For people that want to work from home, e-commerce can be the ideal industry to get into, but it can also be a challenge. According to Statista, the UK has the biggest e-commerce market in Europe. In this post, we’re going to discuss 11 e-commerce website design features you can’t afford to miss.
The Top 11 E-Commerce Website Design Features
It’s important to note that all websites are unique, and if each followed the same design, then it might not work for specific niches. But, there are certain features you can incorporate into your design while still maintaining your brand identity.
Mobile Responsive Website Design
In this day and age, if you don’t have a responsive website, then you might as well not have one at all. Shoppers want convenience, and it’s a lot easier to use a mobile device to shop instead of turning a laptop on.
When a website is responsive, the content and design features adapt to a variety of screen sizes. It improves the navigational elements of a site, which results in a positive user experience.
Companies around the world realise how important it is to optimise a website. Walmart managed to increase its mobile sales by 98%, which shows that taking a small step and making your site mobile friendly can turn your business around.
User Reviews
Everyone reads reviews. Think about the last time you shopped on Amazon. Did you see a product and click the buy now button straight away? The chances are you scroll down to the user reviews before making a purchase.
Positive reviews can convince a potential buyer that your products are worth their investment. Nobody wants to waste money, so not displaying customer reviews will impact your business.
Negative reviews should also be present on your website. If a visitor sees nothing but five-star positive reviews, they might get suspicious and think your site isn’t reputable. Include a mix of positive and negative reviews so buyers understand the drawbacks and can make an informed decision.
There are plugins available from Yelp, Facebook and Foursquare, so you can choose which reviews to display. Sharing these reviews to your social media profile is a great way to keep your business in people’s minds without spending ages on finding content.
Special Offers
Never underestimate the power of a special offer, because everyone loves to save money. E-commerce websites should always include a compelling offer for their visitors. Popular options include discounts when signing up and buy one get one free incentives.
Another method a lot of e-commerce websites use is the flash sale. For a specified amount of time, visitors can get huge discounts on products. Flash sales are prevalent because they create a sense of urgency and can result in more sales.
If you use regular promotions, you can keep your site in people’s minds and improve your SEO rankings.
Related Items
Related items are so dangerous for consumers but excellent for e-commerce sites. When a buyer makes a purchase, a related items list comes up to show similar products. For example, if someone buys some hair straighteners, a related item could be heat protection spray.
Showing your buyer related items gives them the impression that you get them, and consumers prefer a personalised experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
The biggest issue with e-commerce sites is they lack the face to face interaction consumers often seek out. For example, if someone wants to purchase new makeup, they can head to a cosmetics store and receive advice about which products are best for their skin type and tone.
Online shopping is undoubtedly more convenient, especially for people that have hectic jobs, but it does mean that consumers can’t always get a completely personalised experience. The best way to deal with this issue is to have an FAQ section for each of your products.
FAQ sections can answer the most critical questions a user might have about your product. For example, which skin types and tones do the product suit? How should it be applied? Should people with certain skin types avoid it?
When people have the answers to their questions, they’re more likely to purchase your product. Giving your customers the information they need to make an informed decision means more people will trust your site, and you can generate consumer loyalty.
Security Features
Internet security is vital, especially in this day and age. As you can see from this article in Security Magazine, there are thousands of security breaches each year which expose the data of millions of people.
If your website isn’t secure, people won’t purchase a product. The last thing anyone wants is to risk their personal information from being exposed. Luckily, there are ways you can instil confidence in your users and ensure no personal data breaches occur.
Once you have a secure platform for your e-commerce business, you need four other things; SSL certificates, firewall, a privacy policy and two-factor authentication.
SSL Certificates
An SSL certificate secures the connection between your user’s browser and your website. People know when a website is secure because there is a green lock in the browser bar. Secure websites also display as HTTPS instead of HTTP.
A firewall creates a barrier between two networks and only allows authorised traffic through. It blocks all other traffic which keeps your website secure.
