6 Things your website really needs
I spend a lot of time looking at bookkeepers and accountants website. It’s a big part of my work. Most sites I visit are pretty much the same. They have the same kind of text, offering the same kind of services, to the same kind of people, in the same way. All in all, most are pretty uninspiring. I do see a few that are really well designed, but when it comes to content they are fur coats and no knickers.
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[MM_Member_Decision membershipId='1|2|3|4'] Much of the time this is because bookkeepers and accountants are not great at marketing. Typically, we love numbers and hate words. There’s nothing wrong with that. When it comes to websites we fall into the ‘same as’ trap. We go to a web designer and ask for something the same as something else we’ve seen in the profession. Therefore, we all end up with pretty similar looks, feels and text. The client can have an impossible job finding the person they really need because everyone looks the same. Here I’m going to share with you the top 7 things you need on your website to attract the right people. Just in case you’re asking yourself who the right people are, they’re the ones who will happily spend their money with you and make you happy at the same time. 1. A Clear homepage Your homepage should speak to your ideal client, that one client who is most likely to buy from you and no one else. Most of the work has been done when people arrive on your homepage, don’t lose them now. Make sure you have a really clear call to action. Don’t assume that the visitor will know what to do next, tell them. Don’t overcomplicate the homepage, but have enough information to lead the visitor into your sales funnel. 2. A really individual ‘about us’ page This is your chance to really shine. Remember, people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Your about us page is your chance to really explain your why to potential clients. Make sure this page reflects your businesses personality. We all have one, let yours shine through here and really differentiate yourself from everyone else. 3. Contact Us Page Our business is based on trust. The client needs to trust you, and you them. The contact us page is a great way to build that trust. Make sure you give visitors enough here to realise that you’re a professional and not another fly-by-night. Make sure that visitors have a range of ways to contact you. Some will want to phone while others might just want to fill out a quick form. Don’t put loads of barriers up. 4. A signup box
Building trust isn’t something that happens instantly. People who visit your site once and then sign up to your service are the minority. Most people want to get to know you and trust you before they’ll hand over their books. One way to do this is to give something of value away in exchange for their email address. Your gift to them should be something that positions you as an expert in the field. You can then follow this up with some really useful emails. Soon you’ll be the first name that springs to their mind when they think ‘bookkeeper’. 5. New Content Make sure that you keep your content live. It’s sad to visit a website and find that the last time it was updated was 3 years ago, it just feels so unloved. Visitors will associate the way you run your website with the way you run your business. Who wants an uncaring bookkeepers? Check all of your links every few months, and make sure you update any information that needs changed. Search engines love new content too, so if you can have a blog on your website, get it. The same rules apply though, update it regularly with fresh content that will keep visitors coming back. 6. Fantastic Videos A great video helps to build that relationship that we desperately want from our website. Let your visitors get to know you through your website. Videos are worth pages of text. It’s an excellent way to let your personality through and really set yourself apart from every other bookkeeper. Remember when you record videos to speak to your ideal client. Forget everyone else. Many people are scared of videos. Maybe they don’t like their hair, or hate their voice. My advice is that the sooner you get over this the better. Videos on websites are here to stay, embrace them before your competition does. How far along the road is your website? Leave a comment below. [/MM_Member_Decision]
[MM_Member_Decision membershipId='1|2|3|4'] Much of the time this is because bookkeepers and accountants are not great at marketing. Typically, we love numbers and hate words. There’s nothing wrong with that. When it comes to websites we fall into the ‘same as’ trap. We go to a web designer and ask for something the same as something else we’ve seen in the profession. Therefore, we all end up with pretty similar looks, feels and text. The client can have an impossible job finding the person they really need because everyone looks the same. Here I’m going to share with you the top 7 things you need on your website to attract the right people. Just in case you’re asking yourself who the right people are, they’re the ones who will happily spend their money with you and make you happy at the same time. 1. A Clear homepage Your homepage should speak to your ideal client, that one client who is most likely to buy from you and no one else. Most of the work has been done when people arrive on your homepage, don’t lose them now. Make sure you have a really clear call to action. Don’t assume that the visitor will know what to do next, tell them. Don’t overcomplicate the homepage, but have enough information to lead the visitor into your sales funnel. 2. A really individual ‘about us’ page This is your chance to really shine. Remember, people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. Your about us page is your chance to really explain your why to potential clients. Make sure this page reflects your businesses personality. We all have one, let yours shine through here and really differentiate yourself from everyone else. 3. Contact Us Page Our business is based on trust. The client needs to trust you, and you them. The contact us page is a great way to build that trust. Make sure you give visitors enough here to realise that you’re a professional and not another fly-by-night. Make sure that visitors have a range of ways to contact you. Some will want to phone while others might just want to fill out a quick form. Don’t put loads of barriers up. 4. A signup box
Building trust isn’t something that happens instantly. People who visit your site once and then sign up to your service are the minority. Most people want to get to know you and trust you before they’ll hand over their books. One way to do this is to give something of value away in exchange for their email address. Your gift to them should be something that positions you as an expert in the field. You can then follow this up with some really useful emails. Soon you’ll be the first name that springs to their mind when they think ‘bookkeeper’. 5. New Content Make sure that you keep your content live. It’s sad to visit a website and find that the last time it was updated was 3 years ago, it just feels so unloved. Visitors will associate the way you run your website with the way you run your business. Who wants an uncaring bookkeepers? Check all of your links every few months, and make sure you update any information that needs changed. Search engines love new content too, so if you can have a blog on your website, get it. The same rules apply though, update it regularly with fresh content that will keep visitors coming back. 6. Fantastic Videos A great video helps to build that relationship that we desperately want from our website. Let your visitors get to know you through your website. Videos are worth pages of text. It’s an excellent way to let your personality through and really set yourself apart from every other bookkeeper. Remember when you record videos to speak to your ideal client. Forget everyone else. Many people are scared of videos. Maybe they don’t like their hair, or hate their voice. My advice is that the sooner you get over this the better. Videos on websites are here to stay, embrace them before your competition does. How far along the road is your website? Leave a comment below. [/MM_Member_Decision]
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