Mistakes You’re Making With Your Website Messaging

When small business entrepreneurs first start with marketing, often times they do some or all of it themselves. And what they often pay attention to the most are tactics that have worked for others.

For example, I just heard a photographer about the importance of email marketing. Others believe they need a WordPress website.

But in all honesty, if the right message is not communicated in the tactics used, then no marketing will work.

In this blog post, I’ll focus on the messaging that’s on the homebase of your digital marketing presence — your website. I’ll address the top messaging mistakes I see 1–9 person service businesses making with their website messaging. The goal of this is so you’ll know what you should focus on with your website.

No Clearly Defined Value

No apparently communicated immediate value is the most common problem with most of the websites that I see for service microbusinesses.

The unique value and unique selling proposition for your business and offer should be stated in the top third of your homepage. This way visitors will know exactly why they should care to learn more before they scroll down the page or click on another page.

In this message, you should communicate why your business is different from your competition, who you serve, and how you help your clients. For a more in-depth discussion of how to form a unique selling point, see my blog post How to Define Your Unique Selling Point.

No Apparent Authority

Depending on what market you’re in, there may be some or a lot of competition. So, if you don’t state why your business is what people should pay attention to, they’ll be less likely to keep reading.

There are several ways you can increase your authority. One relatively simple way is by keeping a blog where you write about topics on your professional expertise. I believe a blog is central to a strong marketing strategy and I describe why in my blog post, Why A Blog is The Best Investment You’ll Make in Your Business.

You can also embed testimonials of past clients throughout your website. This will be a strong motivator for…