Privacy Policy
Privacy policies are a must-have for your website. They detail the steps you take to protect a user’s personal information. Most websites have a link to their privacy policy in the footer so people can access it easily.
Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication can be annoying for users, but nobody can deny it offers more security. It works by generating a code send to an email address or mobile number when someone accesses a site with their username and password.
Customer Support
Customer support is vital for any business, especially e-commerce sites. People want to access advice and support instantly, so it’s useful to display your contact details throughout your website.
It would help if you made it easy for your customers to reach you by providing numerous options. Include your phone number and email address on your contact page and encourage people to get in touch.
Live chat is becoming increasingly popular because it offers immediate support. If you want to guide your visitors through the buying journey and signpost them to relevant pages on your site, live chat can be incredibly helpful.
Don’t forget; we live in a see it, buy it, receive it tomorrow society. If you can offer immediate support to your visitors, you have a much higher chance of turning them into paying customers.
Returns Policy
Returns policies let users know the steps they need to take if they want to return a product and they’re essential for your website. There might be times when a customer wants to return an item, and if they know the process, they won’t need to contact your customer team.
Your returns policy should detail the timeframe in which a customer needs to return their item, the address they should send it to and whether or not you offer a collection service.
High-Quality Images and Videos
The worst thing you can do on your e-commerce site is to use stock photos. Your customers want to see the actual product, and if you don’t deliver that, then you won’t make a purchase. When you make an effort to showcase your products in their best light, your audience will see that you take pride in your stock.
Instead of using stock photos, display your products on a plain surface and take high-quality images. You should also incorporate videos showing items being used by people if you can. While written content is essential for blogging and telling your brand story, 91% of people prefer visual content.
It would be best if you also thought about how popular the products you sell are. If you use Google Shopping to display your items, then high-quality images will make your stock stand out, and people are more likely to visit your website.
Clear and Concise Shipping Info
It’s so frustrating when you purchase a product and wait weeks for the delivery. People want their items immediately, and if you can’t cater for this, then you need to let them know. Providing clear and concise shipping information gives your customers transparency on what they’ll pay for delivery and how long it will take.
People are always willing to spend more money if free shipping is included. You should always make it clear that you offer free shipping when someone spends a specific amount because your customers might purchase more items to qualify for free shipping.
Remember, if you can’t get peoples items to them within five days, then you need to let them know. If your customers like your products and you cater to a unique niche, most will be happy to wait.
Offer User Accounts & Guest Checkouts
In our opinion, there are two types of customers:
“I need it” people
“I might want it” customers
Type one consumers know they need to purchase an item, so they do some research, find the best price and want a hassle-free checkout process. Type two consumers identify with a brand, enjoy the products they offer and while they might not make an immediate purchase, they can become loyal customers.
Naturally, type one consumers might not want to fill in a form or create an account, but type two consumers will look forward to receiving updates about your products. To cater to both types, you should offer the options of guest checkouts and user accounts.
Users that frequent your site often can benefit from having an account that streamlines their sales process. One-click checkouts are popular because they save time, but never underestimate the importance of guest checkouts.
The Takeaway
A career in online shopping can offer many rewards, but your e-commerce website costs you a lot of money if you don’t include the above features. Your success depends on user experience, so never forget that the customer always comes first.
If you need some help with your e-commerce website design features, Zapp is here to help. Our professional UK web design platform has a wide range of e-commerce packages to fit your needs. You can find out more about what we do here.
SEO is a difficult practice, especially with so much competition out there. Did you know that in the UK alone there 1.2 million business websites? One of the best chances you have of boosting your visibility is by using long-tail keywords. So, what are long-tail keywords, and why do small businesses need them? Read on to find out.
What Are Long Tail Keywords?
Long-tail keywords are specific variations of generic keywords. In simple terms, a long-tail keyword goes into more detail and narrows down a simple topic. For example, a generic keyword would be web design, but a long-tail variation could say web design platform UK.
