How to ensure your Showit website is set up to convert? Getting site visitors to take action – converting from visitor to whatever the next step closer to actually working with you is – is the #1 goal of every single page of your website!
Your Showit website is supposed to be working for you and connecting with your Ideal Client, even when you’re not around. And this is where the problem arises for many business owners.
Most websites aren’t focused on conversion. By that, I mean most business owners that go the DIY route are only focused on the visuals.
Of course visuals do matter however, there is more to building a website than just making it look good.
Decide on the Main Goals of Your Website
To start, you need to determine the goal of your site. Is it to buy a product or book a service with you. Maybe it’s getting people to sign up for your newsletter or e-course. Now you also need to determine how or where you will get your visitors to take the action you want them to take. In your email list’s inbox? During discovery sessions or consultation calls? Or in in-person meetings? Whatever your main goals are, you need to make sure they are always the focus when you plan your website.
Think of the simplest, most straightforward first step your potential client, customer, or subscriber could take on their path to eventually purchasing your thing.
As this may be the first time a visitor has landed on your site, it isn’t very likely that your visitor will buy your product or book your service as the know-like-trust factor has not been established yet. Think of the simplest, most straightforward first step your potential client, customer, or subscriber could take on their path to eventually purchasing your product or service.
Depending on your end goal, your first smallest step towards it, or your “conversion”, could be:
- site visitor – email subscriber
- site visitor – booked consultation call
Whatever your first small conversion looks like, it should become your site goal, and you should build your entire design with only 1-2 specific site goals in mind.
Clearly state what you do and who
you do it for
You want your website visitors to know quickly whether you are someone that can help them. Who you serve and how you help those dream clients is exactly what should go at the top of your homepage. This can be known as your tagline. So how do you write a clear tagline? Take one part what you do, one part who you serve, one part where you’re located, one part how you’re different, and one part CTA (call-to-action)…though if one of those bits doesn’t apply to how you do business, you can safely leave it out. For example, my tagline is:
Bring Your Story To Life
CREATING ONE-OF-A-KIND BRANDS & ONLINE HOMES
TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TELL THEIR STORY
AND CONNECT WITH THEIR IDEAL CLIENTS
As it doesn’t apply to me I left out location, but if you are a little more location-specific, be sure to include it! This should be at the top of your home page for everyone to be able to see right away.
Include Clear CTA’s on Every Page
Now that you know what the main goals of your website are there should be one main call to action repeated throughout your website, guiding your visitors to the final goal. This could be “schedule your free consultation” or “buy now”. You want to make sure your CTA is super easy to understand even if they barely looked at your site and have no idea what you’re talking about beyond what it says on your button or graphic.
You should have at least one CTA on every page of your site, as well as in your sidebar, footer, and blog posts (if you have a blog, that is), and the action you encourage through your CTA should always always always relate back to those 1-2 main site goals we talked about!
Here’s an example of a clear CTA I would use to encourage visitors to opt-in to my email list by offering a valuable free resource on the topic they are most interested in.
KISS (Keep It Simple, Sister)
Confusion kills conversion!
Your overall website structure should be simple and clear. You don’t want people getting lost in too many pages and way too much content in your site. There should be no question in your site visitor’s mind where they need to go next. If it’s not the most important thing your visitor needs to be doing on your site, then it shouldn’t be the first thing that pops out on that page.
One of the most important site-building best practices to make sure your Showit website is set up to convert is a simple navigation menu. People will get confused about where to go, and confusion leads people off your site! Do you have more than 5 pages in your top navigation? Maybe pare it down. Less important pages can be added to your footer.
Focus on Your Website Copy
Your website copy is a key component to ensuring your Showit website is set up to convert. I say that copy dictates design. Having your website copy ready to go before you begin your design will help you create that journey you want to take your visitors on.
When writing your website copy, ensure you have your ideal clients in mind and speak directly to them. You should have done some research into who your Ideal Client is, what their struggles, challenges, and fears are and how you can help them through it. Write your website copy in a way that addresses these things and then present the transformation.
Make sure you break up your text into sections with clear headlines and call to actions. Too many large chunks of text will send people away from your website.
Make it Easy to Connect
Finally, once your website has captured the attention of your audience and led them through the journey, you’ll want to let them know how they can connect with you. A simple form without a lot of information is a great way for your visitors to contact you. Include your email address for people who do not want to fill out a form. What is the minimum information you require when you receive an inquiry? Include these fields in your contact form. Which of these fields will be required and which are optional? Provide an information message once the user fills out the form that tells them how quickly you typically respond to emails.
If you’re unsure if your Showit website is set up to convert, then check out my free Complete Website Checklist. This checklist will help you create a website that converts.
Ready for a new Showit website? Email me!
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