Website Must-Haves for a High-Converting Brand | What Every Service-based Entrepreneur Needs on their Site
Thank you to our sponsors!
Enroll in The Branding Business School Today!
Links mentioned in today’s show:
Build a High-Converting Brand + Website with BrandWell Designs
What if your business's credibility and growth in 2025 hinged on something as simple as having a website? That's the bold assertion Victoria explores in today's episode, drawing from personal stories, like her sister's harrowing experience of nearly losing her business due to a hacked social media account. Discover why a website is not just an online presence but a critical 24/7 salesperson that protects against the volatility of relying solely on social media platforms. Navigate through the non-negotiables of a high-converting website, emphasizing its role in lead generation and establishing trust with your audience.
Victoria also shares transformative insights on crafting a powerful website homepage, especially for service-based businesses. Learn to communicate your value proposition with compelling headlines, strategic calls to action, and high-quality visuals that build trust. From using lead magnets and ensuring mobile-friendly design to adopting basic SEO practices, today’s episode provides practical tips that boost conversions and drive sustainable traffic. Plus, Victoria will explain why investing in professional web design can elevate your brand authority. Whether you're starting out or looking to scale, this episode is packed with actionable advice to turn your website into a powerhouse for your business.
What You’re Missing if Your Business Doesn’t have a Website
It’s important to note that you do not need to have a website in order to have customers, however, you are missing out by choosing to not have a website for your business. First and foremost, your customers are expecting it. People are instinctively looking up business online before they make a purchase, especially if it’s for a service provider, and if you do not have a website, they are going to assume that you’re either not legit, or you’re not established enough to trust. Another reason you need to have a website these days is because social media isn’t enough. Relying on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok alone is risky; algorithms change, accounts can get suspended, or even worse, you could get hacked. Something else you’re missing out on by not having a website is 24/7 lead generation. A well designed website is going to act as a full-time salesperson, bringing in leads for you in your sleep.
Websites Help You Grow
A website with good SEO equals free traffic, which equals more leads! Google searches drive way more long-term traffic than social media ever will for your business. Every website has SEO, but it’s making sure you’re using the right keywords. Get to know your customers, the questions that they’re asking, and then answer them in a blog post, answer them through the content on your website, and by doing that, you’re going to build SEO that is going to serve your business for years to come.
Create a High-Converting Website Starting with the Home Page
The home page is almost always the first impression you’ll have online with a potential customer, and you have about 3 seconds to hook them before they click away. On your homepage, make sure you have a clear headline and subheadline. Your visitors need to know what you do and who you serve immediately. Try this formula if you need help crafting this: I help ___ (ideal client:be specific, don’t try and serve everyone) achieve ____ (name desired result) through ___ (your service).
Example: I help service-based female entrepreneurs show up confident online through strategic branding and website design.
Another thing you need to have on your home page is a really clear and relevant call to action (CTA). Statistically, a CTA is best located in the top right corner of a website header, especially if it is high contrast.
On your home page you need to have high quality brand photos on your website if you want it to convert. People connect with people and buy from emotion; imagery evokes emotion. There is a time and a place for behind the scenes and uncurated content, but a website is not that place.
Essential Pages for Every Service-Based Entrepreneur
If you’re a service provider, here are the must have pages that will keep visitors engaged and keep them moving through your website. First up is the about page, but this doesn’t mean your bio. This is where you want to connect with your audience and share your story in a way that highlights your experience and why they should trust you. Your about page isn’t about you, it’s about the customer. Speak directly to them, highlight the transformation that they can experience by working with you and use really clear, engaging language that makes them feel seen and understood and excited to take the next step with you.
The next essential page to have as a service-based entrepreneur is a page dedicated to the services that you provide. A lot of service providers have one-page websites where everything is on the home page. Instead, break down what you offer in a clear and easy to scan format. If you have multiple service options, create a general service page that serves them like a menu, where you walk people through a handful of the options that you offer, but then have a call to action that links to a page all about the one service.
The contact page is often one of the number one mistakes Victoria sees on websites, so let’s dive into that next. This page is where you capture your leads, so it’s important to keep it simple and effective. However, that doesn’t mean it should be completely void of design or personality. This is the final step in persuading somebody to reach out, and a poorly designed, uninspiring page can stop them in their tracks. The contact page should feel intentional, it should be infused with your brand’s personality the same way every other page is. A beautifully designed contact page will build trust and reassure potential customers that they’re making the right decision and it makes the process of reaching out feel really seamless.
Lastly, as a service provider, Victoria recommends including a portfolio page. Social proof is everything these days, yet no one wants to read through testimonials alone. A portfolio can double as testimonials by including an example of your work and pairing the client’s testimonial right below it. This is powerful because you’re sharing the deliverables of your work and also the experience that comes with it.
How to Increase Your Conversion Rate
Throughout your entire website, include strategic call to actions. Whenever you want someone to take a “next step”, be sure to provide a call to action to make it super easy for them to do so.
Another thing to include on your website is a lead magnet or a freebie. Not everybody is going to come to your site ready to buy immediately, so offer them something free, give them value that will position you as the expert but also give them quick wins. That’s invaluable in helping them build trust in your brand.
Another “hack” in terms of converting your website, make sure your website is mobile friendly and loading quickly. Over half of all traffic is coming from mobile devices these days.
Lastly, to have a high converting website, you need to have good SEO. This was mentioned earlier, but it’s so important to use keywords, meta descriptions, and alt text on images to make sure that your site is discoverable when people are doing searches on Google.
Final Thoughts
Everybody has a day one in their business and thankfully we live in a time where anyone can build a website. But if you’re not on day one and you want to command higher prices and establish yourself as a go-to option for your industry, you should not be DIYing your website.
Key Quotes
“Not having a website will always cost your business more than having one, but not just a website, we need to have a strategic and a well-designed one.”
Victoria Marcouillier
Stay connected!
Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram and Facebook.
Follow BrandWell Designs on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest
LEAVE A REVIEW + and SHARE this episode with someone who wants to build a go to brand in this online era. You can listen to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!
