While conversions are often discussed in the context of e-commerce sites, a showcase site must also generate leads and collect contact information to attract relevant traffic and new customers. Fortunately, there are ways to optimize your site! Whether you offer DIY services, therapy sessions, coaching, or want to attract potential customers to your brick-and-mortar store, we’ll share effective and cost-efficient tips for attracting new customers with a showcase website!
Working on the pages of your showcase website
Your website showcases your business, so it needs to be well-designed and project a positive image to encourage visitors to contact you. But do you know how to optimize your pages? To illustrate a visitor’s conversion journey on your site, we’ll compare it to a visit to your home. Ready to get started?
Home Page
Every visit begins with a house’s facade. Even from the outside, your house should look attractive, convey a certain atmosphere, and make people want to step inside. Is it a large, historic home or a modern house? It’s exactly the same for your homepage. Most of your visitors will arrive at your site through this page, so it must be beautiful and appealing. The atmosphere of your site should be evident at first glance. Visitors should also be able to tell very quickly what kind of site they’re on. This is achieved by highlighting your logo, as well as your visual identity and imagery. On your homepage, you’ll need to include all the elements that will convince your visitors to continue exploring. Be careful not to overload the page with information, though! The idea is to offer a taste of everything there is to discover further on, to draw them toward the more interesting pages.
Service Page
Your visitor was charmed by your facade, and now they’ve stepped inside. This is where they’ll check to see if they can find what they’re looking for at your place to meet their needs. Will you offer them Asian or French cuisine? The “Services” page showcases what you can provide to your clients. It should be clear and include as much information as possible to put your visitor at ease. The goal is to convince the visitor that your services meet their needs. Are you a hypnotherapist? Specify which conditions you treat. Do you offer in-home services? Indicate the geographic area you serve. Are you a fitness coach? Describe what your sessions are like and who they’re intended for, what types of sports you teach, and so on. In short, answer all the questions your visitor might have so they’ll say to themselves, “Yes, this is exactly what I need!”
About Page
The visitor is now convinced that you have a lot to offer; in fact, they may have already gone straight to the contact page. But some will still need reassurance. If they’re going to be guided or supported by someone, they might as well get along well with that person! That’s when your visitor will head to your “About Us” page. If we were touring a house, this page would be like stopping for a quick cup of coffee—the tour is winding down, but you’re taking a little more time to get to know each other. Talk about yourself, introduce yourself, share your values, explain why you do what you do, what motivates you, and—why not?—share two or three anecdotes about yourself. As always, the goal is to reassure your visitor and even build a connection before you’ve even met them. For example, they might think, “This person has been passionate about DIY since they were 5 years old, has a degree, and is very conscientious—I can trust them completely!” or “They’ve faced the same challenges as me; they’ll definitely understand me—they’re the perfect person,” or even “This person is so funny! That’s exactly the kind of person I want to work with!”
Contact Page
This is where the tour ends. The visitor hasn’t stopped touring your home—they’re genuinely interested! Now’s the time—will they decide to get in touch with you again? This is your last chance to convince them to save your contact information so they can reach out! Your contact page should highlight all the latest useful information. Your last name, first name, email address, phone number, address, and—why not—a map showing the location of your business or practice, if necessary. A contact form would also be a great addition to make getting in touch even easier! Don’t hesitate to reassure them by letting them know you’re available to answer questions, provide information, give a quote, or schedule an appointment.
Optimizing the Elements of Your Showcase Website
Now that you know how the conversion funnel works on a showcase website and how to optimize your pages, it’s time to optimize all the essential elements that make up your website. The goal remains the same: to reassure your visitors and convince them to contact you.
Website Usability and Structure
To gain a prospect’s trust, you first need a professional website. If the colors are bright and garish, the elements are scattered all over the place, there are bugs, and the text is way too large, it’s a safe bet that the visitor will immediately leave the homepage without bothering to explore further. Conversely, a beautiful, smooth, and well-organized website where information is easy to find makes navigation easier for the user and instills confidence in your business . A good showcase website starts with a solid structure. Avoid creating 50 pages to showcase your services, as this is more likely to confuse the visitor than anything else. Similarly, be sure to use titles that are understandable at a glance. While you could name a page “About,” “Who I Am,” “Our History,” or even “A Little About Me… ,” the user, on the other hand, won’t be able to figure out what the menu items “Let’s Go” or “Words” refer to. Of course, you can be creative… but only if it’s immediately understandable. Your site’s usability will also be essential for ensuring smooth navigation. From spacious margins and text that’s legible without being overpowering to buttons placed in the right spots and a pleasant, logical layout… There are several elements to consider when optimizing your site’s layout and navigation. A web design specialist will be the ideal person to guide you through this process.
The visuals
The visual aspect of a website is still too often overlooked. Yet it’s essential for giving your website a professional look! Don’t forget that most people are visually oriented first— it’s the first thing that will catch their attention, long before they read the text. Images also help bring your site to life. Whether you use photos or illustrations, they give users a sense of your world. Are you going for a playful and fun vibe, a calm and soothing one, or perhaps a dynamic and modern feel? But above all, showcasing your photos will allow your visitors to do something very important: imagine themselves there. That’s right—it’s just like touring a house (well, well…), and as soon as visitors start imagining themselves there, that’s a good sign! So don’t hesitate to show where you work, your past projects, your equipment, and so on. And above all, you can also include a photo of yourself. We can’t say it enough: adding a human touch to all forms of communication is an incredibly powerful way to attract clients. And that goes just as much—if not more so—for a website. Don’t have any photos or visuals on hand? You’ll find plenty of free, royalty-free image libraries like Unsplash.
Contents
Just like your visuals, your text should reflect who you are and the service you offer. Will you write serious, detailed content, or would you prefer to write lighthearted pieces with wordplay? From the very first read, you can set the tone and captivate your visitor. But never forget that your text should, above all, inform your visitor and help them find what they’re looking for. So don’t overwhelm them with long ramblings that leave them feeling lost. Tailor the content to your page and ask yourself: if your visitor is here, what information do they need to know? There’s no need to go into great detail about your background on the services page (though you can mention it briefly), but stay focused on the main point: presenting your services. Finally, your content will also be a powerful tool for increasing your visibility through SEO. To achieve this, you’ll need to optimize your content by incorporating relevant keywords and refining your tags and internal and external links. Working with a professional SEO agency can greatly help you create optimized content that will bring you new leads.
Now you finally have all the basics you need to know about how to generate leads with a showcase website! So, have you implemented all these elements on your website?
