What is 'voice-of-customer' and why does it matter for your website copy?

(perhaps more than ever)

The online world has changed. People are searching differently. AI is kindly reshaping how content gets found. And yes, there’s a lot of noise about SEO being dead, or how ChatGPT is answering people’s questions without them ever clicking your website.

But the fact of the matter is, businesses are still getting seen, and making sales.

The difference is, you have to be better at saying something real.

That means showing up as a human, not a bot. And not just regurgitating more of the same, spammy sh*t that’s currently flooding the digital space.

In fact, research is suggesting that the more human your content is, the more likely you are to be found. Because thanks to AEO (answer engine optimisation) and GEO (generative engine optimisation) people are now having actual conversations with search engines like Google. This means the stuff that’s coming up, is the conversational content that can actually join in and respond with expertise and authority. 

And that’s what VoC research helps you do.

It’s not about chasing algorithms or stuffing keywords into your H1s & 2s. It’s about knowing how your audience actually talks, thinks, and feels, so you can speak straight to it.

What the heck is voice-of-customer research anyway?

Voice‑of‑customer (VoC) research is essentially the stalking work that needs to happen, so that you can write better copy. 

It’s where you gather the exact words your audience uses to describe their problem, dreams and the answers they’re looking for. 

It’s not fancy psychological theory; it’s simply using real language that sparks empathy and makes your copy land as meaningful, relevant, and persuasive storytelling.

Why? Because suddenly your copy echoes human truth. Using VoC flips generic messaging into connection-first copy that converts.

How to do it: surveys, interviews, comment‑mining, testimonials

Where possible, cover as much ground as you can. 

• Surveys mine language from active leads or list members

• 1:1 interviews dive deep into real pain points, desires and decision logic

• Testimonials showcase transformation and what that looks like to your people

• Comment‑mining (from forums, reviews, social posts) shows unfiltered, raw language 

Once you’ve captured quotes and themes, sort them into categories: concerns, desires, objections, and language style. That’s the foundation sorted.

The core of brand new sticky, resonant messaging.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• What exactly should I say on my homepage?

• How do I stop sounding like every other [insert job title here] on Instagram?

• Why aren’t people clicking the ‘book now’ button even though they say they love my vibe?

• 
  

Then the answer is probably (as with most things in life): You haven’t spent enough time listening yet.

Because when you take the time to dig into the words your audience already uses, you stop guessing. You stop writing for the algorithm.

You write for the actual human who is very much still there.

And ironically, that’s exactly what helps you stand out to the algorithm, too.

What to do with it all

Once you’ve collected all your raw language from surveys, DMs, testimonials, call transcripts, comments, interviews, and reviews, you’re good to go big.

• Turn the most powerful phrases into headlines, hooks, subheads and CTAs

• Build whole website sections or blog posts off a single juicy question someone asked

• Use the objections and fears as part of your copy (and flip them on their head)

• Mirror their exact language back to them, not in a creepy way, but in a ‘holy cow, this person gets it’ kind of way

• Let their stories shape the structure of your services 

  
  

You don’t have to create new messaging from scratch.You’re just unearthing it from the people you want to work with. Then, shaping it into strategic, beautiful, conversion-first storytelling.

Voice-of-customer research: why it’s your secret weapon 

Voice-of-customer research isn’t a trend.

It’s not an SEO tactic. It’s not a gimmick. And it’s definitely not going anywhere.

It’s the work that separates vague, vanilla messaging from the kind that people screenshot, save and share.

The kind that feels bespoke. Unmissable.Like this brand was made for me.

So if you’ve outgrown guesswork, or you’re ready to get your brand out of ‘sounds nice but doesn’t convert’ territory, start listening.

I promise you, the words you need are already out there.

And if you need some help to bring it all together, when you're ready, pop over and take a look at how I can support.