I’ve spent the last 17 years working as a brand and web designer, and I continuously see these heart-shattering mistakes being made across many different industries. They are relatively easy fixes, which is good news both for you and I, but more times than not, they are rushed over because businesses don’t understand the value and the importance of fixing these seemingly simple mistakes they are making on their websites.
So here are five of the top mistakes I see, and ways you can fix or improve your website quickly and easily.
Lack of personality
The most common mistake I see on websites is the lack of personality. Visually, you’re not a stuffy, vanilla business, and the design of your website should reflect that. And no, I’m not telling you to go crazy and be too whimsical or unprofessional, but I am telling you you should be letting pieces of your personality show up in your brand. Often, this could be something as small as making sure you are showing images of YOU so that potential clients see who they would actually work with, rather than a faceless corporation.
In messaging, this means having a vocabulary that reflects your business style and weaving a story into your copy that connects with your audience. Potential clients don’t just want the facts. They want to know that they’re hiring someone that they can get along with AND who can handle the job that needs completed. You can’t stand out from your competitors if you don’t put some personality out there in how you present what you do.
Too much text
There’s just so much to say, and you don’t want to leave anything out, so you tend to overwrite your website copy. Sound familiar? I thought so. It may seem like a good idea, but unfortunately, this just makes potential clients’ eyes glaze over, and they miss the important things that they really should see. When it comes to text, less is more, and knowing your messaging and strategy will help you hone in on what really needs to be said instead of trying to say absolutely everything.
Well placed images throughout your copy will move visitors’ eyes to what you want them to see further down the page, so that they continue to scroll (and read!). A big wall of gray text with no images makes visitors’ eyes tired and they’ll skip right over it, or leave your site altogether.
No calls to action
Let’s be honest, when it comes down to it, the major goal of your website is to invite ideal clients to hire you. So why would you be so coy about it on your website? Your website needs to prepare potential clients to hire you by giving them the background information they need to be confident that you are the best person for the job, but don’t forget to actually ask them to set up a call!
Calls to action should be peppered throughout your pages in strategic spots that move clients on a planned journey from your home page all the way to your contact page.
Generic images
Professional photography is expensive. I get it. You’re probably already shelling out the big bucks for professional photography of your projects for your portfolio, but you can’t forget custom brand photography as well. If you’re using the same, tired stock images that other businesses are using on their websites, your website value drops. It doesn’t matter how well it’s designed, how good your copy is, or how beautiful your portfolio is, the value of your entire website diminishes.
Your photography needs to mimic the same style as your design as well as use your branded color scheme. It’s hard enough finding one image that fits the bill, but finding multiple that all work together without clashing with your professional photos is almost impossible.
Lifestyle shots of you and your team working are my favorite to complement professional website design. And bonus, these are great for social media too. You’ll likely need some filler shots for header images on your website and to sprinkle throughout your social feeds, so those are a must have when you plan your shoot!
Our service, The Works Plus, is a great solution for getting all of the photography you need that’s custom, branded and will weave a cohesive look throughout your website and social feeds. Our photographer will shoot custom styled stock photos just for you that will perfectly complement the brand we’re designing for you.
Hard to find location or contact information
We live in a digital world, and location doesn’t always matter. But for a service like interior design where you will physically be in someone’s home, people need to be able to find your location immediately…yes, even if you offer e-design!
One of my biggest pet peeves is going to a service provider’s website and having to hunt to figure out their service area. Don’t only hide it on your contact page. That’s a good start, but make sure it’s prominent on your home page as well. Not only will potential clients thank you, but Google will appreciate it and rank you higher for people searching in your area, putting you in front of more local leads!
Once they know where you are, make it super easy for them to get in touch with you through your preferred method of communication. Whether it’s a contact form or phone number, have a system for how you funnel inquiries into your business so that it’s easy for clients to contact you and easy for you to keep track of.
These five things might not seem like that big of a deal when you look at them individually, and it’s easy to skip over them when you are rushing to get a website up and in place, but your website shouldn’t just be up and in place. It should be serving you and serving your business in all the ways it possibly can. That means it’s important to have these steps completed so they help you show, tell and display the brand story you want to tell, leading your customer on the journey you want them to go on. When you leave important elements off your website like the five we just walked through, you are doing your business a disservice and shorting yourself in the process too.
