Why Your Website Probably Stinks (and 5 Tips to Fix it Fast)

The most important thing to remember is that you must have a unified purpose for your website.”

By Brady Smith

This is an abbreviated version of the process that I use when designing websites for my clients.

First, you need to realize that…

Your Website Matters

Why?

Because…

Over 55% of people will search online before making a purchase decision.

38% will bounce from a website if the site is unattractive.

48% of consumers say that web design is the #1 factor in determining a business’ credibility.

You stand to lose somewhere around 50% of your potential customers if you don’t nail that first impression.

Now that we can all agree on that, here are 5 ways to vastly improve your website quickly & easily.

#1 - Decide on a Purpose What is the purpose of your website?

Are you educating? Selling a service? Selling a product? Trying to get leads? Trying to grow a community?

Whatever it is, you need to decide on this and then audit every page to make sure your headlines, calls to action, images, copy, everything lines up with that purpose.

Take however long it takes to answer this question before moving on.

It will affect everything you do on your site!

#2 - Show, Don’t Tell This is slightly ironic coming from a written article…

However, your website needs to be all about showing, not telling. We live in a visual world & you have precious few seconds to capture someone’s attention before they’re gone.

This means that anywhere an image will work instead of text, use an image.

Focus on big, attention getting images and headlines. Then have the option to “Learn More” beneath. If you can grab interest up front, they will click. But if you throw a giant chunk of text in their face, they’ll bounce.

#3 - Let “You” Shine Through

People want to do business with people. If your website is a typical, run-of-the-mill website that looks like all the other faceless, nameless corporations out there, there’s no differentiating factor.

In the crowded internet age we live in, you are what sets your business apart from your competitors.

Nobody else thinks like you. Nobody else has the same gifts as you.

Capitalize on your uniqueness by letting it show through in your website.

This can be done through the images and styles you use, the way you write the copy, and by how other people talk about you (testimonials!).

Use your own personal story to show people how you can help them reach their goals.

#4 - Go Mobile

Nearly 50% of website traffic is currently (2020) mobile & it’s projected to be upwards of 75% in just a few years. If people cannot easily navigate your website on their smartphone, they will bounce.

Depending on what platform you’re using to design your website, optimizing for mobile can be tricky. However, most have a “mobile view” option where you can see how it’ll look on a phone right in the editor. Go through every page of your website and make sure that images show up correctly, spacing looks right, and text size works.

Once you’ve done that, use your smartphone to check it again. Sometimes the “mobile view” won’t show you everything and it’ll look different on a real phone.

#5 - Use the Entire Page

By this, I do not mean that you should have the entire page covered with content. Instead, this means to use the modern “full-screen” look over the typical older style that has bars on either side and content only in the middle.

This one tweak will make a huge difference in modernizing your website’s look and feel. Plus it will go a long way in helping that 38% who will bounce if the site is unattractive stay and check out what you’ve got to show them!

These are 5 simple tips out of 500: but these quick fixes will basically give you a brand new website in very little time. The most important thing to remember is that you must have a unified purpose for your website. Don’t just have stuff on there for the sake of having stuff on there. Align everything you say and show on the site with your site’s main purpose.

Hopefully, these ideas will get the ball rolling for you and result in a beautiful, effective website for you and your business!

WEBSITE DESIGNER, COPY WRITER, VOICE ARTIST, PODCASTER

Brady holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and specializes in crafting effective messaging designed to get results.

Whether that messaging takes the form of a conversion-centric website, sales copy, or audio, he has years of experience and training to get the job done.

Brady makes his home on the edge of society - close enough for good WiFi, but far enough out to not have to worry about traffic.