Does Your Website Deliver?
As a professional, entrepreneur or a freelancer, your website is supposed to do only three things…
- Convert your visitors into subscribers;
- Convert your subscribers into buyers;
- Build your expert position.
If your website is not doing these three things remarkably well, then it’s time to make it better. And yes… website improvement can feel scary as it seems as a big, endless, impossible project.
In reality, you can improve your website bit-by-bit over time. Invest only 5-10 minutes in your website once in a while and you’ll be amazed how much more it can do for you.
Here are 10 simple but very effective ideas how to improve your website.
1. Freshen the Content Regularly
When was the last time you visited your website and actually read what’s in it? If you do it – you will find outdated content – making your website feel old, irrelevant or simply neglected. Schedule a monthly reminder to check and update your website.
2. Create a Freebie/Lead Magnet
A free, low-commitment offer in return for a visitor’s email address will build your mailing list, so you could, on a regular basis, email them valuable and relevant content until they know, like and trust you enough to buy.
3. Have a Blog
A blog is your main online asset to establish your expert position (valuable and relevant content), get your readers to engage (by posting comments) and share your content, and build a community around your business (readers helping each other in the comments section).
4. Add Social Proof
Use social proof to build your authority and expert position as well as lower their hesitation to take action on your website (taking your freebie, leaving a comment, or buying your product/service). Social proof can include reviews, testimonials, endorsements and valuable comments on your blog.
5. Implement Calls to Action
When you have potential prospects on your website, they’re interested. Tell them what to do next! Sign up for your freebie, comment on your blog, schedule an intake, visit your special offer page… Don’t leave them guessing what to do.
6. Replace “I”/“We” With “You”
This simple copywriting tip can improve the engagement with your website instantly. Any time you read a sentence that starts with “I” or “we”, rewrite it using the word “you”. For example, change “I teach new therapists how to market themselves” to “You will learn how to market yourself, even if you’re a new therapist”.
7. Use the About Page to Position Yourself as the Expert
Answer the 4 positioning questions: “Who do I work with”, “Why do I work with this audience”, “Why am I qualified”, and “where am I taking my clients”.
8. Insert Testimonials Where They Affect Decisions
Testimonials work best when being viewed in context. When you’re putting all the testimonials on a separate page or as a carousel on the home page, they have very little influence. So instead, place testimonials where they support the claims you make (e.g. in your offer page).
9. Use FAQs to Overcome Objections
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) strategically chosen and placed can help you overcome visitor’s doubts, resistance and objections. E.g. “Why is your product more expensive than the competition?”, “What is your guarantee?”, “What shall I do if I’m not satisfied?” Are great questions to include and answer in your FAQs section.
10. Make Your Website Mobile Responsive
Last but certainly not least, having a mobile-friendly site used to be a “should have,” now it’s a “must have.” If you give your site a facelift, make sure the new design is “responsive,” meaning it is responsive enough to adjust to mobile devices.
Now It’s YOUR Turn
For five minutes… come up with as many ideas as you can… what can you do to improve your website in order to get it to really work for you?
Let's Brainstorm
Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s take your business to the next level.
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh Neta
Top Commenters – last 30 Days
Let's Brainstorm
Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s take your business to the next level.
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh Neta
13 comments
I'm a seasoned website developer and marketer, still I find these tips very useful, thnx 🙂 From a technical perspective the following can boost your website performance:
- Generally speaking, I know entrepreneurs often don't use Google Analytics. Start using it because you don't need to guess about your marketing actions, it's being measured if you have your website connected to Google Analytics.
- Check if your website is actually indexed by Google (meaning: is Google enabled or "told" where and how to find your website). So, Google your company or brand names, and see if they actually appear in the search results. You will be amazed if I told you even really large companies spending hundred of thousands of euros in advertising costs to appear in the top results didn't have their website indexed. There is a big difference between paying for your listing in Google and your organic (or natural/ earned) results. Sometimes it's caused by a simple human error, sometimes it's complete ignorance.