While most businesses want to rank for a range of keywords, your primary keyword should be relevant to your niche. The main issue with this is there are so many businesses around, going for generic keywords means it will be almost impossible to rank on the search engine results pages.
Why Are Long-Tail Keywords Essential?
Small businesses find that by narrowing down their keywords, they have more chances of achieving first-page ranking. The vastness of the web means you can find an audience for any niche, so long-tail keywords are ideal if you want to boost your rankings.
One significant benefit of long-tail keywords is they attract qualified leads. While a lot of people land on a website after a generic search engine query, people searching for specific items will always use long-tail keywords.
For example, if a company offers website design, they’re in a highly competitive field and will find it difficult to gain any traction with their organic ranking. But if they narrowed down their keywords to web design for personal trainers, they’d have more chances of finding a personal trainer that is looking for someone who understands their design needs.
Long-tail keywords can be beneficial for weeding out the browsers and going straight to the buyers. You won’t get as much traffic, but when people do come to your website, they’ll be more open to making a purchase.
Why Is It So Difficult For Small Businesses?
If you’re about to throw in the towel with your SEO efforts, then you’re not alone! Small businesses find it so difficult to rank on the search engine results page, and the number one reason for this is their industry.
Website design, marketing and e-commerce are three of the most popular businesses around, which means they’re also more challenging for search engine marketing. People think it’s easy to rank for these niches because they have a high keyword volume, but there’s also a lot of competition.
Another primary reason is the budget your competitors have. It doesn’t matter how good your keyword research is, because some companies have thousands to spend on their marketing efforts. If you’re a start-up with limited funds, you’re never going to be able to compete with nationally recognised companies.
The Bottom Line
Now you know why long-tail keywords are vital; you can use them to improve your chances of ranking on the search engine results pages. Remember, SEO is free marketing because once you achieve first-page ranking, you’ll attract traffic without having to pay for PPC.
The Google keyword planner tool can help you to identify some long-tail keywords that work for your niche and if you need some support, then contact Zapp today. As a specialist website management platform, we’re happy to advise and assist you on which keywords work best.
Most businesses regardless of their size, have a website, and with this report from Statista, you can see how common it is to have an online platform for your company. But with so much competition, how do you stand out? In this post, we’re going to discuss the benefits of business blogs, and why they’re essential for your company to stand out from the competition.
What Are Business Blogs?
A business blog is a section of a company’s website dedicated to providing written information about the industry. For example, a car sales company would have a blog that focused on the automotive industry and its sub-topics.
Most websites have a blog because they understand the benefits they offer. PPC campaigns can be useful, but they also cost a lot of money. Blogging is a form of content marketing, which focuses on building authority and trust with your target audience.
The Benefits of Business Blogs
Now it’s time to uncover eight benefits of business blogs. Hopefully, this list of benefits will inspire you to start a blog and grow your business.
Good for SEO
SEO is one of the most important parts of marketing your business, but it goes a lot deeper than placing some keywords on your homepage. Blogging is the best way to execute an SEO strategy because it enables you to build on your chosen keywords consistently.
Once you begin to post regularly, you’ve got more chance of showing in search engine results. SEO is a complex process, but once you start building on your content, you can attract organic search engine traffic, which saves a lot of money on other lead generation methods.
One thing about SEO is you should always go for long-tail keywords to increase your chances of ranking. It’s also essential to choose high volume keywords with low competition. You can see a list of the best SEO tools here.
Connect With Your Audience
Your website should be a platform for your business and take people through the buyer’s journey so they’ll become paying customers. Because your website is effectively a sales platform, people find blogs are ideal for connecting with their audience.
Blogs don’t need to be so sales orientated, which means you can use them to connect with your audience. People want to know about you and what makes your company unique, so don’t be afraid to use your voice, and inform your customers about your vision, ethics and put your own opinions on your blog posts.
It Improves Your Internal Linking
Internal linking is often the wallflower nobody notices, while backlinks are the cool kid everyone wants to be friends with. Yes, backlinks are beneficial for building referral traffic, but you should never forget the importance of internal links.
