One question I get asked often is, ” What is one thing that every new business owner should have?” One of my top three things is always a functional website that helps not only the business owner but also their potential clients! Having a website is a huge help when it comes to showing that your business is legit, that you have happy paying clients, and that you can actually provide a service that is needed! So what are the 5 things I think every website needs?
1. A strong home page for potential clients to land on!
Having a home page that allows clients to get a preview of who you are, what your business is about, and what you offer is a huge help for your potential client! Having a user friendly home page that allows your viewer to see an overview allows them to know right off the bat if you have something to offer them or not! You want to make sure your offers are clear the second someone lands on your page!
Let’s say you shoot mainly weddings, but enjoy shooting family sessions on the side and want to shoot 2-3 family sessions a month. If a mom finds her way onto your page and is looking for family photos but ONLY finds wedding photos and wedding content on your home page, she probably won’t stay on your page long enough to click around to find the small section on your website where you say you offer family photos. In order to make sure moms knows that you want her family’s business, you need to make sure she can find some info or image that allows her to know you can help her!
2. An About Me Page that says more than, “ I Love Taking Photos!”
One of the biggest mistakes photographers make when creating an “About Me” page on their website is telling people what they THINK they would want to hear! Some of the most common things people say are –
“I have loved taking photos for years!’
“ I love capturing precious memories!”
“ I always have a camera in my hand!”
While these seem like things our clients would care about, it doesn’t really allow them to get to know who they are hiring! You will book clients SO much faster by allowing them to get to know you then let the rest of your website tell them about your business! One easy way to do that is by adding a few fun facts on your “About Me” page like your favorite foods, travel spots, books, your animals – Literally ANYTHING that makes you who you are!
For example – Instead of “I have loved taking photos for years!’ or “ I love capturing precious memories!”, try saying “ For the past ___( number of years you have been in business ) years I have been able to capture hundreds of families and their love for one another. Being able to capture these once in a lifetime memories is what makes my job the best around! Being a mom myself I know how fast time flies, how quickly your babies grow, and how hard it is to slow down during the crazy moments to truly enjoy this time in your life! Having these precious memories captured are the ones that not only you will cherished for years to come but ones that your children will be able to show their babies years down the road! ”
3. A specific page for each service you offer.
Don’t mix your offerings up all on one page! Allow your clients to navigate your website with ease by having specific tabs or sections for each service you have! Having your offerings listed all on one page brings confusion and can sometimes overwhelm your clients! The more simple and direct each page on your website can be, the better it will serve you and your clients!
4. Show a starting price or an average price.
One of the best things you can do for your potential clients, and yourself, is by listing some form of price on your website! I don’t recommend posting your whole pricing sheet on your website but allowing your potential clients to see either a starting price point or an average price spent will allow your clients to know if you are near their price point!
This not only helps your potential clients but it also helps save you time by not having to respond to inquiries that will not bring you business. Your client’s time is precious and so is yours!
5. Don’t overwhelm your potential client with images!
Every photographer wants to show a potential client loads of images because we think that the more images we show, the more likely someone is to book us. Sadly, that isn’t true. The more images that are shown can sometimes overwhelm your clients because there is just too much to look at! I always suggest picking your top 50 favorite images and using those throughout your website to show your clients work that you love, work that you want more of, and work that you know they will love!
Did you love this post?! Check out my EBook that talks all about booking clients when you have a small portfolio or just starting your business! It is the exact method I used to book and shoot 17 weddings my first year!
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