I’ve recently reviewed several websites of coaches, and I discovered the following website mistakes.

Are you making any of those on your website?

1. Website is poorly designed

The website looks like it was designed by the website owner themselves (and they are not a web designer). People recognise a professionally designed website and one that is not. A poorly designed website doesn’t inspire trust or credibility.

What you can do:

Get a professional web designer to fix your website. And if you aren’t able to do this for any reason, keep your web design as simple as possible. Less is more. Reduce the number of fonts you use. Make sure you choose fonts that are easy to read. Reduce the number of colours. Get rid of background images.

2. Use of jargon

You describe your work in a way that’s not clear to your target audience. You use jargon. While you and your colleagues know what certain words mean, your prospective clients might not.

What you can do:

Look at your website through the eyes of your prospective clients. Will they understand every single word you use on your site? Write crystal-clear copy so your readers understand what it is that you are offering.

3. The focus is on you rather than the client

The web copy is mostly about you. When you are making this website mistake, then you’ll see a lot of ‘I’ in your copy. Your website needs to be about your clients. They need to be the focus.

What you can do:

Replace your ‘I’ statements, with ‘You’ statements.

For example: Instead of ‘I will teach you’, use ‘You will learn’.

4. You don’t have enough information about your offerings on your site to build trust and credibility

You describe your offerings only with a couple of sentences. What your service entails is vague, and readers don’t understand how the process works. You are not giving enough information for potential clients to feel safe to take the next step (ie. book a call).

What you can do:

You need to describe your services in detail. A single paragraph is not enough. You need to provide enough information so that most of your reader’s questions are answered. Imagine it like a Q&A session between you and your potential client.

5. Your website tagline is cryptic

Often, coaches or therapists use website taglines that are cryptic and not understood by the website visitor. Most readers will simply ignore the tagline. Most times, it confuses them and they leave the site.

What you can do:

Make your tagline simple and straightforward. What is the main problems that you solve for your clients? When you have pinpointed the key issue, then simply write a tagline about it.

For example: (What you offer) for (target audience). ‘Web design for therapists.’

Helping (target audience) (do what). ‘Helping singles find love that lasts.’

6. You create overwhelm with too many images, text or buttons

If there are too many buttons to click, it takes the reader’s attention into too many directions. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with too much choice. At the end, your visitor will leave rather than take action.

What you can do:

The only page on your website that can have more than one call-to-action, is your home page. On all other pages, keep the focus on ONE call-of-action.

7. You don’t have a photo

As a coach or therapist, you MUST have a photo of yourself on your website. Even better if you have several professionally taken photographs. When you are the face of your business, people need to see a face that they can connect with. A website without a photo of you doesn’t inspire trust or credibility.

What you can do:

Get a set of professionally taken photos. Do not only get headshots but include photos that show you in action. For example, if you are a therapist, include a photo of you in a consultation. If you are a gardener, include a photo of you gardening.

8. You have no or an unclear call-to-action

I see pages that have an unclear or even no call-to-action. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to guide your visitor towards taking an action, such as signing up to your newsletter or booking an initial free call.

What you can do:

Think about what you would like your prospective client to do when they visit your website. Is it to call you? Book an appointment? Sign up to your newsletter? Make sure you include a call-to-action on every single page on your site.