- Check what pages are visited in Google Analytics . Analytics also provides information about the sources of your traffic: see what your blog posts do, what is the result of advertising, what happens when you post on social media, did your newsletter bring you extra traffic to your website and what pages (path) was followed by your subscribers: it's all there.
- Check what search words and phrases are used by your public in Google in Search Console and use those in your blogs, social media, etc.
- Do keyword research or ask a professional to do this for you with for instance with the Google Keyword Planner
- Use the inspector in your browser to check the errors on your webpages. Many sites contain errors; for instance, if your website loads content from sources without a secure https connection.
- Check your page speed: https://pagespeed.web.dev/. There will be room for improvement 😉
- Keep the EAT aspects in mind to help Google and your public discern fake from authentic: EAT: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
- See if you can arrange (or pay) for an interview in a professional magazine in your industry and make sure they will link to your website online, this will boost your EAT.
- Set up a Google My Business account and ask clients to review your business.
201 comments
My ideas to improve your website.
1. Make you live easy.
2. Do what you are good at. If website making is not you thing, let other people do it.
That way you can implement everything you learn from Nisandeh or other great business trainers in a heartbeat.
If you are anything like me, make sure you have a company that puts anything in place you want on your website when and how you want it.
I have a company that made my website from scratch, with only €60,- per month. I did not have to pay them to make it. Even a simple spelling mistake
or anything I want, they do immediately and perfectly without any extra pay, accept for the €60,- per month.
Make sure you have a great designer that makes the right format, so that you "webhands" know how to put everything in place.
3. Make sure the social prove is on video.
4. Use video's in your blogs.
5. Put the best social proof video on the home page.
6. Make sure you have different website for everything you do. If you are a masseuse and a coach, make sure you have different websites
7. Even if you have an event, make a different website. And make sure you connect the two websites.
8. Make sure you have nice, professional pictures. Photographers are not expensive.
9. Avoid stock photo's as much as possible on the pages.
10. Make sure you keep the content accurate, if you move or change phone numbers
376 comments
Thank you doe sharing all these great ideas Melanie. They are very useful
181 comments
1. If you 'sell' services or fysical products make a landings page for every service or brand you offer. Google likes landings pages and will rank you higher. Furthermore you can show you knowledge or can explain or tell more about the brand or service.
2. Take the time in finding the right pictures for your website. A photo can make you or break you.
3. Change the photo's on your website regularly. Choose photo's that will make people happy and give them a good feeling.
4. Ask your customers to review your website once in a while (of course give them an incentive to do so). You can be blind to you own 'mistakes'.
201 comments
I realized that I had to change the content. How ever some pics are there for ages. Great tip!
2 comments
- Make sure your website represents who and how you are
- give readers the feeling that you are talking to them personally
- user friendly and uncluttered
- ANYTHING anyone wants to know should be found easily
201 comments
I agree that the website must represent you. You get the right type of clients
26 comments
1. Geef een gratis kennismaking weg.
2. Geef een gratis e-boek weg.
3. SEO is important but not that important. Focus more on regular content than on writing SEO or improving your SEO.
4. Visitors means your relevant, means traffic to your website. When you are relevant then you must have content on your website that is relevant to your clients.
5. Write about problems / challenges of your clients and what they can do/mean to them (results) and then deliver your solution.
6. A do it yourself website is fine when you are starting out. I did this to. But now I am furtheron I know it is very important to have it built by a professional. Things get so much more a professional look. Being professional means that people take you more seriously.
7. Have great professional photo's, not your very nice 'vakantiekiekje'.
26 comments
Also check your huisstijl. Have it done by a professional. It does not need to cost the whole world. But someone who specialises in this is really worth while. I started out with a huisstijl that I thought was perfect. But the colour I chose (orange) and the way I used it was not very inviting for my customers. Then I worked with someone who made a new logo and new colors. What came out was very nice, but I doubted if it would suit me. I decided to stick with it and use it. Now it turns out it suits my customers! (Did you also read: suit me and suit my customer? ;-)) And it starts to grow more and more on me (the reason is another story, not for this platform... :-)). But yes; have a good huisstijl.
