If you’re tired and overwhelmed with a website headache, this one's for you!
You want your website to increase sales, but the problem is that when your site is slow or unclear, people will take their business elsewhere.
That’s why I’ve put together a list of 5 ways to improve your website right now (oh, and they’re all free. Yay!)
Boost your page speed
Experts say that most users will leave if a page doesn’t load within 3 seconds. Yes, you read that right. Three seconds. If your page doesn’t load fast enough, potential customers will bounce off your site and take their business somewhere else.
See how your webpages hold up by testing them with Google PageSpeeds Insights. Just plunk in your URL and you’re ready to go.
Reduce the file size of images by adjusting resolution wherever possible
Put your website to the "5 Second Impression” test
Is your website giving the right impression? Is your offer clear? Does the flow of information make sense?
Grab a friend or two, have them look at a page for 5 seconds and ask them:
What is this page about?
Is there an action to take?
What do you remember from the page?
Does this company/brand seem trustworthy?
Let’s see those links!
Every link on your site should be distinct from the text and elements around it. Whether you are linking to another page, an external resource, or to an email, you want any links clearly visible to potential clients.
Make sure that your in-text links are a different colour or style (i.e. classic blue with an underline) than the rest of your copy
Bonus points if the links change when hovered or clicked (this tells the user that the link is interactive aka “clickable”)
Simplify your menu
There is nothing more confusing than visiting a site with too many links to choose from. “Where do I start? Which option is right for me?” cue low-key anxiety
The solution? Simplify your menu and eliminate confusion.
Here's the truth - not every page needs to be in your main menu. Your main menu should only be for the most important pages on your site. Think primary-level pages such as Portfolio, Products,or About Us. Create sub–pages for your secondary level links (i.e. product categories, Our Story, Meet the Team).
Simplify your navigation by creating 4-5 main tabs with sub-categories (i.e. About Us has sub-categories for Our Story, Meet the Team, Community Involvement).
Move informational pages (shipping info, returns policy, FAQ’s) and links to the footer menu
Bonus: Make sure that your navigation links are clearly named, have adequate spacing, and work properly on mobile
Identify one single, clear call to action per page
That’s right. One. no more.
tldr; Clarity = sales.
A sales-oriented site is designed to lead users on a journey that brings them to a destination: either a call to single action (CTA) or decision-making point. Buy Now. Book a Call. Start Today. Each page of your site is a part of that journey and you want to make sure that your page is guiding the user to the destination.
Narrowing down to a single action gives the user a very clear path to follow, removes uncertainty, and builds trust, which gains customers.
If you don’t have actions throughout your site, identify your primary desired action and add a clickable “call-to-action” button: Book Your Free Call
If you have multiple CTA's, reduce it to one action per page
If you really need multiple calls to action per page (i.e. Choose program A or B), make sure the criteria for each program are clear and concise, so that users can easily choose the program that is right for them
There are many ways to improve your website (and your sales)
I get it - websites can be a a huge headache, but with these 5 tips you'll be able to improve your site and your customer's experience.
Your website is your 24/7 salesman - make sure it’s working for you, not against you.
If you need help curing your website migraine, book a call and I'll pack in as much free advice as I can fit into 30 minutes. Let’s get rid of your website pain for good 💪
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