Online Coaching: How to Create a Website That Inspires Others

Online Coaching: How to Create a Website That Inspires Others

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. 

Mel Noakes 

<h3>mel noakes homepage</h3>

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 

<h3>shannon wilkinson homepage</h3>

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

<h3>patrice washington homepage</h3>

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

<h3>dominique ara</h3>

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 

<h3>matthew kimberley homepage</h3>

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? 

<h3>calls to action</h3>

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. 

For regular offers and industry tips, join our Facebook tribe. We’ll catch you there! 

10 Shocking Website Designs That Will Make You Cringe

10 Shocking Website Designs That Will Make You Cringe

 

Have you ever visited a website and immediately liked the company because the site was attractive? It’s a fact that first impressions matter and most designers dream of creating a site that other people aspire to. But what surprises me most, is the ones that seem to go out of their way to build the worst websites imaginable. 

 

As the saying goes, negative attention is better than no attention, and these websites are worthy of their own Razzie awards. Let’s take a look at some of the most shocking website designs. 

 

Important Note

 

Before we dive in, I want to say that web design is complicated, and this post is to show people what not to do. It’s not intended to offend anyone. If you’re the owner or creator of one of these websites, then hopefully you’ll pick up some useful website design tips. Ok, let’s go. 

 

Lings Cars 

<h3>lings cars website</h3>

 

Ling’s Cars is one of the craziest websites I’ve ever seen. Funnily enough, Ling himself says on his homepage “I am Ling. You can trust me”. Unfortunately, the last thing anyone would feel is trusting when they visit this site. 

 

The purpose of Lings Cars is to help people find cars to lease, but with the retro background and the crowded design, the last thing I want to do is look at the vehicles on offer. Ling seems to take a light-hearted approach to his work, but I can’t help wondering who designed this website and what on earth inspired them to do so. 

 

The Takeaway: Reputation is everything, and if you don’t take yourself seriously, nobody will. 

 

Irish Wrecks Online 

<h3>irish wrecks website</h3>

Irish Wrecks Online is all about shipwrecks, and their website is no different. In contrast to Lings Cars, this designer decided to go for a simplistic approach which borders on depressive. 

 

I can imagine this website being revolutionary 30 years ago. Still, it doesn’t make me want to learn about shipwrecks, and the number of pages you have to click through before you get to any real information is just off-putting. 

 

The Takeaway: Websites should capture peoples attention and make them want to know more. Boring designs don’t work. 

 

Mednat 

<h3>mednat website</h3>

Honestly, I had no idea who Mednat is and what they offer until I saw the retro style writing moving across the screen telling me they provide advice on alternative medicine. Nothing is right about this site, and if you’re sensitive to bright colours, then get your shades ready. The colourful blue header causes a headache – which is kind of ironic for a health website. 

 

Streams of content fill the page, and it’s impossible to take in any of the information. Overall, Mednat completely misses the point, and instead of writing useful content, they’ve filled their pages with links to Wikipedia and quotes. 

 

The Takeaway: Content is king, so take the time to write your own and sell your business. 

 

Cloud 9 Walkers 

<h3>cloud 9 walkers website</h3>

Cloud 9 Walkers decided on a cloud theme for their website. Had they used the photo as a header instead of a background, it might have worked. Instead, the whole website is full of clouds – and horses. 

 

The business is something to do with horses, but at first sight, that’s all I know. Maybe you can learn to ride; perhaps they’re just selling their selection of horses – it isn’t clear. The funny thing is, once I concentrated on the content, it explained that the company sells horses. 

 

The poor design completely distracted me, and I’m guessing that most people viewing the website click off before they even know what the company offers.

 

The Takeaway: Don’t drown your content in headache-inducing backgrounds. Please keep it simple! 

 

Best Electronics 

<h3>best electronics websites</h3>

Yet another website that does nothing to promote its services, I honestly can’t even summarise how awful the design is. Streams of useless content fill the pages, but there’s no structure. 

