
Want help with your website copy?
I offer website audits where I review two pages of your site and give you clear, honest feedback on your messaging, brand tone, positioning, and language — so you know exactly what to fix.
👉 Learn more at lindsaysmithcreative.ca/audit
This episode was mixed and edited by Cardinal Studio.