376 comments
Good idea to focus on the corporate design
409 comments
Give a free.... something (gift)
for my ideal client, examples of the pain or obstacles they face, on the website
pictures or drawings
477 comments
By taking immediate action and immediately applying your tips to your own website (I did this right away)
Videos on your website
Show the person behind the website through a photo and description
Have them do a test on your website (it's been on my wish list for a long time) and ask for name and email before sending the results.
Get the visitors into the atmosphere of what you do.
I think what Apple does, for example, is great that you can view the product from all sides through virtual reality.
94 comments
1. Redesign often and do A/B testing
2. Create functionality to help you manage it faster and efficiently.
3. Make a website easy to use for customers to take an action. Fill a form, buy a product etc
4. SEO, SEO, SEO and quality back links
5. Google shopping, Bing Shopping etc if ecommerce
6. CTA's, and CRO as an ongoing process
7. Use a continuous improvement plan every month to do tasks to improve on page and off page elements.
8. FAQs, Blog, News add structured data to pass the correct data to search engines
9. Videos; optimise the YouTube listing before you embed it to the website
10. Google Core Vitals; it is a signal for google. And it is a signal for a customer; they don't like slow websites
11. Reviews; Trustpilot, Google reviews etc.
5min wasn't enough!
718 comments
Brilliant list, Chris...
I know CTA stands for Call to Action (not everyone knows it - so it's good to actually put the whole term).
But I have no clue what CRO is... Please enlighten us...
94 comments
So sorry. Conversion Rate Optimisation; it includes any actions including functionality to improve conversions
718 comments
Thank you... Clear now!
67 comments
1. Have an expert help you out
2. Look for Best demonstrated Practices
3. Look at websites from a commercial perpective and learn
4. Use influencing techniques but keep it ethical, persuasion is ok, forcing/pushing/trapping is not ok and will come back like a boomerang (attracting NOT your ideal target audience, leading to dissatisfied customers)
5. Your website is never finished, it''s always work in progress, looking for the next improvement
6. Optimize existing funnels
181 comments
- describe the wants and needs of your target audience in such a way that they will recognize themselves in what they read
- put calls to action right behind the text where you have pushed on a pain or need button
- refresh information regularly reacting on actual situations
- show that you respond quickly to their questions
39 comments
Refresh pages!
Put a date on the site when you work on it.
Clear the cache memory of the pages. Change dates when pages were published to nowadays.
Work on SEO.
Change tests.
12 comments
1 focus on the client and his/her pain
2 make it fast
3 share your vision
4 add knowledge articles
5 add option for comments and ask for comments
6 make the call to action buttons stand out, so they will be noticed
7 have a good goal for each page
8 have rewards for comments
47 comments
First some background. My website was made by the webnode company, and it felt for a while as sufficient and good for the purpose. I wanted to have the possibility to refer to a website to provide contact with me and my ZZP business. A kind of business card.
However, during the years my attention was shifted to educational material instead of B2B IT solutions. That is why I decided to add a new website for the new activities.
1. Define your perfect client and make the website as a perfect-client-travel
2. Go for a website-builder that guarantees that I stay in control
3. Instead of focus on who-am-I, focus on which need I can serve
This is it for now, I will let you know if more comes out of this brainstorm.
112 comments
Most is already said. Make sure the photo of you is apealing to your audience (my first photo looked tired). I have a bi-weekly blog. My home page surely needs an update. Keep it simple.
160 comments
1. The opt in to my freebie is still not clear enough. I don't like popups but I guess these convert better.
2. One goal per page.
3. Bi-weekly blogs (and share those as well on all my social media platforms)
69 comments
* Give yourself a face (photo, where applicable)
* User a sitemap
* Always respons to comments on your site
Thanks for all the suggestions.
I know I have some work to do on my site ... All these priorities...
123 comments
Your last point Frans is a GREAT ONE and also a fantastic marketing strategy.
ALWAYS respond to comments on your site... It's the HEART that makes your website expand, when visitors see that you are available to them and read their input.
Truly a great addition to this issue
376 comments
“Always respond to customer comments is a great one.” Thanks!
