Edit your homepage draft: cut it by a third

Key takeaways

To edit homepage copy, make four passes over your draft: cut roughly a third of the words, replace vague claims with facts, simplify the language, then read it aloud. Each pass has a single job. Short, plain copy gets read more, and it signals confidence in what you are selling.

• Pass 1: cut about a third of the words.
• Pass 2: replace every vague claim with a fact.
• Pass 3: simplify words and sentences.
• Pass 4: read it aloud and fix what trips you.

Why cut a third of your draft?

Cutting forces you to decide what matters. First drafts carry repeated ideas, warm-up sentences and things you want to say that buyers do not need. Removing them leaves the useful material more visible. An early Nielsen Norman Group study on web writing found concise, scannable text scored far higher on usability.

• How to create a high-converting homepage for an SME
• Too much text on your website? How to tell and what to cut
• Homepage copywriting: a word budget for each section

How do you replace claims with facts?

Underline every adjective about yourself, such as 'leading', 'trusted' or 'friendly'. Replace each with something a buyer could check. 'Trusted by local firms' can become '140 reviews on Google, averaging 4.8'. If you cannot find a fact, delete the claim. A shorter, truthful page outperforms a longer, inflated one.

• Why specific claims convert better than adjectives
• Website claims and the CAP Code: what UK firms can say

How do you simplify the language?

Aim for a reading age that suits a busy person, with sentences mostly under 25 words and everyday terms. Swap 'utilise' for 'use' and 'facilitate' for 'help'. Keep sector terms only if your buyers use them. GOV.UK writes for a reading age of around nine, even for highly educated audiences.

• Jargon on your website: why experts want plain words too

Why read the page aloud?

Reading aloud exposes clumsy rhythm, long sentences and things no human would say. If you stumble or run out of breath, a reader will too. Listening to a text-to-speech tool works well, because it reads what is really on the page rather than what you meant to write.

• Spelling mistakes on your website: what they cost

When have you cut too much?

You have cut too much when a buyer's main question is left unanswered, or when detail that builds trust has gone. Short is not the same as thin. High-value or technical purchases may need longer pages. Test by asking a target buyer what they would still want to know.

• How long should a homepage be?
• Test a new homepage on real buyers before launch

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see in editing sessions: the first paragraph of each section can often go, because writers warm up before they get to the point. Deleting those openers typically removes a good share of the words, and the page reads as though it was written by someone more confident.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

Homepage copy edit checklist

• Cut warm-up sentences.
• Remove repeated ideas.
• Replace adjectives with facts.
• Shorten long sentences.
• Swap jargon for plain words.
• Read the page aloud.
• Ask a buyer what is missing.

• Write a first homepage draft in one sitting
• The last section of a homepage: how to close the page

Next step

Count the words in your draft, then cut a third before you show it to anyone. You will be surprised how little you miss.