What to put in a solo business website
Make a 1 page website (a few scrolls long) with a few subpages. Don’t use a menu because you are not Woolworths
Usability (ease of navigation) is a problem on most websites for many reasons. As a solo, not having a menu helps avoids this problem
Words are often given the least amount of importance. Don’t let this happen to you. And make sure the reader hears ‘your voice’ and style, not a wishy-washy “I’m the best!”, professionalism. Don’t persuade. Clarity is your goal. Words should make your service so easy to understand and so easy to buy, that the reader is 80% ready to buy. This is where niching is helpful
Trust. People do not trust the internet or websites. However, they want to trust you. So make it easy for them by using;
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Content Marketing (be the magazine not the advertisement in it). Educate don’t sell.
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photos of you, (not models)
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valuable content (hard to get elsewhere)
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your point-of-view
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your location
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multiple ways you can be contacted
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personal information / interests / background
This last point -Information about you- can be tricky. Most solos don't include enough. This is understandable as they want to concentrate on the customer. The customer is the focus, but a relationship STARTS with YOU because you’re a solo, it’s personal.
Your ABOUT ME page is more popular than you think. Because before they trust your service, they need to trust you. The ONE THING your competitors CANNOT do, is copy YOU. So, promote YOU. Example: Cafes that look like hospitals with a splash of wood, that only post food photos. WE CAN GET FOOD ANYWHERE. What's the vibe? Community noticeboard? International magazines? Newspapers? Sponsor the local footy team? Back garden patio? Mulch their waste? Eco practices? Photos and stories of local suppliers?
Graphic Design - don't drown your message. The purpose of hiring a Graphic Designer is to help your audience understand your message. Not to win them a Graphic Design award, by selling you a BEAUTIFUL but hard to use website. (Yes, I learnt the hard way). Graphics are not always essential. Design can be effective with simple formatting such as; Bolding, Italics, underlining, font size, indenting, bullets, links and more ‘white space’.
SEO is a secret algorithm that constantly changes that makes you compete with millions of businesses on planet earth, that all have more time and money than you. All the stuff above is more important than SEO
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