If you want your visitors to stay on your site for longer, you need to make sure your visitors can navigate around correctly. Internal links act as signposts, pointing people to different pages.
For example, if your visitors click onto your about us page, you can add a link to your pricing section, so you’re effectively directing them through the buying journey.
Email marketing is one of the best ways for you to generate leads. Once someone gives you their email address, you can send them regular updates, special offers and make sure your company remains in their mind.
The main issue with email marketing is getting people to sign up. You need to offer something special for a customer to let you into their inbox. If you have an interesting blog with engaging content, then there’s a bigger chance that people will sign up.
You Can Get Talking
Your website isn’t the best place to get to know your audience. Yes, some people might get in touch using your contact details or live chat feature, but only if they want to use your service. If a lead doesn’t choose to contact you, then it’s going to be difficult to involve them in your conversations.
A blog is the best way to get people talking because it’s an opportunity to ask for their opinion. Once you let people know that you want to hear from them, they’re more likely to contribute to your blog, which will help it to grow.
Getting an active community behind your blog takes time, so don’t be disheartened if people don’t comment immediately. The idea is to keep building content, so people have a reason to stay on your blog.
More Social Media Exposure
Social media is endlessly popular, and it’s almost impossible to remember a time we didn’t have it. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are the most common platforms in the UK, and each has its benefits depending on the industry you operate within.
The most significant advantage of blogging for social media is that your audience can do your marketing for you. Once they decide to share your posts, your content and business reach their network too. Essentially, blogging can result in people marketing your content by shares and likes without you having to spend a penny!
You Can Offer In-Depth Explanations
Business blogs are ideal if you sell products or offer services. You can explain in a lot more detail about how your products/services can benefit people through case studies, reviews, buying guides and in-depth explanations.
Once people understand how your business benefits them, they’re more likely to make a purchase.
People Expect It
Have you ever gone onto a company website and wondered where their blog is? It’s a fact that today, people expect businesses to have a blog. It shows they care about their customers and have something to say about their business.
According to The Content Marketing Institute, 79% of B2B companies had a blog in 2018, so you can see how important it is. Blogs are a sign that you’re a reputable company, and you have expertise in your field.
The Bottom Line
Business blogs are an excellent way to communicate with your customers and let them know how your business can help them. It would help if you thought of your blog as a strong foundation for your marketing strategy, and the costs are lower than PPC marketing.
Before you begin your business blog, think about your industry and decide on a selection of topics that will offer value to your customers. You can also use the HubSpot content generator to come up with interesting blog topics.
If you’d like some help with your blog, there are lots of companies that offer content marketing services.
Do you have a blog? What do you find most challenging about content creation? Let us know in the comments section – we’d love to hear from you.
When you start a new business, it’s easy to get excited about setting up your website and selling your product/service, but running before you begin to walk is going to impact your future success. In this post, we’re going to discuss why market research is important and reveal five free ways to do market research.
Why Market Research is Important
Every business, no matter how small it is, needs to do market research. Without it, you won’t know who your audience is and how to sell your service/product. Here are some reasons why market research is important.
It Uncovers Business Opportunities
Market research can help you to find out what other businesses are doing and how you can do it better. When you begin to look at other companies, you can see what areas they lack in and develop a strong USP around that.
Your competitors are the best way to discover opportunities because they’ve been there and done it all before. Think about how many SEO platforms offer competitor analysis, and you’ll see how important it is.
Once you know how your competitors obtain backlinks, the kind of content they produce and how they communicate with their audience, you can look for gaps in their branding strategy and capitalise on it.
Discover Where to Sell
Is your audience primarily on social media, or would you be better off focusing on your website marketing? Once you know the platforms your target demographic use, you can make a point of reaching them.
Some businesses also find that Google Ads is too competitive for their budget, but they can use Bing to generate some leads. Knowing where it is best to advertise is an essential step in marketing your business.
