9 Ways To Immediately Start Selling with Your Site
Having a well-designed, professional website is nice but if it’s not selling? It’s just a pretty site.
That’s why all web designers balance the design of your website with the strategy behind it. You need both to sell with your site.
As an online business owner, service provider, or entrepreneur, having a well-designed website is crucial for attracting and retaining customers.
Here are 9 ways to immediately start selling with web design.
Keep it simple
Have you landed on a website and had no idea what it was about? Usually when you confuse people they are more likely to leave your site and never return.
A simple design and layout makes it easy for customers to navigate and understand. Avoid too many design elements crammed together that can distract from your content.
Use high-quality images
Invest in professional photography, if you can, or use high-quality stock images to make your website look more polished and professional. Grab your free copy of Pics for Clicks to find images, illustrations and mockups for your site.
My favorite website for high quality stock photos is Unsplash because of the variety of images they have and you can add them straight from your Squarespace account if you want.
For mockups my favorite is Moyo Studio which is more of an investment but if you want to show off your digital products and offers in a professional way they are definitely worth looking into.
Optimize for mobile
With more and more customers using mobile devices to browse and purchase, it's important to make sure your website is optimized for mobile use. Using a platform that has mobile optimization built in is an easy way to do this one. Thankfully Squarespace makes this easy to do when creating or updating your website.
Simply switch between the desktop and mobile view at the top of your screen when editing your site to see exactly what your site visitors will see. An easy way to create your own personal link page like a link tree dupe is to create a page specifically for mobile that hides your header and footer.
Use clear calls to action
Make it clear what you want customers to do on your website, whether it's making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting you for more information. This should be obvious but some online business owners have a mental block around telling people what to do. But imagine this alternative.
If someone shows up on your website really excited to work with you but they can’t figure out how to take the next steps? They will probably leave disappointed and use someone else’s services instead of yours! So don’t be demanding but make the next steps clear and easy to follow.
Include social proof
One of the first things I do before I purchase anything is check out reviews. Whether it’s for a new top or a space heater I want to make sure I’m not buying something that is a piece of junk or will break within a month.
Customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies can help build trust with potential customers and encourage them to make a purchase. Make sure after you wrap up client projects to get a video or written testimonial for you to share online.
Focus on user experience
Would you hide the most important information on your website from potential clients and customers? Good because that was a trick question! Annoying or making things more difficult for your website users means they are less likely to stay on your site or purchase from you in the future. Learn more about how to stop annoying your site visitors.
Beyond that you want to make sure that any relevant content is easy to find and is on the correct page. You wouldn’t put all your detailed product and service descriptions on your About page, would you? Make sure your website is easy to navigate and understand, with clear headings and intuitive menus.
Use color strategically
Color can have a big impact on how customers perceive your brand. Use colors that align with your brand identity and evoke the emotions you want customers to feel. I went a bit deeper into color psychology in how to choose your brand colors. Here’s a taste of what I talked about.
Most people are guided by emotions when making purchasing decisions. The colors you choose in your branding will evoke certain emotions that will either attract or repel your ideal clients and customers. Doing research even if it’s just one weekend or an afternoon into color psychology and what emotions your colors evoke can help you craft a winning brand strategy for your website and brand.
Make it easy to contact you
It’s fun to be mysterious but not in business. Add your email or contact information that you’re comfortable sharing online. If you don’t what your contact information out where anyone can find it, hello spam bots, create a form that sends responses to your email of choice.
This also helps you prequalify your leads so only people who are serious about working with you will fill out the form. Include clear contact information and make it easy for customers to get in touch with you if they have questions or concerns.
Keep it up-to-date
Regularly update your website with new content, products, or services to keep customers engaged and coming back for more. If you’re using content marketing as your marketing strategy this will be easier.
Even having a blog that you update weekly is enough to help you with your SEO and online ranking so more people can find you. Schedule a time monthly to make updates to your site and add any new relevant details about your business.
By implementing these web design strategies, you can create a website that not only looks great but also helps you sell your products or services effectively which is what we all want. If you want your website to do more of the heavy lifting in your business to save you time and money check out the Savvy Site Challenge.
