There are so few spaces on the internet that YOU truly own, but your website is one of them. And it needs to be the best reflection of you and your business that it can possibly be. It can be so hard to figure out where to start when it comes to to how to enhance your website, but I’m give you five quick and easy ways to brighten it up today.
1. Update and Add Photos of You
Potential clients need to know who they’re working with. And while your “about me” page should also help them get to know you, it’s important that they see you. I’m not talking one photo on your “about me” page. You should have multiple photos of yourself on your website across all of the pages so that no matter where someone lands, they get a glimpse of who you are.
2. Re-Work Your “About Me” Page
Life gets busy and sometimes this page of your website gets overlooked. After all, are the people who land on your site really going to read it? The answer is a resounding YES. I’ve been there – I looked at my “about me” page in late 2019 and realized that I had had an entire second baby since I last updated it. YIKES. Now I update it several times a year; I love that whenever my clients land on my “about me” page, they get the most current and authentic look at who I am. So make sure that you’re looking at it at least once a year, if not every six months. Click here to see mine!
3. Cull Through Your Portfolio Galleries
When someone asks about what type of photography you like to capture, you should be able to point to your website with clear examples of every type of work that you currently do. Too often I hear people say, “Don’t go to my website!” because they have work on there that is old and outdated and not reflective of where their business is currently. So go through ALL of the galleries on your website and get rid of any photos (or even entire categories) that no longer align with who you are as a photographer. Additionally, add any new photos that DO reflect what you want to be working on and who you are now. The more your website shows what you want to be shooting, the more inquiries from ideal clients you’re going to get!
4. Make Sure All Links Work
This is one of the most frustrating parts of working on your website. You finish writing everything, it looks great, and then you hit “publish” only to find out that some of the links don’t work or point to the wrong place. I’ve been there. It’s such a gut-wrenching feeling after working so hard to build your website. But it’s something that needs to get fixed as quickly as possible. My suggestions is to have two additional people as well as yourself look at your website and write down anything that doesn’t work. Go through page by page until it’s all finished and then go back and fix those errors. You still might find some broken links later on, but at least the bulk of everything will be working properly. This might be one of the most tedious parts of enhancing your website, but it’s one of the most important.
5. Put Client Reviews on Your Website
In addition to your portfolio and your “about me” page, the most important part of your website is your client testimonial section. I’ve named mine “Kind Words” and it’s the page on my website that I’m the most proud of. You can ask your clients to write reviews after you send their galleries, or go back and email clients with surveys or to ask for a review. You can also copy reviews from Facebook or your Google page as well. Client testimonials are the absolute best way for potential clients to know what it’s going to be like to work with you, and that is something that you absolutely cannot afford to not have on your website.
Why This Needs to Be a Priority
In addition to keeping your website a current place for all of your potential clients to come to get to know you and find resources, updating your website on a regular basis is one of the best ways to show Google and the internet at large that you are an active website. In essence, it will help bump your SEO and help you show up on more searches, making it easier for a larger audience to see you. And with a larger audience landing on your site, the more inquiries you’ll get and your business will continue to grow.
Updating and enhancing your website doesn’t have to be a chore. It should be a fun exercise on helping your potential clients get to know you. And the benefits have a much farther reach than you can possibly imagine. So take these five easy tips and enhance your website today!
Are you looking to take your business from surviving to thriving? Click here to find out more about my coaching and mentoring programs!
+ view the comments