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What your website says about your business before you say a word

ThroughUs Insights · 4 minute read

Before most clients pick up the phone, they look you up. In a few seconds, your website answers questions they never ask out loud: Is this business established? Is it easy to deal with? Does it understand people like me?

The good news is that most of these answers come down to small, fixable details. Here are five things your website says about you, and how to make sure it is saying the right thing.

01Whether you are current

A copyright year from 2019, a "latest news" post from three years ago or a team page with people who left long ago all send the same quiet message: nobody is looking after this.

Quick fixCheck your footer year, your team page and any news or blog page. Remove or update anything older than a year.

02Whether you are easy to deal with

Most people will visit on their phone. If they cannot find your phone number or email within five seconds, many will simply move on to the next business in the search results.

Quick fixOpen your website on your phone and time how long it takes to find a way to contact you. Then send yourself a message through your contact form to make sure it actually arrives.

03Who you are for

"We offer a wide range of services" tells a visitor nothing. "We help small builders keep their books and cash flow under control" tells the right visitor they are in the right place.

Quick fixWrite one sentence: We help [who] with [what] so they can [result]. Put it at the top of your home page.

04Whether you can be trusted

Trust is built from small signals: a secure padlock in the browser, real photos of real people, a clear "About" page, your ABN and genuine reviews. Stock photos and vague promises do the opposite.

05Where to go next

Every page should finish with one clear next step, such as "Book a call", "Request a quote" or "Send us a message". If visitors have to work out what to do, most will not do anything.

Your 10-minute website check

  • Open your site on your phone. Does it load quickly and look right?
  • Can you find a phone number or email within five seconds?
  • Does the first line of your home page say who you help?
  • Is the footer year current and is your news less than a year old?
  • Does every menu link work?
  • Send yourself a message through the contact form. Did it arrive?
  • Search your business name on Google. Are your hours and details correct?

None of these needs a full rebuild. Most can be fixed in an afternoon, and together they change how your business comes across before you have said a single word.

Want a second pair of eyes on your website? Ask for a free website check and concept.

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