You might also find your audience is active on other platforms that your competitors aren’t aware of. Finding out this information gives you a higher chance of selling more, and it will also save you money.
Improve Your Chances of Survival
Did you know that less than half of UK businesses survive past five years? The only way to survive is by retaining a consistent stream of customers and making sure your products stay relevant to consumer trends.
It’s vital that you focus on creating a website that works for your company, and you make sure you test each design and product before rolling it out to your audience.
Know How to Use Your Budget Wisely
Small businesses struggle to advertise on such a small budget, so they have to make every penny count. If you don’t have the option of testing out multiple advertising platforms, you need to find the best one for your needs.
One marketing research example is a company that sells clothing to young women. If they looked at where their audience is, they would see Instagram is the most effective platform to advertise on. But if the same company provided services to other businesses, then they would benefit from LinkedIn.
We have a list of social media platforms and which ones are best for your business here.
How to Do Market Research
So, now we’ve talked about why market research is important; it’s time to discover five free ways to do market research. These methods are perfect for small businesses because they can save you a lot of time and money.
Speak to People
With so much technology around, small businesses often forget that talking to people is one of the most effective forms of market research. Your business will depend on customers to survive, so asking people questions can help you make sure your company adapts to the ever-changing consumer wants and needs.
The most challenging part about this tactic is knowing how to find people and what questions to ask them. So, ask yourself these questions first:
Where are your customers? Do they use a specific social media platform? What demographic are they?
Where do they shop? Is your product/service available from another provider?
What do they look for when they’re purchasing your product/service? What puts them off making a purchase?
Do they have any complaints about your competitors?
Once you know the answers to these questions, you can begin to put a plan together that covers where to market your product, and how to make it appeal to consumers. Gaining valuable information gives you a head start, and it can save you a lot of time and money.
Don’t Forget About Yourself
You set up this business for a reason, so that tends to suggest you have a lot of knowledge about the industry. A lot of companies forget about themselves during the market research process, but if you ask yourself some critical questions, you’ll be surprised by what you already know.
Think about what you’ve learned about the industry and list the reasons why you decided to start your business. Did you see a gap in the market? Were other providers failing to meet the needs of their consumers? What are you going to do differently?
Once you know the answers to these questions, you can begin to put together a marketing plan that communicates the value of your product/service to your audience. It’s also beneficial to have an idea of your projected earnings and keep a detailed list of your goals.
OnPlanners has some great templates, including this SMART template.
Online Market Research Questionnaires
Social Media makes it so easy for small businesses to reach their audience and gain valuable insights. One of the most effective ways of conducting research is to use market research questionnaires. Luckily, platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn are free to set up polls on.
Facebook has a targeting feature which allows you to send surveys to your chosen demographics, so you don’t have to focus on just asking your friends. One thing we should note is that people won’t respond to your survey unless it looks professional. Make sure you read it thoroughly before sending it and check your questionnaire for spelling mistakes.
Online Forums
Another free way to gain valuable insights from your audience is the use of online forums. Most people forget about forums because they’re “old school”, but there are plenty of active communities where people share advice, tips and will happily answer your questions if you offer value in return.
Find an online forum that suits your business needs, and focus on becoming an active member before you ask people to participate in your survey. Comment on other peoples posts and answer questions for a few weeks before you introduce people to your business.
Being successful in an online forum can take time. Still, once you become an active member, you’ll have an unlimited amount of opportunities to connect with other people, learn about your audience and maybe even gain some new customers.
Ask Your University
Universities are an excellent source for small businesses that are limited by their budget. Students need to gain valuable experience, and when you contact your local University, you might find you gain free marketing support.
Most students will be happy to help, as long as you provide them with a reference. Another benefit of working with Universities is most students will receive support from their tutor, so you can guarantee that their work will be of a high calibre.
The Bottom Line
Hopefully, you’ve learned why market research is important and can use our five free methods to build your business. Running before you can walk is the fastest way to go out of business, so take the time to learn about your audience, competitors and give yourself the best chance of succeeding.
