Anatomy of a Great Website: The Essential Components
Welcome to Part 2 of the April blog/vlog series on growth and expansion.
This week, I want to show you the Anatomy of a Great Website...a website that works because...well, websites are not like they used to be!
Last week, I talked about when I started my business, and how I built my website from scratch using HTML code.
I learned from a book how to do that, long before CSS and all the fancy design code we have today.
There was no drag and drop, plug and play website builders. Entrepreneurs had to figure it out on their own and let’s just say: Websites weren’t super attractive.
But my old website served me very well for many years.
It grew and grew as my business grew and grew until it was so outdated it was laughable.
By then, I had enough resources to hire a website designer and got a really beautiful website built.
Now, I’m on my 6th website.
Our concept of websites has changed, the functionality of them has changed, and what they can do for a business has changed.
Just How Many Websites Are There?
In 2001, when I started my business, there were about 300 million websites worldwide, and about 10% of the world's population accessed the internet.
Today, there are over 1.1 billion websites. Only about 200 million of them are active, but 70% of the world's population has access and uses the internet.
Those statistics alone have shaped how websites function.
So let me tell you what a really good website looks like by today's standards. (And I want to remind you if you're reading this five years from now, websites will likely have changed drastically.)
When I first made my website, it was page, page, page, page, page, and you didn't have a lot on each page.
We were instructed by the website gurus of the time that if our pages were too long, people wouldn't read them. Which is true. Kinda.
A few years later, we were told no, no, no, make your pages really long.
So I had loooong pages and fewer of them.
The advice has gone back and forth pretty much like the styles of jeans. Wait long enough and they’ll all come around again.
But right now, both long and short pages are in vogue, along with combinations of both on one site.
You can have a long form homepage.
You can have a logo-only homepage that’s an entry point to more pages.
You could have numerous pages or you could have just one page.
You could have long form sales pages, short landing pages, and medium opt-in pages.
There are so many different options of how website pages can be structured, but one thing is not optional: good copy.
I’m going to walk you through the copy for an ideal long-form homepage that I recommend a business creates when it is starting out.
A business might also have an additional About page and a Services or Products page, but if not, they can get away with having this one page because it will contain all the important elements that a potential client is going to need.
"Your website works for you even while you're sleeping."
Kinda Like a Stalker...
As a business owner, you've probably heard, Your website works for you even while you're sleeping.
And that is true. Which is why a website is the first thing that I recommend people create when they are going into business.
A website is more important than social media because you need to have a place where people who want to ‘window shop’ can go while you're sleeping and check out you and what you do.
Yes, you can have a business page on Facebook, a Profile page on Instagram, or a page on LinkedIn but we all know those pages are not nearly as versatile and functional as a web page.
You want your website to be a hub where people can visit and, from there, they can go in a number of different directions depending on what they are looking for.
So let’s start from the top.
Break It Down
Imagine you've just clicked on a link and a website appears before your eyes.
The first thing you expect to see is a logo, maybe a row of tabs across the top, and some kind of header.
You, business owner, have less than three seconds to attract the visitor with your header.
If they're not attracted by what they see, they're going to click away and move on.
If they are attracted, they're going to scroll down to get more information, which is bingo!
What gets people to stay the magical 3+ seconds and scroll for more?
A header that speaks to them. It uses words they use. Says what is on their mind or heart. They feel seen immediately and say, “Hey, you get me!”
Your header also needs something visually appealing that relates to them, your business, or your products or services. Not just a pretty landscape (unless you’re a landscaper photographer).
The next thing in your header should be one sentence that says what you do. Not who you are. What you do for your ideal customer. One sentence.
“I write click-worthy webpages, emails, and more.” (That’s mine.)
A couple of other things that are important in the header is a call-to-action (CTA) button in the upper right hand side, as this is where Westerners’ eyes go because we read left to right.
So, the visitor sees the logo on the left 
the CTA button on the right
Then the message that tells them, “Ooh, they get me!”
And the one-liner that says what you do to help them
And, voila, they keep scrolling.
But it's not the only time we're gonna see that call to action button, as you're going to learn later.
Now, let’s go back to that message in the header that lets them know, “Ooh, you get me!”
Two things are crucial in that message:
1. It has to either name the problem your ideal client is experiencing, or it has to name their aspirational identity...who they want to become.
If they don't recognize their problem or who they want to become, they don't know you are talking to them. So why are they gonna stick around?
If your header starts talking about something too clever, or that you inherited this business from your grandfather, or something not related to them, they are going to leave.
So you have to quickly use the words they would use to attract them.
2. The second thing is you have to tell them right up top how you solve their problem or how you help them become the person they want to be.
Yours might be:
I help businesses write great copy.
I help businesses know how to launch a course.
I help you to become the best parent possible.
Now that you’ve got their attention, they're going to start scrolling down.
The Biggest Mistake You’ll Probably Make (Unless You Read This Section)
The next thing you want them to know is that you really understand them. You’re going to do that by talking more about them, not about you.
This is the biggest mistake I see most business owners make.
They launch into talking about themselves, their products, their business, their services, how they started, how long they’ve been in business...
