If you are a business owner (aka you provide a service or sell a product), you should most definitely have a website. Yes, even (especially) if you are an influencer or a network marketer.
There’s no if, ands, or buts about it. Whether it’s a social media platform or another’s product – they can shut down or crash tomorrow and then you’re just straight outta luck. You’d have no way to get in contact with your customers or following and then what are you going to do?
That is why you need a website and a way to collect email addresses. Your website is your business’s home online. A website helps give your business validity and authority.
Because think about it: how often do you look up new businesses on Google before you check them out in person? And how often do you actually go to the ones that don’t have a website? Not so much, right?
Websites are key to a successful marketing funnel. They’re the crowning glory of your online presence because it’s the perfect place for your current and potential customers to learn more about you, your business, and what it’s like to be a customer.
If you’re thinking, “Well, that’s nice, but I’m not techy,” we’ve got some news for you: you don’t need to be.
That’s right, you don’t need to be techy to create a gorgeous website because if you keep these key tips in mind, you’ll be a website-making master in no time.
5 Website Hacks You Need to Know
01. Check your website on both desktop and mobile
If you’ve ever heard someone say a site needs to be responsive – that’s what this means. It’s easy to just look at your website on the screen you’re making it on, right? But here’s the thing: 88% of people are less likely to return to a website after a bad experience – like links don’t work, the format looks weird, pictures aren’t loading properly, or…it doesn’t look good on mobile.
Since in 2017, over 52% of global online traffic was mobile, making sure your website looks good on both desktop and mobile is crucial. Because even if you spend most of your time scrolling through your phone, it doesn’t mean your target market does as well.
If you’re DIYing your site, pull up your website on your phone. Scroll through it and look for anything that catches your eye: an image out of place, a graphic that suddenly looks weird, text that’s randomly cut off or overlaps another section.
Bonus: Most website-building sites will let you view the mobile experience from your computer so you can adjust those features to make sure the design looks perfect on both desktop and mobile.
02. Go through your customer journey with fresh eyes
Chances are, you know a new guest page or a services page is a necessity…but have you ever walked through the customer journey yourself?
It’s the best way to find if any piece of your intake process is confusing, complicated, or just doesn’t work. Because if it’s too complicated to book a new appointment with you, no matter how good you are, that guest will go to the stylist down the street instead.
Do a test run. Go through your entire new guest process on your website. Consider even using a different browser than you normally do to get a new experience. Read your new guest page with fresh eyes and follow the directions exactly to know what your guests experience.
03. Choose the right photos
Listen, your social media photos aren’t going to cut it on your website. I had to say it.
Why? They tend to look better on a smaller scale so when you blow them up to act as your website header, they look pixelated and out of proportion…a.k.a., not what you want your dream customer to see when they land on your home page.
Also… and this is a big one: your customer wants to see more than just pictures of the work you’ve done. They want to see YOU, your brand, your business space, and the lifestyle you can help them create.
So don’t be afraid to be picky about your photos. Book a branding shoot with your photographer to really nail down your brand and business in images. Be selective about the stock images you decide to use. And if that header image doesn’t look right, don’t be afraid to change it to one that does.
Pictures are worth a thousand words. What are yours saying?
04. Streamline your navigation
Imagine you’re standing on a street corner in a new city. You’re totally lost and trying to find your way back to your hotel. It’s easier to make your way back if the map only shows you a few options, right? But if you’re faced with every single route under the sun, you’ll get confused, lost, frustrated, and chances are, you’ll end up throwing away that map for a simpler one.
Think of your website’s navigation bar the same way. It should be crystal clear to new and returning customers (and even the occasional browser) what to click on to find out more about you, how to get an appointment, what services you offer, and even how to purchase retail if you’re offering it online.
05. Check all your links
So your site is ready to go. It’s gorgeous, it’s got clean navigation, and beautiful images, and you know your customer journey is seamless. But before you hit publish, do this: check your links.
Seriously. All of them. Click through your navigation menu, on your social media links, and on your email contact form (even send yourself a test email).
The last thing you want is to have a customer, in love with your gorgeous website and mega excited about booking an appointment or sending you a message, to discover the links don’t work. Nothing will ruin the moment (and, honestly, send them to another stylist) like that.
Building a website can feel overwhelming, especially if you feel like you can’t speak tech. But with a bit of patience and these 5 website hacks, you’ll be on your way to building a gorgeous, customer-focused, and customer-booking site in no time!
Want a little more help? Book a call with me and I will help you get your website into a customer attraction machine.
Want a business that gets noticed online and attracts your dream customer but not sure where to start? Grab my free Stand Out Brand Blueprint here.
