.png)
5 Tips to Optimizing Your Website for 2023
Updated: Mar 13
Looking to stay ahead of the curve in 2023? Look no further! Here are 5 tips you can use to quickly audit, and optimize your website.
But first, we need to address the elephant in the room...
Yes, you DO still need a website in 2023.
Despite the buzz that's been going around the internet about how social media is taking over the need for websites, I'm here to gently remind you that the purpose of having a website is to have a CENTRALIZED hub that holds all of your information in one place — and the perk here is that this hub is 100% under your control.
You have complete control over exactly how and when your content is being presented, and you're not left to the mercy of the ever-changing algorithms to get your message in front of the right people.
While social media is still a great tool to build your online brand in an agile way, it creates a confusing experience for first-time visitors who are trying to understand very simply who you are and what you have to offer when they have to sift through buckets of posts to stitch together a picture of what you do as a professional.
A (professionally-built) website is still the best way to communicate everything that you do at a glance, simply because it helps you deliver your message directly without all of the fluff that comes with social posting AND... it's one of the key pieces of your online brand presence!
So now that we got that out of the way... let's dive into the 5 tips!
Tip #1: Make sure your website is ACCESSIBLE!
The worst thing you can do is to have a beautifully built website that no one can access because:
It isn't linked to any of your current social profiles
Your domain name is too long, confusing, or hard to remember
It doesn't come up on Google when people search you up
But accessibility isn't just about visibility... it's about navigation as well! Good things to consider when improving your website's overall accessibility include:
Making sure your website is desktop, tablet and mobile-friendly
Having a menu that is easy to understand and navigate
Having a well-designed layout that makes for an easy reading experience
Remember, if people (1) can't find your website, or (2) can't use it, then your business will have a problem!
Tip #2: Keep your messaging simple, clear & concise
A website is like an online billboard — if there's no quality content, then it doesn't convert. I've seen WAY too many flashy websites with little to no coherent text that leave visitors feeling more confused than when they first went in looking for answers.
Here are a few tips in mind to help you tidy up the messaging on your website:
The first line on your website should always be either your one-liner, or a question that clearly defines your visitor's biggest challenge so that they know they're in the right place
Stay away from technical jargon and use simple language that your visitors will understand — avoid "term-dropping" and make sure your language is accessible
Treat each page like a sales letter and make sure the train of thought FLOWS when you read a page from top to bottom
Super Pro Tip: The best way to get clear on your message is to understand exactly WHO your audience is (and what they're looking for), as well as what your brand's relationship is with them. Your website should read as smoothly as receiving a text from your best friend.
Tip #3: Make sure your visuals ADD to rather than TAKE AWAY from your visitor's experience
On the topic of ugly websites... there seems to be this misconception that "flashier" websites do better than plain ones. Yes, people prefer a well-designed website, but not when the visuals get in the way of the overall experience.
Taking a page out of my web design book, here are a few things you can do to make sure your visuals are contributing to a GREAT visitor experience:
Keep your website images as small as possible (i.e. 72 ppi) to get faster loading speeds
Use different coloured "sections" to visually break up big blocks of text
Use graphics & imagery as supportive elements to provide context for your copy — never have a stand-alone visual with no context or explanation
Super Pro Tip: To minimize the headache of what visuals need to go on your website, you should always have a full visual brand set up (i.e. logo, colours, fonts, brand assets & brand guidelines) prepared before going into any website build.
Tip #4: Make it EASY for people to buy from you and have clear "call to actions"
You wouldn't believe the number of websites I've audited that have either (1) no buttons or (2) ambiguous language around how a visitor can take action on the information they just read. It's important to remember that visitors are on your website because they WANT to (or are interested in) buying from you — so please make it easy for them!
Good practices for this include:
Always have a "call to action" at the bottom of each page — this means having a statement about what action you want your visitor to take after reading the information on that page, and a button / form for them to interact with to trigger said action
Start your call to action statements with directive words such as, "Click the button below to...", "Fill out the form to...", "Get in touch with us by...", etc.
End your call to action statements with the exact outcome your visitor can be expecting after they take action, such as, "... to receive our weekly newsletter", "... to book your free strategy call", or "... to sign up for our next workshop", etc.
Remember, your visitors want to know what the next steps look like if they're saying "yes" to you — so it's a good thing to be "bossy" in your CTA's.
Tip #5: Make sure your website brand experience is consistent with all of your other online platforms
Lastly... knowing that your website is only ONE of the key pieces of your online brand presence, it's important to keep it consistent with all of the other pieces you have for your brand. When people visit your website, they are expecting it to be consistent with the way you present your brand in-person, on social media, or in other places where you exist on the internet. If your website is inconsistent with your current online brand presence, that's a red flag that will turn off new visitors from wanting to come back again.
Here are some things that you'll want to check for when it comes to consistency:
Are you using the same logo, fonts & colours on your website & social media presence?
Are you using the same language, tone & messaging on your website & social media presence?
Does your website have information about the offers you talk about in your social media posts?
Are all of your social platforms linked to your website (and vice versa)?
And there you have it!
Take these 5 tips for a spin and get your website set up for success in 2023!! If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed and want an outside perspective on how your website can be doing better, click the button below to book a quick call with me to learn more about how I can be supporting you with your branding and see if we're the right fit to be working together! 👇