TOC #230: Do you like fire? What about lava?
(May 20, 2025) How To Figure Out What To Say On Your Website Without Guessing
I broke a new record yesterday for youngest-ever copywriting student.
Cassidy — a cute ass feral 5-year-old spitfire who runs across the street to my house whenever she gets the chance — was trying to get Wesley to trade pieces of this little dinosaur egg toy he got for his birthday.
There were tiny dino bones inside. Cute mini fossils. Treasure, to their little kindergarten brains.
They were treating this like an archaeological dig (slash also black market art heist??) and Cassidy wanted one of Wesley’s red dinosaur bones, and he was like, “gurl, no.”
She didn’t like that answer.
“But I don’t like red," she said. "I don’t want the red one. You should take this green one instead.”
Wesley looked at her like… okay?? Then YOU take the green one?? I’m good?
So I (being the neighborhood’s resident trade mediator, obviously) jump in and tell her:
“Cassidy, you have to give him a reason to want to trade with you.”
She thinks about it, then goes, “You already have that color.”
Wesley shrugs. “I want more.”
She tries again. “You don’t need the red one.”
He goes, “I want it though.”
We’re in a bit of a trade standoff here. No one’s budging.
Cass is staring at Woo.
Woo is staring at his green toy.
I'm staring at both of them.
I decide that this is my moment to step in and teach my 5-year-old neighbor a bit about copywriting, because after all, this IS my specialty — and I felt like using my powers for good.
“Cassidy, you're not giving him a good enough reason. You need to really convince him. Think about why HE would want it. Why should Wesley want the green dino?”
She takes a second to ponder what I said… then she gets strategic.
“Hey Wesley,” she says, holding up the green one. “This one’s lava. It’s from a volcano. Do you like fire?”
Immediately, this child who seconds ago was defending the red dino bone like it was the Hope Diamond goes, “YEAH OKAY” and hands it over.
Deal closed.
Because she finally gave him a reason to want it.
Not just logic.
Not just facts.
Not “you already have one” or “you don’t need it.”
That wasn’t working for her.
She gave him a story.
A reason that spoke to his interests.
Lava. Volcanoes. Fire. Boom. Trade complete!
And honestly?
This is how most people approach their messaging — they try to convince people with reasons that make sense to them, instead of reasons that make sense to the person they’re talking to.
Cassidy got her way ecause she stopped leading with her brain's logic and started leading with Wesley's desire.
And THAT is exactly how successful messaging works.
How To Figure Out What To Say On Your Website Without Guessing
SO many people freeze up when it’s time to write their website.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I don’t know what makes me different.”
“I don’t know what my audience needs to hear.”
Here’s the truth:
You don’t have to know all that right away; you just have to start testing.
Your website isn’t the first place to “get it right.” It’s the place to put what’s already working.
So, instead of guessing, here’s what to do:
#1 — Start small!
Try different messages on lower-stakes platforms & share bite-sized ideas in:
newsletter intros
IG captions
Instagram Stories (use polls or question boxes)
Threads or X posts
emails to your list
even DMs or Voxer messages with your actual clients
You’re not looking for viral engagement — you’re looking for resonance.
Did someone reply? Did they say “omg I felt that” or “you read my mind”? That’s a lava-level message.
#2 — Track the “lava moments.”
When something gets a reaction — even a tiny one — screenshot it, save it in a folder, or drop it in a note in your phone called “messages that hit” (or something lolol).
These little nudges are the building blocks of the overall messaging of your site, so you don't have to play the “are they gonna care about this? / get this?” game when it comes time to drafting.
#3 — Pay attention to what you say a lot.
…and then how people react to it.
A lot of your messaging gold is probably in the stuff you casually blurt out all the time.
Buuuut it's hard to notice that about yourself, so pay attention to when your audience laughs at your comments, or resonates with your perspective (work-related or not!!), or associates a certain phrase with you.
Write it down or screenshot it.
#4 — Don’t assume you’re the problem.
If you’ve ever said “I just don’t know how to talk about what I do,” it’s not that you’re ‘bad at words.’
It’s probably that you haven’t tested enough angles yet, and you've been so worried about what to say that you're not even getting started or trying.
Like Cassidy, you’re listing all the reasons you think something makes sense —
instead of figuring out what they actually care about.
Your job is not to write the whole site in one perfect sitting.
It’s to test the message like you’re holding up a dinosaur bone and asking:
“Do you like fire? What about lava?”
Try it. See who bites. Or if anyone bites at all. Pay attention to the reaction.
If it seems to work, put that version on your site.
That’s how to find the messaging that works for you without guessing.
→ WANT MORE WEBSITE COPYWRITING TIPS LIKE THIS to make drafting your site significantly easier? I have a whole ass self-paced course dedicated to that EXACT purpose!
Bookmarked by BTL
Want Your About Page To Convert? Add These 9 Things
SEO For People Who Don't Know How To SEO ft. Mariah Magazine
My Group Mentorship Program For Copywriters Is Open For Enrollment!
Copywriters in the room: it's your last chance to join Success Story!
Success Story is a 3-month group mentorship program for copywriters who want personalized support, expert feedback, and a clear plan to build a sustainable, profitable business they LOVE.
It’s designed to feel like 1:1 coaching (because... it basically is) — with direct access to me for everything from copy reviews to business strategy and mindset blocks.
This in-depth 3-month program will run from the end of May through September, and when you join, you'll get:
→ TWO 60-minute 1:1 strategy sessions with me
→ Biweekly group coaching calls for the duration of the program
→ A custom curriculum for your group based on what YOU want to learn
→ UNLIMITED, boundary-free 1:1 access to me on Slack (literally message me 40 times a day if you want to, it's allowed!)
→ UNLIMITED copy reviews for ANY copy you write
→ Access to a massive Notion portal with copywriting resources
→ In-depth website copy and SEO audit of your site
& of course, access to the Success Story group chat where you can ask questions, request feedback, and connect with both me and your fellow copywriters!
Even though we're technically operating in a group, the support inside this program is 100% personalized to you — you will leave having learned everything you want to learn, because of the direct access you have to me…
AND you will also leave having learned things you didn't even KNOW you were missing, thanks to all the questions / situations that will arise through your fellow students.
>> Click here to get the details about Success Story!
Subscribe to my newsletter! I send one marketing tip, once a week - and, according to my subscribers, it's "the best marketing newsletter on the Internet" and "the only reason to wake up on Tuesday mornings." So... yeah. You'll love 'er. 😏 Click here to subscribe!
Check out my services. I write website copy, sales pages, email sequences, blog posts, and brand messaging guides for entrepreneurs of all kinds! Maybe you’re my next favorite client.
Read my blog. It’s home to everything from copywriting tips, to marketing education, to freelance advice, to portfolio-worthy projects… if you like this post, you’ll love the blog. Here’s a quick roundup of my most popular posts.
Sign up for my email marketing course. Learn how to grow your email list full of loyal, ready-to-buy readers with this self-paced course teaching you how to write the best lead magnets, opt-in copy, welcome sequences, and newsletters.
Enlist me as your mentor. I have an entire in-depth blog post about my one-on-one consulting process for new and aspiring copywriters, if you’re interested in having a big-sis-style mentor to help you grow your freelance copywriting business & get results.
To get in touch with me directly, send me a DM or email sara@betweenthelinescopy.com. Have a great day!