 

Best Electronics reminds me of a poorly written word document that nobody wants to read. Apparently, they sell Atari based products, but all I can think of when I look at this site is it’s a scam. There isn’t much else to say about Best Electronics, except why. Why would they? Why did they? You get the point. 

 

The Takeaway: Plan your content and make sure it has a structure. 

 

Alpha1teclabs

<h3>Alpha1teclabs website</h3>

You’d think a technical IT support company would want to showcase their skills, but Alpha1teclabs seem more interested in creating an eyesore. Would anyone trust them with their IT needs? I hope not. 

 

The bright green header, black background, and yellow writing doesn’t just look unprofessional; it does nothing to convey what the company offers. Yet again, we’re met with useless streams of content, and you have to concentrate on seeing their services. 

 

It only gets worse as you scroll down the very long page. The colour scheme changes to white and bright blue, which makes me wonder if the designer let their child loose on this site. 

 

The Takeaway: Choose a colour scheme and stick with it! 

 

Dokimos 

<h3>dokimos website</h3>

Dokimos opens with the message “Accept Jesus”, but their website seems to pay homage to Joseph and his technicolour dream coat. I couldn’t resist exploring this site, but after clicking on most of the links, I’m still not sure what its purpose is. 

 

Basically, it’s asking you to pray and tells you that Jesus forgives everyone. Let’s hope he can forgive the designer for this car crash of a website. 

 

The Takeaway: Let people know who you are and what you’re about. Seriously. 

 

Peters Buss 

<h3>peters bus website</h3>

Who are you Peters Buss, and what do you offer?! The website says they have 32 years in the bus industry, but their homepage features a photo of a cruise ship. Then, as you scroll down, there’s an advertisement for a spa. So, erm, yeah. 

 

Honestly, I have no idea who these people are, and I don’t want to know. They do have a very amusing section to explain why nobody ever answers the phone, and all that does to me is say “This is a scam. Back off now!” 

 

The Takeaway: Nobody wants to have to decipher what a company offers. Make it clear – and answer your phone! 

 

Pacific Northwest X-Ray Inc 

<h3>Pacific Northwest X-Ray Inc website</h3>

Pacific Northwest decided to take us back to the 1980s with this website, but it will fill you with horror instead of fond nostalgia. Apparently, they have a web design team that continually updates the page, and I can’t help but wonder where they found this team. 

 

Overall, the retro graphics and blue background do nothing for the site, and I had no idea typography like that still exists. The headings remind me of retro WordArt, and the whole thing is a time travel excursion nobody would want to go on. 

 

The Takeaway: Retro looks can work sometimes, but go for modern integration features. 

 

Arngren 

<h3>arngren website</h3>

Arngren decided to take a proactive approach to advertise their products by putting them all on the same page. If it’s meant to be for convenience, then it doesn’t work. Instead, the whole website comes across as a 90s style classifieds advert. 

 

The typography is way too small, and there’s so much to look at, it’s impossible to concentrate. Is the business selling products themselves, or are they operating as a classifieds site? I have no idea. 

 

The Takeaway: Don’t try to save space by stuffing everything onto one page. Especially when it means nobody can see the products. 

 

What Makes a Good Website? 

 

Now you’ve seen ten awful website designs, let’s look at what makes a good website. It’s not rocket science, and as long as you incorporate the following features, you’re on the right track. 

 

Responsivity

 

In today’s mobile-driven society, your website must have full responsivity. These statistics from Tech Jury show how many people use their mobile to access the internet, and if your website lacks mobile responsibility, you’ll lose potential sales.  

 

The Layout 

 

People don’t want to spend their time searching a website for answers. If your website has poor navigation, customers will go elsewhere. Make sure you have a clear menu and plenty of buttons to direct your visitors. 