29 comments
Ah this is my favourite topic
Use one CTA per page, no more no less
The CTA button should be in a colour that is opposite the main colour of your website. Google complementairy colours to find out wich colour to use
Always keep testing on your website, to find what gets you the best results. And know your statistics.
Do not design a mobile responsive website, but design mobile first. This will be the view most of your visitors will see.
Remove things that distract your visitors from performing the action you want them to perform.
Check how things work for your visitors. Tip: ask your grandma to complete a conversion, whatever that conversion might be. Look over her shoulder as she does so. All the while asking what she is thinking, expecting, trying, looking at, etc. If she can't do it or struggles: you have work to do.
I could actually go on for an hour, but this is the main stuff.
9 comments
Great points Rowan!
Especially the statistics (know your numbers) and let your kids or granny test (of course, it is most important that your target audience can do it ;-))
376 comments
Thanks for sharing all these useful tips Rowan
13 comments
1. Buy similar to your page domains and build more landing pages. Make all these landing pages lead magnets…
2. Offer them a special USP to your pages to get their email.
3. Video Testimonials are more convincing than the written ones!!!
412 comments
Use inspiring pictures.
Make sure the look and feel not only represent you but also your target audience.
Dare to be different in what you show, stand out from all others in your branch.
Be authentic.
Keep it to the point: limit the information to what is necessary for the front end; the back end info can be there of course, but does not have to be "in their face" (I still have a lot to do on that area).
9 comments
I think the most important thing of your website is that your target audience recognizes themselves in what they see and read and get convinced that you are the best person/company to help them with (or overcome) THEIR biggest/actual challenge.
Only then all of the above will work 😉
718 comments
Great point, Merijn.
How would you do that?
We could all use some examples for “your target audience recognizes themselves…”
9 comments
Take a webshop for example.
1608 streetwear (1 of our e-mail marketing clients)
They target sportive young male adults in good shape who like “street-style” clothing.
They want a one stop shop with unique designs, accurate sizes and perfect prizes to order fast & easy.
Pretty niche, right?
Guess what: their Facebook campaign is cheap. Their email list is growing rapidly and they (at least) “2x” every year (100% growth)
They also have the highest conversion percentages I ever witnessed @ a webshop in 20 years of e-mail marketing.
Another example is Marielle van der Vlies from “Succes met je bedrijf”
Her coaching company thrives since day 1 because she exactly knows who she can help the best. She talks to that specific “persona” in every webpage, blog, e-mail, advertisement, etc.)
If you are her target audience, you will recognize yourself every time on every medium.
Her conversion is also pretty unbeatable compared to colleagues I know.
175 comments
- Make sure you have a nice, clear, recognizable and professional corporate identity. Use the same colors, fonts and pictures for your social media.
- Avoid annoying stock photo's everyone in the business uses.
- Integrate video's and podcasts.
- Check your order processes! Are they clear? No confusing flaws? Etc.
- DO invest in an SSL-certificate. If you don't, some people cannot access your website. The people who can, might feel unsafe.
- Put all you company information in the footer of your website.
11 comments
- Make sure that it's clear what is your expertise and how you can help your clients
- easy to find how prospects can contact you. maybe they can directly make an appointment in your agenda
- keep it simple
- regularly post new blogs
- visible opt-in form
- reviews and recommendations from clients
- links to your social platforms
111 comments
Though the purpose of my website is slightly different than what you describe, here are some of the ideas I came up with:
1. Make sure to have a sample of my work available on my site to be downloaded
2. Be clear on who am I looking for (who to attract)
3. Connect the website to all other social media channels that I have
4. Post great reviews from Amazon/Goodreads on my site
328 comments
+ No Double Opt-in for your free Products
+ Check Your Video’s
+ No Dead-links
+ Let Your Socials Represent themselves
+ Keep It Simple (Each Page = 1 Goal)
718 comments
What do you mean, Aramik, "Let Your Socials Represent themselves"?
328 comments
Well.. Often I check the profiles (LinkedIn, FB, Youtube, Instagram) of Experts and I find them mostly boring and not representative enough.