But they don’t care about that...yet.
Before they want to know about you, they want to make sure you really get them. You do that by talking more about them and their problem.
It sucks when you wake up in the middle of the night worried your business is going to flail.
It’s so hard when you're putting in 14 hour days and never see your family because you're trying to get this darn course created.
It feels so scary when you're pregnant and you're worried if you're going to be a good parent because your parents weren't that great. What if you pass on the same mistakes?
Whatever the thing is that you know your ideal client struggles with, you want to talk about it.
Some business owners say, ‘I don’t want to freak my clients out. I don’t want to tell them their parents sucked.’ Sure you do! If they know it and you know it, you’re a good match. If you try to gloss it over, they won’t feel understood.
You want your future clients to know they're not going to have to convince you of the kinds of problems they have or the help they need.
What If You Don't
There’s a saying in marketing:
If you confuse, you lose.
You don't want potential customers to use a lot of brain calories trying to figure out if you're the right solution for them. Show them what you know and what you offer quickly and succinctly.
So now that you’ve shown them you understand their problems, you also want to talk about the kind of transformation you're going to help them make.
“You don’t have to worry whether your website copy sings because I find your voice and sing it for you.”
Now you’re letting people know a little bit about what you do.
This is what they can look forward to when they work with you.
If you offer what they are looking for, you have them hooked and they keep reading...
Now it's time to introduce yourself and your solution.
I always recommend you start with empathy. A statement that says what no one should have to suffer with.
‘No business owner should have to struggle with writing while they're trying to find their first clients.’
‘No parent should have to worry about being judged when they're just trying to get it right.’
Here’s where you talk about yourself. Tell them all the things you know, how long you've been doing this, why you got started, how many clients you've helped, etc.
This is how you build your authority.
You also want them to get to know you a little bit. Tell them about your family, your interests, what you do on weekends...
You want them to like you. You want them to trust you. Because that’s how you’re going to turn them into someone who wants to work with you.
On To the Nitty Gritty
Now that you've introduced yourself, you want to talk about the services and products you offer.
You’re not going to list all of them, but you want to show the main categories of services or products.
“I offer business coaching, marketing, consulting, and copywriting.”
“I offer classes, one-on-one coaching, and in-person support.”
If your website has service pages, each category links to that service/product page.
If not, you can list your top packages, with bullet-point descriptions of the features, right on your home page.
Do not confuse visitors with too many options at this point.
Remember: If you confuse, you lose.
3 Easy Steps
Next, you want to instruct people how they can start working with you. You get 3, maximum 4, steps to do that.
The first step is the call to action — the thing you want them to do NOW: Sign up, schedule a call, learn more.
The second step is the action they’ll take to buy from you: Choose a class. Pick your package. Do the exercises.
The third step is the transformation they’ll start to experience: See the clients rolling in. Feel awesome. Wake up with a bounce in your step.
1. Schedule a call. 2. Choose your package. 3. Listen to your website sing.
1. Sign up for the Parenting Kit. 2. Start practicing the exercises. 3. Feel like June Cleaver. (Too young to get that reference? Make sure your references are for your ideal audience!)
Again, very high level and very easy steps. Something they could do today!
Give Me Proof
Now you want to give them social proof: testimonials.
You want people to know this isn't your first rodeo, cowboy. You’ve been doing this for a while. Here’s what other people who have worked with you have said.
Your testimonials can either scroll by or be a static list. They tell your visitors, ‘Wow, look at all these great things they’ve done. All the other people like me they’ve helped.'
Testimonials help people trust you even more, so if they were hesitant about clicking on that button, now they're more likely to.
The Second Date
But for some people — even though they’ve made it this far down your website — they still may not be ready to buy.
So what you do now is offer a transitional call to action.
These are the free things that pop up in those pesky windows...a free video, Top Ten list, quiz, webinar, etc. We call them freebies or lead generators.
Some people need to see a little bit more about what it's like to work with you, what they can learn from you, what your style is like.
I don't encourage businesses to ask people to sign up for a newsletter or email list because those things don’t appear valuable. Instead of them getting something from you, you’re going to get them!
Think of the transitional call to action as a second date. When they landed on your website, that was the first date. If they’re not ready to make a commitment yet, they need a second date.
The Power of Story
The whole homepage should actually be telling the story of your customer’s transformation: Going from the problems in their life today to what their life will look like after they work with you.
If your website is telling a good story, visitors are going to stick around a lot longer.
Show them how it sucks where they are now, but then along comes you who has what they need.
They see some hope. They have a glimmer of what their life might look like in the future. They learn about how you can help them.
You show them what the transformation looks like so they can see their new life.
Remind them they don’t want to feel like this a year from now. Now’s their chance. Take the action. Buy the thing. Don’t wait another minute!
You might even end the story with a little warning: Many parents have learned the hard way and found themselves repeating their parents' mistakes. They come to me guilty and ashamed. Don't’ let that happen to you.
Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button
I want to say more about the CTA button I mentioned earlier.
After every section I've outlined above, there should be a CTA button. It says the ONE thing you want them to do: Schedule a Call, Register Now, Learn More.
