Tips for Refreshing Your Website this Off-Season

Here’s How to Do It in a Way that Will Increase Conversations

So, it’s your off-season and you’re ready to make 2021 your best year yet.  If you use the time to your advantage, it can mean an even stronger busy season later. One of the best ways to do that is by giving your website a refresh and quick update. Specifically in ways that will help you increase conversions and turn more of your web visitors into loyal customers and clients.

Don’t think you have to undertake a complete overhaul! Instead, focus on five simple tasks that will make a big impact on your business.

1. Have a clear and consistent call to action

When people land on your website, you probably want them to take a specific action (a.k.a convert). You’re inviting them or encouraging them to participate in what your brand has to offer. Skip soft calls-to-action like “let’s have coffee”. Instead, invite them to take a specific action.

Clarity on a website can help build trust with your visitors. People want to know what they should do next. Are you asking them to subscribe? Register? Try for free? Buy now? Make it clear.

Clean up time

All the messaging and design (more on these points in a few) should be focused on getting people to take this action, but you’ll struggle with that if you aren’t clear and consistent in what you’re asking people to do. Focus on getting people to the next step! Be sure not to include competing calls-to-action that risk distracting your visitors. Sweep through your site to get a thorough refresh and update!

2. Invest in messaging and copywriting

Don’t underestimate the importance of a strong message communicated effectively through good copy. As website designers, it can be tough to admit that this is just as, or more, important than the visual elements of your website, but we see again and again that messaging is crucial.

Effective copywriting clearly communicates your visitors current reality, and how your product or service can help improve their lives. Clear messaging that’s focused on your website visitors (rather than yourself) will help people start visualizing how your product or service can help them become the best version of themselves.

Consider these ways of conveying your message:

• For maximum effectiveness, focus on a message that has a problem/solution rhythm to it. What problems in a consumer’s life will your product or service solve? Introduce the idea of the problem, then explain how or why your product or service solves it.
• Another effective message is to focus on what people will miss out on if they don’t take your call to action. Studies show that people are more likely to make a purchase if they risk losing something.
• Share a message that enables people to achieve self-actualization, or the reaching of their full potential, by using your product or service. If you’ve heard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a theory in psychology that ranks people’s needs on a tier level, you’ll know that self-actualization is one of the higher-up needs that should be satisfied after psychological needs like accomplishments or relationships, or even basic needs like safety, food, and rest. But in a culture where so much is uncertain (especially as we’re heading toward the other side of this pandemic), people are prioritizing becoming the best version of themselves.

If your website does not convey all this, take this time to revise the copy on your website so your message is strong and visitors understand exactly why your brand can be such a problem-solver or life-changer.

3. Update the imagery on your website.

We might weigh messaging more heavily than imagery, but imagery is still important—and it’s one of the easiest ways to give your site a fresh look! Updating images on your website is simple, and will go a long way in giving your site a polished look. In some cases, stock photos might do the trick.

There are also stock subscription services, like Social Curator, where you get new images every month. You will work less, and your site and social platforms will always look fresh!

Professional brand shoot will update your website instantly!

If you can afford the investment, get professional shots done by a photographer. Investing in a great brand shoot is worth it! With a little planning, it can ensure you have images to use for your website and social media throughout the entire year.

This is especially important if you sell products—amateur photos of inanimate objects can be boring. A brand photographer who specializes in product photography will know exactly how to style your products so they look their best. These images will elevate the overall quality of your site and will make visitors more excited about what you have to offer. This is definitely one of the most effective ways to instantly refresh and update your website!

4. Add social proof throughout your website.

If you’re coming out of a busy season, you probably have lots of positive feedback you’ve received from clients. Ask them whether you can share what they said on your website. It’s never a bad idea to seek out reviews by simply asking for them. Satisfied clients are often more than happy to give you a testimonial to share.

Include these testimonials and reviews in strategic places throughout your website—places like your sales pages, your product pages, your checkout pages. Don’t limit them simply to one spot. The more places on your site that your visitors can be exposed to these positive words, the better.

It is also worthwhile to include any media where your brand has been mentioned or featured. This can include newspapers, magazines, a TV show, a podcast, or another website. Many publications provide badges that you can use on your website. Social proof consistently remains one of the most influential factors when a client decides to book or purchase.

5. Add a pop-up or embed a lead magnet sign-up to refresh your website.

Using a pop-up or lead magnet to garner subscribers for your email list is simple but effective. (Showit even makes it easy for you—check out our instructions here.) Only a small percentage of your followers on social media channels will ever see your posts. Plus, social media platforms are always changing up their algorithms, often making it harder to reach your audience organically.

Having an extensive list of subscribers to your email list will give you a chance, to follow up with people and nurture the leads you’ve gained. You can also to sell new or different products to existing customers and past clients. Nearly everyone has an email list, and unlike your social media accounts, you actually own your email list. It’s a much more reliable way to ensure you’re getting in front of your audience on an ongoing basis.

Refresh and update your website

Refreshing your website in the off-season doesn’t have to be overly complicated. These simple tasks will help you stay focused on creating a stronger, more direct site that better communicates what you have to offer, engages your visitors, and ultimately increases your conversions. With Showit, you can pop in and out of your site with no coding and no headaches! Looks like a big chunk of your off-season just opened up!

Showit makes it easy to create a beautiful, high-converting website. Sign-up today for a 14-day free trial! No credit card required.