1  Make Your Website Fast

Everyone is busy. I'm busy, you're busy, your ideal clients are definitely busy. No one wants to sit there watching a loading wheel spin while they wait for your website to appear. If your website takes ages to load, they'll be gone before they even see your amazing services.

Speed matters. It's not just about being polite to your visitors - although that's important - it's also about whether they'll stick around long enough to become your clients.

2  Mobile-Friendly is Non-Negotiable

Don't make people pinch and zoom. Don't make them scroll across their mobile phone screen like they're reading a scroll from ancient times. Yes, I still see this every so often, and frankly, it drives me bonkers.

Google likes mobile-friendly websites, which means you need to make your website look good on a mobile. Some designers do the mobile design first, which is great as long as it still looks good on a computer screen too.

Here's a real-world example: I was performing a Strategic Website Review, and the business woman said, "But I designed my website on my 32-inch screen. It looks fab." On my laptop? It did not look fab.

Professional designers check the website design on several different screen sizes. If you're designing your own website, you need to do that too. Don't assume it looks good everywhere just because it looks good on your screen.

3  Be Clear on Your Branding

I land on some websites and my eyes are begging for sunglasses. I wonder if they've been designed by someone who is colour blind. If you really want to make that kind of impact, that's up to you. But if I can't stand to look at the colours, I'll leave.

Here's something you might not know: colours look very different on different screens too. Years ago when I had some branding done, I didn't realise how vivid the pink was until I bought a new laptop. I was shocked at how bright it was - true story.

Choose your colours carefully, and check them on different devices.

4  Make It Easy to Read

This means fonts that aren't so curly that no one else can read them. It means not cramming so much info on the screen that it makes the visitor overwhelmed.

White space doesn't mean the space has to be white, but that there is some space to easily see the different sections. It's not like reading a newspaper.

People don't read every line - just like you haven't read every line here. Don't get upset about it, that they're missing your gems of wisdom. Simply space out the sections and make sure they have clear headings. When people are skim-reading, they'll read the subheadings.

5 Show People They're in the Right Place

If you're a solopreneur, make sure your face is there with a logo and/or slogan. This does not mean that your logo has to be the size of Sydney Harbour Bridge. Just make it noticeable.

Let people self-select whether you're the right person to work with for them. Let them know who you work with and what problems you solve.

6  Write for Humans, Not Just Bots

Yes, you want your website found in search engines and AI. But if you do everything for the bots, you'll lose the human connection. And humans are the ones who'll actually hire you.

Keep it human-focused. Write like you're talking to a real person, because you are.

7  Make the Next Steps Crystal Clear

Let your visitors know the next steps to contact you, work with you, or find out more about you. I hate it when I find someone I want to work with and then I can't find their contact details. The joy of finding someone is squashed by the frustration of not being able to contact them.

Decide how you want to be contacted on your website, preserving any boundaries you have, and make those connections clear.

While we're thinking about connection - don't use jargon your web visitors won't understand. Not unless you want them to leave quickly.

8 Know the Purpose of Your Website

Is there a part where you are trying to educate them? Do you have a shop? Make sure everything is clearly labelled so visitors know what to expect in different parts of your website.

If people are confused, they won't stick around to figure it out. They'll just leave.

9  Use Testimonials Strategically

Testimonials can show your web visitors that other people think you do a good job (other than your Mum, who has to say good things about you).

Rather than have a load of testimonials all in one place, have some testimonials related to each service you offer. This makes it clear which testimonial relates to which service. This is especially important if you have a lot of incredible testimonials. I don't want to waste time reading through testimonials on Service A when I'm actually interested in Service B.

10 Put Your Name on Your Website

Preferably on your home and about pages. Yes, you know who you are, but a web visitor may be landing from a search engine and has no idea. Be helpful.

If you were meeting someone in person, you'd introduce yourself. Do the same on your website. Make sure your name and image are there.

11 Keep Your Copyright Date Current

Keep the copyright date at the end of your website page up to date. I've been to websites, liked the services on offer, and then been confused whether they were still in business. The blogs haven't been added to for a year, and the copyright is years out of date.

Make it obvious that you're not wasting their time.

 

12  Special Notes for Product Websites

If you have a product website, please, pretty please, have shipping and delivery info easy to find. I live in a regional area, and I want to know how much it's going to cost to send your amazing products to me.

With some websites, I can't even work out where they're based. Are they even in Australia, or is it the USA or Canada? We all use dollar signs for currency. A lot of the time the website also ends in .com, so that doesn't give me a clue. I need to know where you are and how much it's going to cost to ship to me.

13 If You Sell Clothes

Please state the size range somewhere it's easy to find. I don't want to find the perfect purple outfit only to discover the biggest size would have fit me when I was 12 years old. Yes, I'm a larger woman, and I want to know whether I'm wasting my time looking for clothes on your website.

While we're on the subject of clothes, make it easy to find the measurements for the sizes. Sizes are never standard, so let us know the measurements for the sizes on your website. I know you may offer free shipping and free returns, but I'd rather get it right in the first place since we are all busy people.

The Bottom Line

Your website should work for your visitors, not against them. Make it fast, make it clear, make it easy to navigate. Show them who you are, what you do, and how to work with you.

If your website is frustrating your visitors, it's time to fix that. Because a website that people love is a website that actually works for your business.

Need help figuring out where your website might be losing visitors? That's exactly what I do in my Strategic Website Reviews. Together we'll look at your website through the eyes of your ideal client and identify any gaps or friction points where they might feel confused and click away.

Book your Strategic Website Review here: https://www.kisswpwebsites.com.au/Website-review