If your website isn’t bringing in business for you, you are doing something wrong. Your website needs to clearly tell customers who you are, what you do (you would be surprised how many websites are not clear), and how the customer can take the next step. The good news is this can be accomplished by simply changing the wording on your site and words are free.
Designing and writing copy for your own website isn’t easy. The problem is we are too close to our own businesses and we suffer from the curse of knowledge. It is difficult to remain objective. It is difficult to be able to simplify what we do, we tend to want to tell the reader everything we know, in the process we overwhelm the reader.
Most business owners are frustrated with their website, but struggle with what to fix. Try stepping back and looking for these common mistakes that are found on most websites.
- They don’t clearly state what they do
Don’t laugh, it’s true. 85% of all sites I visit leave the reader wondering exactly what the company does. The business owners assume it is obvious what they do. It is not. Ask someone you don’t know to take three minutes to look at your site and then ask them if they know what you do. If they can’t respond on the money — your website may not be as clear as you think. - They don’t use images that support their product or service
The old adage is true. A picture is worth a thousand words. The right picture can help you communicate in a clear, succinct manner. In a world where few people read the full text of anything. The right picture can make all the difference in the world. - They use insider language
Keep it simple. Insider language can hurt you. First, not everyone understands your corporate/industry lingo, and even if they do you may be “coming on too strong” for a client who is still trying to get to know you and what you offer. Once a prospect gets to know you and you each have an understanding of the other it is fine to demonstrate knowledge, until you get to that point you are more likely to be turning people off. - They use too much text no one will read
Walt Disney famously said, “Don’t Define The Magic.” When we include too much information we inadvertently give prospective customers a reason to not do business with us. Don’t say more than you need to. The more information you provide the more likely someone will find an objection to your service. Keep the magic alive with fewer words and leave the client seeing opportunity rather than an objection. - They waste words
The human brain can only absorb and retain a limited amount of information. Make sure the words you use are the ones you want your customer to walk-away remembering. When you clutter the page with too much information, your key points get lost. Don’t waste words that will be forgotten or overlooked. Focus on your most important messages and get the prospect interested enough to take the first step and engage with you, then you can fill them in on all the details they need. - They overwhelm their customers with too much information
A reader who is presented with too much information before they get to know the company gets confused. If you confuse them, you will lose them. Don’t tell them more than they need. Make their choices simple. If you load up a website page with too much information and cause the reader to make too many decisions, you have lost them. - They don’t have a clear call to action button
Last, but certainly not the least important is we don’t tell our readers what we want them to do next. Providing lots of information and designing beautiful web pages isn’t going to get you anywhere if the reader doesn’t know how to take action. Make sure you make it easy on them and provide a clear call to action button.
The good news these mistakes are easy to fix. Words are free. If you need guidance on how to improve your site download our “5 ways to Improve Your Website” ebook.
