Check the navigation

That was the first thing I noticed. Next, I selected a service that said to read more. I thought I would be taken to a page with more info about that particular service, but instead, I was taken to the general services page. There was too much information about all of her services, whereas I wanted info on one particular service.

This website is not the only one like this. When websites are designed, they should ideally align with the vision, mission, and goals of the business. Over time, the goals and the vision may change. As the business evolves, the website should also evolve.

Reality Check: Websites Aren't Set and Forget

Websites are not set and forget. They evolve with the business. What can happen is that the website isn't considered after business changes.
Last year, I reviewed customer journeys on my own website. I realised that I had a few gaps. I'm assuming that the web visitor does this, then this, following a step-by-step process in my head.

However, this step-by-step was not obvious to a potential client. One of the gaps was that I wasn't following up, or rather, I didn't have a system in place to follow up.

It wasn't clear how they got from one step to the next. Look, I'm not saying that every single web visitor will follow through this journey; they may get what they get and drop off at any point. However, I want the pathway to be there for them so they see how easy it is to work with me to see if we're a good fit.

Question: Is Your Website Aligned?

It got me thinking. Have you checked that your website is actually aligned with the customer journey?

You may think the journey begins when they land on your website and sign up for a lead magnet, such as a checklist, to get you introduced to each other.

Lead Magnet Visibility

How obvious is it? Where is the lead magnet on your website? Is it something that's going to be interesting to them?

Follow-Up Systems

If they've downloaded the checklist, does that put them into an email sequence? Is there a follow-up? How long does the follow-up go for? Do you simply reach out to them? How do they know what the next step is?

The Social Media Disconnect

On the checklist itself, can they reach out to contact you? Do they find your checklist from your socials and not on your website at all? I've found that on several occasions, people promote a lead magnet from their socials but don't put it on their website. This may be for strategic reasons, but sometimes it's because updating their website is too hard for them.

Keep It Simple: Don't Leave Visitors Hanging

I'm writing this to jog your thinking, as it jogged mine when I started revisiting my customer's journey. Does yours make sense with your website content? Is the next step obvious so they don't want to leave?

We want to avoid confusing our potential clients. We need to keep it simple (KISS - Keep It Simple, Sweetheart). I've redesigned parts of my own website to make the next step obvious.

In some cases, I left web visitors hanging, and I'm sorry for that. Sometimes, we think our ideal clients will find us if they really want to, but we can make it a lot simpler than that. You may be reading this, thinking it's okay, Karen, I have this part covered.

Simple Changes, Big Results

When I release my Fit For Success service (FFS for short), this is one of the items that will be covered as part of a 40-point checklist.

On a call a while back, a business person wanted his ideal client to call him as part of the customer's journey. He thought I was a freaking genius because I put his phone number on the top and bottom of his website. Before, it had only been on the contact page. He started to get phone calls.

It was a simple change.

He had changed his process, and it hadn't been reflected on his website. That simple change brought him customers to him.

Your Action Plan: Audit Your Customer Journey

Look at your website with fresh eyes.

If you'd like someone else to do this for you, consider booking a session with me.
Look at your website, think about your customer journey and follow it through.

Verify each step to ensure the lead magnets are functioning correctly.

Check that follow-up emails are being sent and received.

Make sure it's clear what the next steps are.

The customer journey for your ideal client is simple, and let's ensure that it's accurately reflected on your website.

If you want me to check for you, book a Strategic WordPress Website Review.