Mostly on facebook, Experts don't really care about the look and feel of their profiels as they "think" it is a private platform for their friends. So they have pictures of their cats, dogs on them as their profile pictures.
What I wanted to share was:
As an Expert: You need to represent yourself through ALL Your Socials. All of them and not only On Linkedin or here on this blog.
718 comments
Brilliant, Aramik.
Thanks for clarifying.
Keep up the amazing work...
12 comments
Great tips. I've just checked my website and noticed a couple of dead links. I immediately sent my VA a message ;-).
7 comments
Focus on message instead of design. Especially on homepages, too many websites have huge imagery while that first screen ("above the fold") is the most valuable space of your web page, where you should convince visitors that they have come to the right place. So show them what you have to offer and don't make them guess.
In addition to that: be clear in your message and offers. Only use jargon if your clients use jargon and don't use too descriptive words, but use the words people use. You might not like "business coach", but if you call yourself "fulfiller of potential" it's just not clear what you actually do.
This also applies for any services you offer. "Business Bootcamp" is better than "Powerful event for entrepreneurs", right?
Leave your ego at the door and focus on how your website can be the best website for your (potential) customers.
576 comments
Yes Nathan that last sentence!
I find this the biggest pitfall of most websites! It's all about the seller not the visitor. My first website I paid tons for a copywriter and a designer, and I got zero visitors. I mainly had a business card. And even a business card should be about the one watching it- if you put a question on it to ask your potential client, what would it be?
I just thought about it. Mine would be: "what (online) meeting gives you the biggest headache?"
And then, of course, the website should provide them solutions- whether as free tips or by showing them how I can help them.
I don't have a website yet, but... I have an idea how I would shape it now:)
7 comments
If you read the content on websites, try to find what the balance between "you" and "me/I/us" is. Too many websites are just sending out messages, not helping the visitor. Yesterday someone posted the launch of a new website and pretty much everything I saw in the short video was "we" and "us". Who wants to read that?
Your visitors don't care about your mission statement (missie & visie) because that's all about you, not them. Translate it to how it benefits them and why you are the right person (or company) to help them. Or maybe even why not, because neither your client or you should waste time when there's no match and your visitors can decide whether there's a match or not on your website already.
My tip for you is not to use negative words like "headache" Gerdy. I personally would say that if it gives me a headache, I don't even want to attend that meeting. Negative words also give a more negative sense about you and your website. Of course you want to let them feel the pain that you can relieve them from, but I'd choose the words carefully 😉
328 comments
Great tips @Nathan! Totally loving your CLEAR vision.
Just a question for you as an Expert: What are the Don't on Features on a website? These days there are so many opportunities and functions...
7 comments
Thanks for the question Aramik, I love it! And to be honest, there are a lot of don'ts since people are just not really aware of how certain things just aren't helpful for their visitors. Let me give some of the most common examples:
- Terrible cookie pop-up with no (easy) options to manage preferences and tracking/marketing cookies by default (that's not consent, so it's unlawful);
- Huge header images on pages, which use up the most valuable space of your web page while not helping your visitors;
- Background videos: they mostly really don't help and distract and/or confuse your visitors, who came here for information;
- Hamburger menu on desktop website: you've got all the space, so use it for a visible menu for easy navigation;
- Automatically playing videos: no one likes it, especially with sound on by default, that's terrible when you're in a working environment;
- Using stock photos that are too obvious stock photos: there are great stock photos available, use those, but preferably use your own imagery;
- Forgetting usability: you should not use a gray font on a white (or gray) background, use black so everyone can easily read it; don't use a (slightly) different colour for your anchor text (link text), use a clearly different colour (not too light) AND an underline so everyone recognises it as a link immediately; etc.
Does this give you any new insights? Are there things you see differently and would like to discuss? Feel free! 🙂
328 comments
Wowww Nathan! thanks a lot for all these "Don't"!! this is HUGE and valuebale! WOOOWW!!
And yes! I recognize a lot of things that I personally don't like!! WOOW!! Thanks again!! You rock!