 

Design Elements 

 

Colours and typography are crucial because they have a psychological impact. It’s a fact that bright colours are eye-catching, but they can also make a website seem unprofessional. 

 

Think about your business and choose a consistent colour scheme. Colour wheels can help you see which shades complement each other, and most people respond best to a simplistic theme. 

 

The fonts you choose can also impact the credibility of your website. As we saw with some of the websites above, the 80s should stay where it belongs; a fond memory to look back on. 

 

A lot of businesses feel they need to stand out, so they go for crazy fonts. Remember, your website is a company platform, so your main aim should be to show visitors that you operate a reputable service. 

 

Content 

 

Content is king, queen and everything in-between. You could have a stunning website design, but if there’s no message, people won’t care. You must show people what you do and tell them how you can solve their problems. 

 

Great content inspires people to take action, so displaying streams of useless information is counter-productive. Your main goal should be to move people along your sales funnel, so give them clear communication and a set of instructions that end up on the checkout page. 

 

Do You Need a Responsive Website? 

 

Now you’ve seen some of the worst websites around; it’s time to think about what you want your website to achieve. Whether it’s to display your services or sell products, responsivity is critical. 

 

At Zapp Sites, we build stunning websites and customise them to your requirements. We’re different from DIY website builders and the typical agency because you have full control over your build, without having to lift a finger. 

 

Our convenient packages include one-off payments or monthly instalments, so you can find the right option to suit your budget. Click here to see our range of templates, or contact us to build your site the convenient way. 

 

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How to Create the Best Web Pages for Your Site

How to Create the Best Web Pages for Your Site

Once you’ve chosen a template and settled on your site’s look and feel, the next step is to start building it up with some fantastic website ideas. Instead of focusing on the big picture, concentrate on building the best web pages for your site.

Here are a few essential tips from Zapp’s design team to help you create stunning, sales-driving, content-rich pages that will keep visitors on your site long after they arrive.

Step 1: Use calls to action. 

Prompt site visitors to do something when they arrive that will lead to a sale. If you showcase products on a page, add a Buy Now button. If you sell a professional service or complex products with a longer sales cycle, use a download now button to give them more information (and ideally, capture their contact details so you can follow up.) If you list your customer reviews, add a button that takes them to your product catalogue, or available plans and pricing.  

Step 2: Optimise page load speeds. 

Making sure your site pages load quickly in user web browsers is vital. There are plugins you can add to your site’s content management system, for example, that will cache recurring image sand background files, so visitors don’t have to load anything from your site more than once. 

Step 3: Steer clear of stock photos. 

With so much great content out there, cutting corners with bland stock photography is one of the best ways to turn a great site into a boring one. People recognise generic images immediately. It’s best to use a picture taken at your actual premises and of people you employ. High-quality product images are more likely to boost sales, so invest in good ones for the products or services you sell.  

Step 4: Connect a payment gateway.

If you’re selling products via your website, then integrating an e-commerce payment gateway is a no-brainer. Zapp can do this for you by implementing e-commerce software or adding a third-party payment processor like Stripe. We’ll make sure your customers have a shopping cart when they need it. 

Step 5: Test and test again 

Before taking your site live, make sure it works and looks the same on all the major web browsers (, including Chrome, Safari, and MS Edge, and so on). Check that the links send people where you want them to go, that images display correctly, and the overall layout and formatting of the pages is smooth. 

Step 6: Switch on web analytics

Another essential feature to incorporate into your website from the very beginning is a program like Google Analytics. Setting it up even before the website launches will help smooth out any issues. Once the site is live, you can monitor traffic patterns and see which pages and content are the most popular and least popular. That will enable you to make changes that drive further improvements.

Step 7: Promote your site on social 

Pushing out marketing messages and linking back to your site on social media is a great way to reach new customers and alert old ones about what’s happening at your company. Whenever you add new website content, post it to LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

It would help if you also made your site pages share-able for others by adding social buttons to your pages. These usually go at either the top-right above the menu in the ancillary menu bar or the page footer. 

