As a small business owner, your website is one of the biggest marketing tools you have. Yet so many entrepreneurs don’t use their sites to their full potential and instead treat them like online “business cards”. A good website has the power to promote your services, generate leads and get you paid. Want a website that works for you? Here are 7 things to keep in mind.
Remember: Your site is about your clients.
Meaning, they don’t want to hear about how great you are, how much experience you have, or all the cool companies you’ve worked with in the past. Sure, a little of that is ok, but if you want a website that gets you leads, you have to speak to your customers. What your clients want to hear about is how you can help them. Identify your customer’s problem and tell them what you’ll do to solve it.
Make clear what you do and who you help.
How many times have you gone to a website and left not really knowing what the company did? To get a website that works, you need to be upfront about exactly what you do and who you do it for. When people land on your site, that should be the first thing they see, so they know immediately if they’re in the right place.
Step up your content game
The best websites provide value, which means you’ll need to generate new content consistently. That means blogging on a regular basis, updating your portfolio or adding new pages. Not only does new content provide value to your users, it’s a great way to boost SEO.
Be yourself
People like buying from someone they feel a connection with. The copy, images and overall branding on your site should feel like you. Instead of writing in techy, boring jargon, write as if you were having a conversation with someone. If you never wear business suits to work, don’t dress up for your headshot (if you do, that’s totally okay, too!). Your personality should shine throughout your website.
Add testimonials
Establishing credibility is everything when it comes to potential clients hiring you. Encourage your clients to share their experience working with you and be sure to add their testimonials throughout your site. These will help potential clients be confident in their decision to work with you.
Get feedback
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on your website from your past clients. Finding out what they liked or didn’t like will help you see what’s working and what you might want to improve upon. Provide your clients with a short survey after you’ve completed work for them, or ask them directly.
Don’t fall victim to perfection.
You can spend hours trying to get things “perfect”, or you can get your site to a point where it’s good enough, then makes tweaks later. A website that works isn’t a one and done thing; it is constantly changing to better serve your clients. If you spend all your time trying to make things perfect, you’ll never get anything done.
Your website has the power to be your biggest marketing tool, so take advantage of it! Need help getting a website that shows off your personality and speaks to your ideal clients? We can help. Contact us today!
