What many of you don’t know is that I have been quietly designing WordPress websites for years now. Mostly for my own company, but I have done client websites over the years.
It started way back in 1995 when we couldn’t afford to pay someone to do it. Sadly, in those days there was almost no information on how to put up a website so my only resource was to teach myself. Since I have always been pretty scrappy, I turned to the help file in Microsoft Word and figured out how to put up a rudimentary website. Needless to say, I’ve learned a few things since those early days.
So here are a few tips that have worked well for me over the years…
Keep your website up-to-date.
Make sure your copyright date at the bottom of your page is current. I would also regularly update the widgets and plugins you’ve added. If you have a blog, try and put up at least one post a month. Why? If I visit your website and the last blog you posted was in 2019, and your copyright date is old, then I’m going to make a few assumptions. None of which will cause me to hire you. If visitors notice that your content isn’t up-to-date, then you lose credibility and quite possibly a valuable client!
I suggest that you visit your website every week and add copy, articles… something. In today’s world, it’s also critical to make sure your site is still live on the internet! Hacking is a real thing.
Remember that YOU are not your target client.
I mean this with all my heart. When you are designing (or updating) your website, put yourself in the minds of your target market. What would THEY like to see on the site? What articles? What colors? See if you can find people in that market and ask them to take a look at your website to give you some feedback. Since you are creating this website to draw in your ideal client, you should design a site and write copy that will keep them on your website.
Should you look at competitor websites? You will of course. I know you can’t resist right? Please please please don’t copy them. Trust me when I say that they will find out eventually because no doubt they are looking at yours. No matter what website you visit, never ever copy anything from it. We live in a very litigious society so look at them, admire them, just don’t copy them.
Give people a reason to come back.
Please don’t just put up a website and then never edit it again. A website is a living and breathing thing that needs to change. This way they don’t forget you. Create a blog. Add some articles or a resource directory with helpful links and information. Use the new technologies that come along and give clients a reason to come back and again and again.
Your ABOUT US page.
One of my biggest pet peeves is the “about us” page. I can’t tell you how many sites I have visited that only have two or three general sentences telling me about their company. When I hire someone, I always go to their site and read about them. I want to read about the business owners and find out how much experience they have. If there is a picture of the owner, even better! If I see no information about the owner or the company, I often wonder what they are hiding and why. Do I hire them? Not very often.
Tell me where you are located!
I understand that you want privacy. Trust me I get it. However, I can’t tell you how many websites I have visited that don’t have their location on it! All I get is the company name, telephone number, an email address or contact us box and that’s it! If I do a Google search on a company in Raleigh NC for example, and you don’t have the words “Raleigh, NC” somewhere on your website, the search engines will not pull it up. You’ll lose business. At the very least put your city/state/country somewhere on your site.
Until next time!
Katharine
