by Jessica Freeman | Featured Contributor
Your website is a reflection of your business. It tells people how serious (or not so serious) you take your business. Do you look like a professional or an amateur?
People should come to your website and instantly feel like you are the real. deal.
That you are trustworthy.
Think of it like this: which food truck would you be more likely to buy from?
A brightly painted, shiny, red food truck with an incredible, detailed paint job OR an unwashed, dull, gray food truck with some stick-on letters?
I don’t know about you, but I’m staying away from the gray truck. I’m sure they make some great tacos (or whatever they serve, but I love tacos) but they do not look like a reputable place.
We both know YOU are better than that old food truck. Being able to charge more for your services is the key to living the life you want. That all starts with a better website.
I know you’re probably thinking, “Yeah… except I don’t have the money to hire a designer.”
Good news! I have some real, actionable steps you can take on your website without hiring a designer:
- Simplify your background. In most cases, a white background is the way to go. Color distorts the perceived color of images – so if you have a lot of images on your site (i.e. – photographers and designers), simplify.
- Add (or update) images. Good images are important to use because they create more visual interest on your website. They set the tone for your website – whether it’s fun and quirky, or calm and peaceful, etc. I love using unsplash.com to find fun, creative stock photos!
- Use headlines. If you have a page with a large body of text (like a sales page), use headlines to break up the text. Highlight important pieces of information, or a short line that will grab the viewer’s attention. Turn your headlines into a color that matches your branding (and is easy to read) to spice up your page.
- Check the flow of your website. Are there too many pages? For example, programs and events? Same page. Who are we and what we do? Same page. Layout your content in a way that makes sense to your audience.
- Link to your social media accounts – and make them easy to find! But, only link to social media accounts that you use regularly. When people click over to your social media accounts and see that you are engaging with viewers and providing value.
These are some simple changes that can get you started on updating your website. After you’ve made some changes, show it to a few people – preferably someone that is close to your target market, and who won’t be completely biased. For instance, I have an accountability partner that I bounce ideas and questions off of, and I’m also active in several online communities with freelancers like me. Both of these are great places for me to get feedback from people that have similar goals, but are also part of my target market.
Have other website questions? Tweet me – @jesscreatives!
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Jessica Freeman, professional graphic designer and owner of Jess Creatives, works with entrepreneurs, businesses and non-profits to create stunning graphics, websites and videos that help them stand out among competition so they can focus on doing what they do best.
After working in the corporate world for a few years and doing freelance on the side, Jess decided to take the leap to self-employment in 2014. Jess Creatives has had the privilege of working with some incredible organizations such as Georgia Tech University, Chick-fil-A Race Series, and Unique Venues.
After hours, Jess enjoys spending time with her husband, Aaron, and #FranktheChair. They currently live in Atlanta, GA, where they enjoy working out, volunteering, and working on side projects for Jess Creatives.
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