It’s only natural that before you make a purchase, you want to make sure you’re not wasting money. Whether it’s trying out that new restaurant, or buying something for your home, it’s human nature to check out the reviews, which is why customer testimonials are so crucial for any business.
In this guide, we’ll discuss why customer testimonials are essential and how they work.
How Customer Testimonials Work
As you can see from these statistics, customer reviews can be the most effective form of marketing. The best thing is, they’re entirely free to obtain.
When a customer uses your service, they’ll form an impression of your company. If you’re in the B2B sector, you’ll find it easier to get testimonials, because other businesses understand the importance of leaving a positive review.
B2C companies can still benefit from testimonials, but it’s useful to ask customers to leave a review. Most businesses display customer testimonials on their homepage because it’s often the first port of call for people that want to know more about your business.
The Types of Testimonial
There are four main types of customer testimonial:
Quotes
Quotes are the most common form of testimonials, and you’ll probably see them on most companies websites. They’re a great way to show what customers have to say about your business, without taking up too much space.
Social
Social media is one of the best marketing tools for your business, and when someone writes a positive review of your business, you’re almost guaranteed to generate some leads. It’s most common for someone to write a post and mention the company’s name.
For example, “I used [company name] for [purpose], and the job they did was amazing. I’m delighted with the service and will use it again. If you’re looking for [service/product], I’d definitely recommend them.”
Long-form Testimonial
You’ll rarely get a customer to write a 1000 word testimonial, but you can interview them over the telephone to create a long-form testimonial. These types of testimonials are ideal if you offer a service because your customer can explain how your company helped them and what the results were.
Video Testimonial
Video testimonials show a potential client exactly how your product or service works, and they’re one of the best ways to promote your company. People love video content because it’s easier to digest and gives them an in-depth look at what you offer.
The best way to create a video testimonial is to sit down with a customer and record an interview with them. You can show them using your product or get them to talk about how your service has benefitted them.
Most people will watch a video testimonial, and once they see your product/service in action, they’re more likely to make a purchase.
The Benefits of Customer Testimonials
There are many benefits to customer testimonials. Let’s take a look at them.
Build Your Portfolio
While it’s essential to build a portfolio of your work, people respond well to customer testimonials because they’re real. The best form of business promotion is word of mouth, and when you make a positive impact on your customers, others will automatically trust your business/product.
Speed Up Your Sales Funnel
Your sales funnel is an intricate system that takes visitors to your website and converts them into paying customers following a series of actions. Customer reviews are a vital part of your funnel because they take the attention away from your marketing efforts.
What we mean by this is, marketing can be impactive, but people know when you’re trying to sell yourself. Customer testimonials are all about how real people perceive your business, so people find them a lot more credible.
Customer Retention
Did you know that your probability of selling to a new customer is between 5-20%? But you have a 60-70% chance of selling to an existing customer. There are lots of other statistics on Small Biz Trends, that show how essential customer retention is.
Testimonials on your website can remind your current customers how you’ve helped them improve their business or lifestyle. A great way to use testimonials is to include them in your email marketing. When a customer opens an email to find another positive review, they’ll be more likely to stay loyal to your business and perhaps purchase more from you.
Negative Reviews
Customer testimonials are controllable, in the sense that you can pick the best and showcase them on your website. Reviews are slightly more unpredictable, and a lot of companies avoid asking for or displaying reviews.
While businesses fear negative reviews, they can be an opportunity for you to show potential customers how you continuously strive to surpass expectations. Imagine someone leaves you a testimonial that criticises your product or service. Your first instinct would be to delete the review, but you could use it to your advantage.
For example, say someone leaves a negative review of the response time of your customer support team. After reading the comments, you decide to implement a chatbot to signpost visitors with general queries to the right area.
You could use the review to discuss how you’ve made changes to your business. By writing a response, you can let your visitors know that you take criticism seriously, and people will respect the fact that you go out of your way to meet your customers’ expectations.