Step 8: Optimise the site for search with SEO

Submitting your site’s URL to all the major search engines will help potential customers find you – as will implementing an effective search engine optimisation (SEO) programme across your site. Technical fixes like ensuring meta-descriptions, tiles, URL naming conventions and uniform resource identifiers are keyword-rich will help keep you up the search engine rankings for the products or services that you’re aiming to sell. 

Step 9: Don’t neglect the site after launch

Having a website is more than ‘build, publish, and forget’. You need to update frequently with new content like blog posts, latest news, and exclusive offers, and company news to maintain your visibility in search engine rankings, as well as keep customers interested and coming back.

Step 10: Be crystal clear about what your business does. 

Visitors should know what you do within seconds of landing on your home page. The best web pages explain what your business does with a clear, concise statement that’s visible the moment a new user arrives. A handful of bright, well-written pages will drive more sales than twenty poorly written ones. 

The Bottom Line

Launching a new website is an essential milestone in the life of your business. Do it right, and you can raise awareness about what you do and sell, establish credibility, and reach a broader base of potential customers than traditional marketing could ever deliver. 

Want to know more? Ask us how we can help you build the best web pages that are optimised for SEO and update your site regularly with fresh, compelling content that pulls in new prospects. 

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The Best Personal Trainer Websites: And Why They Work

The Best Personal Trainer Websites: And Why They Work

Did you know there are over 13,770 registered personal trainers in the UK? That’s a lot of competition. To stand out, personal trainers and individuals in the fitness industry need to have an online platform. In this post, we take a look at the best personal trainer websites and why they work. 

 

The Warm-Up

 

The majority of personal trainers are freelancers, and a website can be the best advertising tool for fitness services. So, why are personal trainer websites so important? 

 

People Can Find You 

 

People might be on the lookout for UK personal trainers, but they won’t find you unless you increase your visibility. A website can expose you to a broader audience and ensures you can answer potential clients’ questions. 

 

Turn Leads into Clients

 

It’s important to mention that 85% of shoppers view a website on one device and make a purchase using another. This data alone shows that customers no longer make an immediate purchase. If you don’t have a responsive website, you could lose out on a potential client. 

 

Selz published a list of e-commerce statistics, and they’re useful for service-based businesses to know too. You can view the list here

 

Educate People 

 

Service-based businesses must be able to educate people. If you’re not an expert in your field, then nobody will trust you enough to part with their hard-earned money. Blogs are an excellent way to gain authority in your industry, and they can direct traffic to your website. 

 

An infographic from Demand Metric shows how valuable content marketing is for a business. Through a blog alone, you can increase your indexed pages by 434%, which means a lot more traffic. 

 

Showcase Your Results 

 

We spoke about trust earlier, and there’s no better way to gain your potential clients’ confidence than letting previous clients do the talking for you. A website means you can showcase weight loss results and use testimonials to prove your service is worth every penny. 

 

The Best Personal Trainer Website Examples

 

Now it’s time to take a look at the best personal trainer website examples and see why they work.

 

The Body Blueprint 

 

<h3>the body blueprint website</h3>

The Body Blueprint is a classic example of less is more. Their clutter-free website focuses on the need to knows of their business. Offering a mixture of one to one and online coaching, the company manages to condense everything into an attractive homepage. 

 

Perhaps the best thing about the site is the way their blog posts are displayed at the bottom. While The Body Blueprint is for everyone, their website design has more masculine elements. 

 

Equinox

 

<h3>equinox website</h3>

Clicking onto the Equinox immediately filled us with inspiration and motivation. Their tagline “It’s Not Fitness, It’s Life” is just one of the things that makes this website stand out. Rather than a single personal trainer, Equinox is a platform for premium fitness clubs across the US. 

 

One of the best things about their website is its ease of use. Everything you need to know displays on the homepage and users can find their nearest fitness centre by clicking on the Visit a Club button. 

