A website is a crucial part of your business which is why simply having one is not enough. There are lots of elements as to what makes a good website and you should tick all the boxes for your website to be worth it.
If it's just a nice, glossy brochure online that's not SEO-friendly or easy to the eyes, etc, it might even do your business more harm than good. People who come to your website might be turned off, share it with his or her friends, and not return to checking out your business. And the part that hurts is that you're paying for web development and domain hosting but not really getting a return on investment.
Whereas if you make your website right, you have the potential to not just double but even maybe quadruple your sales. Having a professional website that's activated for SEO will help you for one, be discoverable. When your website is well-written and showcases what your body of work is, then you become a credible authority in the eyes of the person who landed on your website from Google. When you are seen as credible and professional, you get more clients and more clients mean more sales. These clients can keep on coming back to avail of your services or purchase your products and even spread the word out about you.
So what makes a good website? Well, if I go to your site and I immediately know what you are selling to me, then congratulations! Your website hit the nail on the head when it came to sending your message across. Of course, the website should be targeted to those who actually need your services and might love it so much that they rave about it to family and friends.
The website copy should target the person's thoughts, desires, and needs. If you know what these people want, you can sell them anything. For you to reach your target effectively, you must come up with a copy that's specific and detailed.
Next is to stop being a people-pleaser. You can't get the approval of everyone so accept that you will hear negative feedback no matter what you do. So please stop trying to be perfect because you'll never get that website out if you do. Do not try to please everyone because you can't so it's just a waste of energy trying to listen to all of them.
When writing copy to entice an audience, make sure they understand the words that you use. It's pointless if it's written so well but only half or just a fraction of your audience understood what you wrote.
You don't want to also be close to the clients that come your way. You may have a particular niche but sometimes, when the doors open for other opportunities, take it as a sign to grow and learn from these fields.
And then, your website must have specific, detailed messages for each page. When you've already specified who your target audience is, then the next step to follow is to craft specific descriptions for each page. Use "long tail keyword phrases" in the right amount because otherwise, you'll just be stuffing them in your content which doesn't look good either. Anyone who will be reading it might just get annoyed and not hire you because you were trying so much to sell something to them.
Make sure to use headings for everything you'll post so that it's easy on the eyes and breaks down the article into segments, making it overall, easy to understand. Instead of being salesy, what's better is if you provide solutions.
You should also show the human side of your business by featuring your team on your website. Do not forget to have an About Us page which will basically be about all of the people behind the business.
Other tips include using real photos instead of stock ones (invest in a professional photographer!), opting to use the first-person point of view, being more relaxed, and writing copies as though you are gossiping with the soon-to-be reader of your book. You can also insert videos to the site for more variety but just make sure to embed the video from Vimeo or Facebook and not directly have your site host them.
This brings us to another point. Make your blog easy to read by breaking down thoughts, adding visual breaks, and not being too talkative which makes it text-heavy. Do not forget to make blogs for your website because these are core pieces of content that show up in search bars such as Google Chrome. Remind yourself that you need at least 500 words or a maximum of 2,000 words for it to be discoverable in Google Chrome.
And may we just add, please do not resort to plagiarism. This is your body of work that we're showing here and you don't want to be using other people's words and photos that you are not authorized to do so. Publish content that is original to you and your clients would appreciate how trustworthy you are. It's also much easier when you're honest because you already have proof that you can meet what the client is expecting from you.
If you are developing your own website or making content for your website or for others, then you must be staying put and seated in your chair for hours to no end. Here are two pieces of ergonomic furniture that can help you out.
UD1B Theodore Standing Desk-48" W
Give your workstation that vintage feels with the elegant Theodore Standing desk. Its design makes use of traditional American design elements and combines them with the technology of a modern standing desk. You'd love that it comes with an integrated storage drawer to help keep your items organized in your workspace. This comes with height adjustment buttons, USB ports, and a spacious, elegant desktop.
DO03 Flexispot Monitor Riser Stand DO03
Different from the design of other FlexiSpot monitor mounts, this riser stand has a wood desktop and steel legs. It uses a sturdy clamp-on steel structure to attach it to your desk with minimal installation involved. Of course, a monitor stand brings your monitor to an eye-level position that will lessen the strain you're feeling in your neck and also frees up your workspace.