Negative reviews can be an excellent way to show people that customer satisfaction is at the core of your values, and by accepting critique, you’ll appear as a down to earth organisation instead of a company that values money above their customers.
Getting Customer Testimonials
It’s not always easy to get your customers to write a testimonial, but if you have the right attitude, then it’s possible. Ask your customers if they liked your product/service and if they’d mind writing a testimonial. Sometimes, people don’t think about how their opinions matter to your business, but when you ask them, most of them will.
If you offer a discount on their next purchase, you can encourage customers to tell people what they like about your company.
The Bottom Line
So, now you know more about the importance of customer testimonials it’s time to think about reaching out to your customers. Remember, a happy customer means a successful business, so don’t underestimate how impactive a positive review can be.
If you’d like to learn more about how to keep people on your website longer, check out our guide on internal linking here.
Online coaching is one of the most popular career choices around. You’ve got skills and expertise in a particular area, and you want to share them with people, right? While online coaching is a rewarding career, and there are plenty of opportunities, it’s also very competitive.
Whether you’re a life coach, a fitness coach or offer business growth services, you need to be able to stand out. The best way to do that is to have a fantastic website.
In this guide, we’re going to look at some incredible examples from real coaches, doing their thing, and highlight what you can learn from them. We’ll also talk about the things you need to include in your coaching website.
The Best Online Coaching Websites
Life coaches need to show that they have the tools and experience to help others, so it’s essential to get their website right. Here are three of our favourite life coach websites to inspire you.
The first thing you see when you visit Mel Noakes is Mel Noakes! Her photo looks welcoming and friendly, which is good because she’s a self-help coach. What makes her site even more powerful, is she offers an immediate benefit which is hard to resist. In three simple actions, you can positively impact your body, mind and life – yes, please.
Mel’s site works because it’s positive, gets straight to the point and manages to retain a dignified yet non-threatening feel. Her down to earth no-nonsense content appeals to women, and it’s easy to see why someone looking to improve their life would trust her.
Shannon Wilkinson is another life coach that doesn’t beat around the bush. Her straight-talking website tells readers immediately that she will help them take action. Shannon focuses on productivity and helps people break down the barriers that stop them from succeeding.
One of the most noticeable things about her website is her photo. It looks professional yet not posed. She seems to be at home, which gives her site a down to earth appeal. The navigational features make readers feel as if they’re already on their coaching journey, and it’s easy to see why her website works.
Patrice Washington’s website packs a real punch. Her tagline says “Chase purpose, not money.” Not only is this a great lesson, but it also shows she genuinely cares about helping women to find their purpose in life.
Her message focuses on supporting women to improve their wellbeing and confidence so they can go after the things they want in life. Patrice makes the point to mention she’s built an international business, which gives her more credibility and highlights the fact that she’s an authoritative figure.
With a range of coaching options including podcasts and earn more money boot camps, Patrice appeals to professional women searching for more in their life.
Dominique Ara is a classic example of showing us that you don’t need to be famous to be a successful business coach. Her visual branding is incredible, and it makes her stand out. Her website states that as a business leader, it can be challenging to see the forest for the trees.
Her website then goes on to say that she helps business leaders gain clarity so they can identify the gaps in their business.
What we like most about this website is the imagery. It doesn’t include the typical numbers and growth symbols you’d associate with business coaches, which makes it stand out more.
Matthew Kimberley takes a less emotive approach and focuses on the facts with his website. It’s full of testimonials from previous clients which shows that he’s a successful business coach and knows what he’s talking about.
What makes his website stand out is the simplistic design. The black background screams elegance and sophistication, which is vital for business coaches. It’s easy to navigate and appeals to professionals that know who they are and what they want but need the tools to get there.
The Things You Should Include in Your Coaching Website
So, what should you include in your coaching website? There are lots of things to consider, but this list should give you an idea of what it takes to be a successful coach.
