Look at a business owner’s to-do list. Underneath ‘clean out the office fridge’ and ‘remind Keith to wear trousers in the office’ you’ll probably find a year-old task dangling all by itself: ‘sort of our website’.
Well now you’re here, let’s get that job ticked off your list. Because for one post only, we’re gonna share how to make your website work harder than a squirrel in a nut factory. All without blowing your budget.
7 ways to make your website work harder
Before we tuck in, these tips are for websites we’d categorise as ‘saveable’. If your site looks like it’s had twelve rounds with a heavyweight, you might be better off getting a free website review. Here we go.
1) Invest in a proper tone of voice
Every small business has a brand tone of voice. It’s how you look, sound, taste, and feel to your potential and existing clients. Yours might be a haphazard mess of a voice or something born by accident – but it’s a voice all the same.
Just by reading this post, you’re already yonks ahead of other small businesses. Most of ‘em have never even heard the term ‘brand tone of voice’. Which is why their written communication usually gets filed in the my-goodness-that-sounds-boring bin.
By taking the time to craft a proper brand voice, your business will be a different barrel of biscuits altogether. It’ll help you be distinctive, get remembered, and stand out noggin ‘n’ nipples above the competition.
2) Focus your messaging on customer needs
Search for a plumber, vet, or law firm online. We bet you our last Strawberry Lace they all say the same thing. Reliable, honest, forward-thinking – stuff you’d expect as standard from any business.
The best kinda messaging bins the blah-de-blah. It gets to the point, reassures your reader, and gently whispers with a sprinkle of seduction “we know the problem you’re facing and we’re the guys/gals/gurus to fix it”.
If you wanna stress test your existing copy, count how many times you say ‘we’ and ‘us’ instead of ‘you’ and ‘your’. If the messaging is all about you, it’s probably time to consult the shredder and start again.
3) Instantly delete your testimonials page
A testimonials page is as pointless as a trench coat on a trout. If you don’t believe us, check your Google Analytics. No one has looked at it.
To get your testimonials working harder, stick ‘em where they matter. Your homepage, service page, contact page – any little touchpoint where it adds weight to whatever you’re selling.
But before you add testimonials to your website, make sure they’re not as long as War and Peace. They should be short and direct, beautifully designed, and include a name and headshot for added credibility.
4) Include a clear call to action
Top-shelf websites remove the thinking for visitors. They invite you to glide from A to B on a digital Helter Skelter, arms in, knees up, all the way to the bottom (but without the nasty friction burn).
That’s where a clear call to action is worth its weight in pixels. It gently shuffles readers to where you want them to go. Be it to learn more about a product, sign up to a newsletter, or drop some deets in a contact form.
Before you plonk buttons all over the shop, be strategic with your placement. Sometimes a hero section is the perfect place for a call to action. Other times it’s best to stick it further down the page. It all depends on context.
5) Add a dollop of high-res photography
Sharing your fizzog is a smart way to instantly connect with customers. It shows there’s an actual real-life, livin’, breathin’ hooman behind your business – not another AI berk-o-bot.
Before you pucker up for the camera, check you have a clear background, your face takes up most of the space, and you share a friendly expression. You could also make your photographer’s day by donning your brand colours.
If facing the lens isn’t your thing, there are alternatives. You could go heavier on icons and illustrations. Or you could be really stoopid by hand-making a bunch of plasticine portraits like us. (Wouldn’t recommend – it took ages).
6) Fix your website footer
A website footer is a bit like baby number six. It doesn’t quite get the same level of attention. Missing contact information, poor mobile optimisation, truckloads of confusing link clutter – the list goes on.
But a footer is one of the most important elements of your web design. Not simply because it’s the last impression you leave with visitors, but because it appears on every single page. Giving it a dollop of love can make all the difference.
What’s included in your footer depends on your business. As well as basic stuff like your company registration number, privacy policy, and terms of conditions, it could also have an email sign-up, social icons, or even a link to your latest articles – ‘sup to you.
7) Start a blog
A blog is like a squash and spinach smoothie for your website – it’s packed with real juicy goodness. You can share industry knowledge, build trust with readers, and rank for key search terms to win more traffic.
If you’re wondering whether a blog is worth the effort, look at where you’ve landed. On our website, getting to know us. Hang around long enough and we might just become the best of friends.