 

Overall, the website has a simplistic design, which works well to highlight its many fitness offerings. 

 

Mark Personal Training

 

<h3>mark personal training website</h3>

Mark Personal Training is a small business with a big website. Everything from the graphics to the typography is on point, and it immediately drew our attention. The homepage features everything you need to know about the business, including the mission statement. 

 

The headers and subheaders contain keywords to boost the SEO ranking, and the simplistic design adds to the appeal of the site. 

Freeletics

 

<h3>Freeletics website</h3>

Freeletics specialise in digital coaching, and their message delivers emotional value. Viewers immediately see that they can train anywhere and everywhere, which gives the company an excellent USP. But, what about their website design? 

 

The superb navigational features stand out, and eye-catching images make it difficult to click away. Perhaps the most inviting part of the website is the one-step registration. Instead of filling out countless forms, you can choose to register with Google or Facebook. 

 

My Story Terfit 

 

<h3>my story terfit website</h2>

If you’re searching for creative inspiration for your fitness website, then you need to check out My Story Terfit. The company does seem to have some problems with the English version of their website, but the concept and design are the best we’ve seen. 

 

The project centres on real people and their journey to fitness. While some are professional athletes, others are individuals that needed to get in shape and succeeded. Users can upload their photo, set their goals and take part in the game like scenario. 

 

With an original concept and design, this website could pack a real punch – if only they would fix the responsivity issues. 

 

Aaptiv 

 

<h3>aaptiv website</h3>

Most of the personal trainer websites we see tend to use black and white colour schemes, but not Aaptiv. The blue colour tones make the site stand out and immediately draw your attention to the training videos they offer. 

 

With thousands of workouts to choose from and a selection of free songs with each membership plan, there’s a lot on offer. There’s so much to see, but the design means you can browse the website with ease and enjoy finding out how Aaptiv can help you. 

 

Of all the websites we looked at (and there were a lot), Aaptivs design stood out, because it combines aesthetic appeal with practicality. 

 

Fitnessbodystar

 

<h3>FitnessBodyStar</h3>

Fitnessbodystar is a personal training company for women that specialises in selling training programs and nutritional support. When we looked at Fitnessbodystar, we noticed the memo board theme of their website, which lists every feature and product the company sells. It’s a beautiful design and appeals to women immediately. 

 

What we love most is the responsivity of the website, which looks and works great on mobile or desktop devices. The content is easy to read, and the company sticks to the facts rather than offering streams of information. 

 

The Finisher 

The websites you’ve seen show businesses of all sizes using minimalistic designs to bring their personal trainer sites to life. So, what are the most important lessons you can learn from them? 

 

Less is More 

 

Nobody likes a cluttered home or workspace, and it should be the same with your website. People want to access the information they want with ease, so don’t fill your pages with streams of content. 

 

State Your Name 

 

All of the websites we featured have some of the best personal trainer business names around. They’re catchy and sum up exactly what each offers. If you’re struggling to think of a name, you can use a generator for inspiration. We love this one from BizNameWiz

 

Find the Right Designer 

 

The best UK website designers understand that each industry is unique, and will work to deliver a compelling site that showcases your training business. Templated websites come with a premade layout, and you can ask the designer to customise it to your requirements. 

 

Check our Personal Trainer Template

 

Web Design and Web Development: Are They Different?

Web Design and Web Development: Are They Different?

It’s one of the most common misconceptions that web design and web development are the same. The practices are different, but both are vital if you want to create a functional platform for your business.

According to HubSpot, 90% of people leave a website if the design is poor, and Standard Firms say that 47% of people expect a website to load within two seconds.

Both are incredibly important, but to understand why we need to uncover the differences between web design and web development.

What Is Web Design?

Web designers make sure your site looks good and use their technical skills to create visual elements. They also use HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) to create unique designs and customise the visual elements to meet a company’s branding requirements.

