Your photos make or break the design of you website. You might not realize it at first, but if you look at any site that really appeals to you, the photos are almost always what makes you feel that way.

Unfortunately, in most cases stock images are pretty easy to spot, and most of them don't translate into giving your audience the feeling you want to give them.  I mean, your audience doesn’t really want to see an overly happy family on the beach - they want to see you. They want to connect with the people behind the business that they will be working with. 

That’s why I recommend connecting with a branding photographer in your area and schedule a branding photography shoot. This way you will have beautiful and dynamic photos that you can spread throughout your website. You will want a wide variety - from lifestyle shots, flat lays, shots of your team, and of course you as the business owner. 

Having a powerful marketing message is a must. You see, your site has only a few "jobs" in reality.  The first job is to quickly and easily help a visitor determine if this is a site they should explore further.

You generally only have 5-10 seconds to grab the attention of your potential clients. So, you need to have a powerful message that quickly and clearly states what you do, who you help, and what people will experience when working with you. This message will draw in your intended audience and get them to continue looking at your site.

Additionally, it's ok (a good thing actually) that you don't try to be everything to everybody.  Let people know quickly and clearly who this is for, who this is not for, the benefits you provide, and/or the problems you solve. 

Your site's next job is to get your ideal type of client to take some kind of action.  You have to guide your potential clients down a path and you need to tell them what you want them to do as a next step.

It might be to set an appointment.  It might be an enticement to get them to come to your location. It might be to download a report in exchange for their email (which you can use to build a relationship with them).  It might be a sale then and there. There are many possible options, but you need to be clear about what you want and you need to be clear about how they can do it. 

And here’s the thing - people like to follow steps. It helps them avoid overwhelm or having to think too hard about what to do each step of the way. It helps them take action faster and that is the goal of any website.

In today’s digital age, people want what the want and they want it right away.  People demand a user-friendly experience. That means your site must be easy to navigate, with clear information, and a simple and effective way for users to take action and/or contact you. If you make things confusing or challenging, people will click away from your site in a heartbeat.

This seems basic and obvious, but you would be amazed how many businesses don't make it simple to get in contact with them.  A majority of visitors will be coming to your site from a phone these days, so make it easy for them.  Provide clickable phone numbers, emails, and directions. And put this information in multiple spots on your site if you can because you never know at which point a potential client will decide they want to contact you directly.

The other crucial element of your website (and the one does more than anything to help convert your visitors into clients) is your copywriting. It’s imperative that you have excellent copy throughout your site. Your website needs to be informative, educational, highlight benefits, and show how your services or products will help your audience overcome their problems. You want to think about who you're writing to and write to them from their perspective.  

One of the main jobs of your site, of course, it to generate leads for your business.  A great way to do this is by creating what is called a "lead magnet." A lead magnet is a marketing strategy that involves giving your audience something of value for free in exchange for their contact information. This way you can begin to build and nurture your relationship with that prospect over time.  Some people aren't ready to buy right away, and that's fine.  In fact, for some businesses, potential clients may want to interact with your business for months or even years before they decide to pull the trigger and buy from you. 

As I mentioned above, most of your clients and potential clients are coming to you from their mobile phone, so if your website is not mobile-friendly, they will leave and leave fast. Again you only have 5-10 seconds to grab their attention and it’s very important that your website’s design has mobile phone and tablet screen sizes in mind.