Your CTA button is strategically placed all throughout this long page — and on every page of your site.
Your CTA button should be a different color from anything else on your website so it visually stands out. And it should have the same words every time so there's no confusion about what you want them to do.
You confuse, you lose, right?
The Junk Drawer
And then finally, you have the junk drawer.
That's the stuff at the bottom of your web pages where you list all your social media links, the Contact Me link, your address or phone number or email link.
You might also have any legal statements and disclaimers that are required for your business.
What About YOU?
If you are going to have more than a long-form home page, the next most visited page on a website is the About page.
This is where you fully introduce yourself, toot your own horn, and talk about all the things you’ve done.
Humans love stories. Your home page tells the story of your customer’s transformational journey from working with you. This page tells your transformational journey to inspire them.
Maybe your story parallels theirs. Tell your visitors your history, what happened in your life that led you to this work, and what you’ve learned along the way.
Share a story from your childhood that's relevant to the work you're doing now. People love that stuff.
Let them see you're not a flash in the pan, that you've been gestating this work for a long time. Even if you're new in your field, show people the depth of your knowledge.
Be sure to include a photo or two of you doing something you love.
You can also include a list of trainings or certifications, accomplishments
Ultimately, you want visitors to say, “This person looks really cool.”
If they think you're cool, they’re probably going to enjoy working with you.
And that's a win-win for everyone.
What You Have to Offer
If you have more than one or two services, I recommend a Service or Product page.
If you have many products, you’ll likely have an e-commerce site, one where you click on items and they go in a basket and then you check out.
That’s beyond the scope of this blog, but whether you have an e-commerce site or are a one-person service company, your products should be categorized so people can find things.
If you were selling shoes, there'd be men's shoes and women's shoes and kids' shoes.
There'd be boys' shoes and girl shoes. There'd be sneakers and fancy shoes.
There'd be sports shoes and sandals.
Within each category, all the styles would be shown, then the sizes and customizations.
You want your services to be organized so people can find what they’re looking for so they don't get confused and leave.
It’s more likely you have just a few categories of services. If you’re a healing professional, you might offer in-person one-on-one sessions, online group programs, and virtual coaching. You could put all those on one page.
But if you have multiple classes, a line of products, and one-on-one services, you might have a separate page for each. How you organize your pages might also depend on SEO, which I’ll cover below.
My copywriting website is an example of a long-form homepage. It shows my services as packages. You see three packages and their features, or you can click on an ala carte menu to see individual services.
Whether you are listing services or packages, you’ll need to list their key features and benefits.
Features are things like: 15 modules, 2 in-person visits, handouts, workbook, washable, reversible... what the services or product includes.
Benefits are how the customer improves from the service or product: Peace of mind, tools to make life easier, techniques to get your kids to sleep, skills for being a better soccer player.
And be sure to list your prices. Not including your prices sucks.
Can you imagine going into any store and not having the price on things?
There are stores like that. They're for really rich people. So unless you're working with really rich people who don't have to ask how much you charge, put your prices on your website.
Here's why: If you're in a service business and people have to schedule a call to talk with you, you don't want them to schedule a call if they can't afford you or they don’t want to pay your prices. They have to know your fees ahead of time so you can prevent wasting everyone’s time.
If you have sliding scales, discounts, or scholarships, include that information in your pricing section so folks know there are options for them.
I was getting a load of gravel last summer and a lot of places said, “Call for pricing.”
“No,” I thought. “Show me your pricing! If your pricing fluctuates a lot, update your website a lot. That's the least you could do if you want me to give you hundreds of dollars for a pile of rocks.”
The company who had their prices posted got my business.
You might feel differently, but research shows that most people favor sites that include their prices.
E-I-E-I-S-E-O
The last thing I want you to know about is SEO — Search Engine Optimization. Whenever you open up your web browser and enter words in the search bar, SEO is working in the background to bring you results.
Every website (or page) has SEO keywords entered behind the scenes. This is how the web browser matches the words in the search bar to the websites out there.
SEO has its own tricky algorithms, but they aren’t as merciless as social media algorithms. In addition to key words, there are things like how long your website has been available, how dynamic is it, when was it last updated, how many links it has, how many other pages link to yours, how many pictures and videos, how many visitors and clicks, and how long people stay on your site.
All these things factor into your ranking (where you show up on the page of results).
Most business owners hire an SEO specialist to help them rank higher. You can also learn SEO yourself, but the algorithms change often and you’ll need some data analysis as well.
There you have it. The essential components of a great website by today’s standards.
If you have any questions, please give me a call so we can talk about your website. Does it need an overhaul? Or is it just kind of blah? What feels like drudgery for many business owners is a joy for me.
I’d love to take a look. Get a free 15-minute copy review and my feedback.
15-Minute Website Review
Fill out the form and I’ll do a quick, 15-minute review of your Home and About pages. I’ll send you a video assessment with my tips for improving your messaging to attract more clients.
I also have many free tools so let me know what you need help with and I’ll send it over. Leave your request in the comments or see my email address in the Junk Drawer : )
