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Website Design Tips: 5 Critical Things Your Site Is Missing

Sep 18

So, Boss Babe, you know to be a successful entrepreneur, you NEED a website. But do you know WHY you need a website? It’s not just a place to post pretty photos or appear more “legit.” No, your website has one very important goal. Conversion. You want to convert visitors into leads. In other words, you want new clients to contact you!

New Website Launch - Designed by Moriah Riona on Showit 5. 5 Critical Things Your Website Is Missing. Website and branding tips and education for photographers and creative female entrepreneurs. #website #webdesign #photographywebsite #branding #biztips #smallbiz #womeninbiz

While designing my brand new website (that just launched!) this goal was always top priority. Because frankly, a pretty website is useless, unless it’s getting you clients.

Whenever I have a consultation with a new branding client, I take a peek at their website to see if they understand the conversion goal themselves. And shockingly, I noticed 5 key elements that are CRITICAL and commonly missing from creative boss ladies’ sites. So, I’ve decided to share those with you today.

How to convert website visitors into leads. 5 Things your website is missing, and how to fix it. 5 Critical Things Your Website Is Missing. Website and branding tips and education for photographers and creative female entrepreneurs. #website #webdesign #photographywebsite #branding #biztips #smallbiz #womeninbiz

1. Location, Location, Location

This is so simple. Yet it is shocking how often this vital piece of information is missing from a website! Where are you, my friend? Inquiring minds want to know! You need to state where you’re located and the areas you serve. And make it very obvious.

You might assume that someone stumbled upon your page after a location based Google search (“Colorado Springs Wedding Photographers”) — but that’s not always the case. Visitors will want to know if you’re in their area so they can do business with you. And if they can’t find that information they’ll likely get frustrated and click away.

2. Clear Brand Message

Speaking of getting frustrated and clicking away, have you ever landed on a website and not been able to figure out what the heck they do? Or what services they offer? It’s kind of aggravating, isn’t it?

Well, visitors don’t know why they need you… unless you tell them.

Branding message - 5 Critical Things Your Website Is Missing. 5 Critical Things Your Website Is Missing. Website and branding tips and education for photographers and creative female entrepreneurs. #website #webdesign #photographywebsite #branding #biztips #smallbiz #womeninbiz

We live in a world that programs us to expect instant gratification (thanks Internet). If a website visitor can’t tell exactly what you do in a very short period of time (literally seconds) they’re gonna move on. You need a clear and concise brand message that begins on your homepage and continues throughout your site.


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3. Brand Portraits

Did you know that faces are one of the first things a baby learns to recognize? Why? Because they’re important. We communicate through our face (and not just our mouth). Your smile can let someone know that you’re kind and approachable.

Guess what, friend… To all of those would-be clients landing on your website, you’re just a stranger on the internet. So you need to establish trust. Let them know you’re a real person. Not just some faceless internet company. And you do this by sharing photos of yourself.

Brand Portraits of Colorado Springs Wedding Photographer. 5 Critical Things Your Website Is Missing. 5 Critical Things Your Website Is Missing. Website and branding tips and education for photographers and creative female entrepreneurs. #website #webdesign #photographywebsite #branding #biztips #smallbiz #womeninbiz

You definitely need a good headshot, but the more you can share the better! Show yourself in action and behind the scenes. Let visitors get a glimpse into your life and your business. Make it feel legitimate and easy to get in touch with you.

I offer my Brand Portrait Sessions for just this purpose. Through curated brand portraits you can show a day in your life, share your brand’s aesthetic, and show the Internet that you have a personality. You also seem more trustworthy.

4. Call To Action

Remember the whole goal of your website? It’s for potential clients to contact you. But here’s the thing, they need directions. You can’t assume that just because someone lands on your site they’ll go straight to your contact page and write an essay about why you are the absolute best ______ and please take all of their money. They need you in their lives like yesterday. Ha, I wish! But no, those lovely visitors need your guidance. And that is where a Call To Action comes in.

A Call To Action — or CTA — is a marketing term for a phrase intended to inspire a consumer to take action. So, don’t just give any old CTA. Think about what your goal is. Do you want them to schedule a consultation with you? Do you want them to see if you’re available? Do you want them to just request more information? Great! Here’s how those CTA’s would look:

Request A Consultation

Get More Info

Check Availability

Pretty simple, huh? Now usually the CTAs are on buttons — because people read them and are ready to take the next step (click!). Want to make it more powerful? Add a little urgency — like:

Request A Consultation Today

Get More Info Now


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Calls To Action are so important that I decided to include one on the bottom of every page of my new website. Visitors will have scrolled all the way through a page, absorbed the information, so now it’s time for them to take action. I’m just giving them an invitation to the “next step.”

5. Easy To Find Contact Information

So, give your visitors an invitation to the next step (contact you) — and make sure it’s easy to do so. Again, with the instant gratification game of the internet, if it’s not easy to contact you, those valued visitors are gonna click away. And then they’re lost forever. So make it super easy for them to get in touch.

You can do this by giving them several options to reach out. Web contact forms are great, but make sure you also provide an email address (and make it a hyperlink so they click and it connects them to their email — otherwise they’ll have to copy/paste and that’s too much work… buh-bye!) and a phone number.

Let visitors know your response times by giving an approximation of when they can expect to hear back. Also, consider listing your email and phone number on every page of your website (the footer is a great place for that). Again, make it as easy and painless as possible for someone to contact you.


If you’ve been hearing crickets in your inbox these 5 tips are power actions you can take all by yourself to convert visitors into leads!

Want even more help with your website? I offer complete website design packages, as well as website audits and strategy sessions — to make sure you get the most out of your online real estate.

Contact me today for a complimentary consultation

5 Critical Things Your Website Is Missing. Website and branding tips and education for photographers and creative female entrepreneurs. #website #webdesign #photographywebsite #branding #biztips #smallbiz #womeninbiz

 

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