 

The Web Designers Main Role 

The look of a website is essential because if a user doesn’t find the overall design appealing, they’re more likely to go elsewhere. Most web designers sit with clients to discuss their branding and make sure it remains consistent among all marketing channels.

Most designers start with a concept and create a template based around it. Once the base design is complete, they move on to the graphics and visuals. The most popular web design tools are InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

For a web designer to carry out their work effectively, they need to possess a multitude of skills, including:

Typography 

The majority of web designers understand how essential typography is to a company’s brand identity. There are so many fonts to choose from (link to branding guide here), but the right designer will make sure your typography works with your brand and not against it.

Design 

It won’t shock you to learn that a designer must have the necessary skills. Working with shapes, logos, and a variety of graphic design tools enables professionals to create unique elements for a website.

Imagination 

Did you know that there are over 1.7 billion websites in the world? That’s a lot of competition. Successful web designers know how to make a site stand out. They use their imagination, along with creative skills, to provide unique designs for their clients.

 

What Is Web Development? 

Website development is the process of taking a design and turning it into a workable reality. If web designers are the visionaries, developers are the technicians. There are many different forms of web development, so let’s take a look at them.

Front-end Development 

When a design is complete, front-end developers translate it into code. They use HTML for the website structure and CSS to configure the elements such as layouts, buttons and the general style.

Advanced developers also use JavaScript to improve the interactivity. One of the best examples of front-end work is the process of customising a WordPress website.

Back-end Development 

Back-end development demands more technical ability because it focuses on how a website works. Back-end developers provide higher levels of functionality for sites, including integrating shopping carts and user accounts.

Both front and back-end developers possess many skills, including:

Technicality 

It comes as no surprise that web developers are a tech-savvy bunch, and their skills should never be underestimated. Most developers know how to use advanced software and can even create their own.

Testing and Debugging

Webpage errors cost clients, so developers must be aware of any issues so they can fix them promptly. Continuous testing is vital for website usability and identifying bugs.

Responsive Design 

Responsive design is vital in this age – especially with 53% of website traffic coming from mobile devices in 2019. To make sure users get the best experience, developers must make sure that the website fits a range of screen sizes. If the responsivity isn’t on-point, then customers will go elsewhere.

 

So What Is The Difference Between Website Design and Website Development? 

When we look at web design and web development, we can see they have a lot of similarities. While many people begin by specialising in one area, they often acquire skills in the other to provide a comprehensive service.

One example of this is responsive design. Both designers and developers need to know how to create websites that work on a range of devices, so many choose to develop their skills and branch out into new areas.

Working with CSS systems requires a lot of technicality and creativity, and a lot of designers combine their services with website development to meet the needs of their client.

 

Are The Specialities Merging? 

Full-stack developers are defining the website design industry, with many professionals choosing to offer a complete experience. The ability to take a basic concept, create a design and see it through to the finish can be very profitable for web professionals.

While some people still prefer to specialise in either web design or development, many realise that their clients would prefer an all-in-one service rather than having to source professionals for different roles.

You should think of web design and development encompassing a whole industry. Neither is more important than the other and for an effective website, both practices should be applied.

 

The Bottom Line 

 

With many clients hoping to simplify the website development process, professionals have many opportunities to scale their business. A lot of companies choose to offer templated designs to provide affordable web design for their customers.

 

If you’re thinking about asking a professional to build your website, think about the following things:

 

  • What can they offer you?
  • Do they specialise in mobile responsiveness?
  • Which services do you require for your platform?

 

Finding the right company to build your website can be challenging, but it is possible. If you’re looking for a simple website to showcase your services, then there are plenty of professionals that offer basic design, development and customisation.

 

If you’re searching for the best web design agency in the UK, it’s best to find one that offers templates, customisation and bespoke website build from scratch.

 

Now you know the difference between web design and web development, you can choose the company that suits your needs and create an online platform for your business.