Your Personality
Have you seen those video adverts on YouTube that show “coaches” driving around in Ferraris and partying with beautiful women? They don’t work! The main selling point of your coaching business is you. Nobody cares if you have a sports car and buckets of money, because it doesn’t tell anyone who you are and why you’re coaching others.
Don’t be afraid to stand out and let people see what makes you unique. One of the biggest reasons coaching businesses fail is because people use boring language and try to sell their services instead of themselves. Tell people who you are, what you can do for them and why you want to help them.
Strong Calls to Action
Never – and I mean never – underestimate the power of a CTA. They’re the difference between people clicking away from your site or staying around to learn more. The most prominent issue people have is not knowing how to use them properly.
As a coach, you can get creative with your calls-to-action. Instead of just asking people to sign up or learn more, tell them what benefits they’ll receive for clicking that button. For example, say you want people to sign up for your mailing list, which of the CTA’s is more appealing?
As you can see, CTA number 2 offers people a clear benefit. Remember, CTA’s should compel people to take action, so make sure yours are easy to read and don’t be afraid to get inventive.
Contact Details
Unless you offer a one of a kind service (or you’re Richard Branson), people aren’t going to stick around unless they have easy access to your contact details. Make sure you use contact forms, as spammers can quickly get hold of your email address.
If you offer local services, make sure people know where you are and the areas you operate in. An excellent way to increase your local presence is through SEO, which can boost your Google My Business views and connect you with people in your area.
Don’t Stock It
Stock images are fine for generic websites and some blog posts, but as an online coach, you should include pictures of yourself. How many websites have you visited and seen the same photo? There’s always a happy business person or a woman looking thoughtful towards her future. If you want to be a reputable online coach, you need to let people see who you are.
Make sure your photo reflects the services you offer, and don’t be afraid to show your personality. If you’re a life coach, then lose the desk and suit. Business coaches should have a professional photo but don’t include your car or a snapshot of your bank balance. If you provide workshops, show pictures of you coaching others and let people see what you offer.
A Good Biography
One downside of the influx of coaching businesses is that anyone thinks they can do it. It means people don’t trust easily, which can impact your company’s success. An excellent biography can set you apart from the competition, and it instantly gives you more credibility.
Focus on your achievements and experience to highlight what you can offer your potential clients. It’s also good if you can back up your claims with any qualifications, publications and client testimonials you’ve received.
Social Sharing Buttons
Imagine you’ve written a great blog post, and people enjoy reading it. If you don’t have social sharing buttons on your website, then your blogs won’t reach other people. Most people won’t make an effort to copy and paste your post, then log in to their social media profile and share it.
Social sharing buttons make it easy for people to share your content at the click of a button. When someone shares your post, it reaches everyone within their network, so imagine how many views and potential leads you could acquire from a few buttons.
Strong Website Design Features
Your content is compelling, your photos are fantastic, but none of that matters if your website is poorly designed. As you can see from these shocking website designs, how your site looks and functions are everything. So, what features and functionalities should you check for?
Navigation
Can people move around your website easily? Nobody wants to search for information, so you should have a clear primary menu that contains sections for your about, contact, services and blog pages. It would help if you also used CTA’s to guide people and internal linking strategies.
Responsiveness
Your site might look great on desktops, but how does it look on mobile devices? Responsiveness is a big issue, especially when you use DIY website builders. However, if you use UK web designers that know what they’re doing, your responsiveness won’t be an issue.
Live Chat
Live chat services for business were once seen as a luxury, but they’re becoming a necessity. People want to be able to reach you quickly, and live chat can speed up your customer service and help you to close deals. Checking your emails can become a tedious task, but integrating live chat into your website is beneficial for both you and your visitors.
The Lesson
Is it more difficult than ever to become a successful life coach? Probably. But with the right determination, skills and website, you can do it. If you’re wondering about how to start a life coaching business online, this helpful guide from Forbes can help you.
Remember, to show people who you are and keep it real. Your success depends on your attitude and commitment to your clients. If you’d like some help building your online coaching website, we offer a range of fully responsive templates that we’ll customise to your requirements.
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