The #1 thing on your website you need to fix asap

Don't put off this website change until tomorrow. [View in browser](=.EEFriRmOJvkI0zL_kgptLA088k2gIzAKToduk2M1ihk) As much as I hate those "X things I learned from experience Y" posts, there's one thing that I learned from tearing a ligament in my knee and walking on crutches for 6 weeks that I simply must tell you about: "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." Because tomorrow, you may not be able to leave your apartment to send back the shoes that didn't fit (and that you should have sent back three weeks ago). To get your hair cut (because you've been looking like Chewbacca on a rainy day for months). Or to simply buy toilet paper. #trueStory I'd say the "don't put it off" rule applies to your website, too. One website change you should not put off "until tomorrow" I know, I know. As an SMB owner (and a human being with a life apart from work), you are constantly pulled into different directions. So, when it comes to making changes to your website, I'm a big advocate of reducing overwhelm and taking it step-by-step. But! If you already have a website - whether as a one-page digital business card or a full-blown site that is supposed to get you new inquires - there is one thing you cannot possibly put off. Because if you get it wrong, it will confuses your prospect, damage trust and render your website obsolete. Above-the-fold copy and design of your homepage Open your homepage on your desktop. Don't scroll. What do you see? Can your prospects grasp what you offer within seconds? Or do you greet them with: ❌ A huge image with little to no text ❌ Several paragraphs of text they'll need some time to process ❌ A cryptic tagline that would equally work for a consultancy, a life coach, and a construction firm ❌ An animation or a video they have to sit through to understand what you do Why is above-the-fold space so bloody important? Reason #1: Your homepage is one of the most popular pages If you're a service provider or Saas, your homepage will be one of the most visited pages on your website. Your prospects want to know who you are before they hire you or what your product is about before they sign up. And they expect to find that info on your homepage. Reason #2: Above-the-fold space is viewed by the most page visitors Have you ever looked at a heatmap of your homepage? Or of any page, really? You'd be surprised to know that at least 10% of your page visitors don't scroll past above the fold. And that's the best case scenario. If you've been neglecting your above-the-fold space, it could as well be 30% 😱 Because they are bombarded with all kinds of info all day long and are easily bored, many website visitors will decide not to explore your website any further if they can't figure the basic info without scrolling. Reason #3: Above-the-fold space forms the first impression Will your prospects see you as a professional and likable expert who knows what they are talking about? Or a chaotic person / company that can't even explain their offer in clear words? Even if a prospect sticks around, it would be difficult to shake off a bad first impression. Use this fool-proof above-the-fold structure Using your above-the-fold space to its fullest potential is easy. So now you don't have any excuse for putting these changes off "until tomorrow". Must-haves: - [Clear and typical navigation labels](=.7enDBWVT_TIpY6X8C1iTgnpRoybt5LwKM0j5WFInSgs) - Clear website tagline (here's [how to do it](=.gwh2ukKIlzUOmR2AWZAT0VXDag-1mgCewBF6dJLy6dw), and [how NOT to do it](=.vih1SIaRmO-YQ-2Wqzm9iCTnxkebjxOVwMmAp0Q-u7k)) - Text background not busy to make the text easy to read - If you're a freelancer / one-person business: Your photo* * - Too shy? Have privacy concerns? I sympathize. But your prospects don't care. They have concerns, too, and they what to see your face to ease them. And if they have plenty other providers to choose from who are showing their faces, guess who'll be getting their money? #notYou Optional (nice to have, but doesn't always make sense): - Call to action (here's when a "Contact" button [does NOT make sense](=.m-PpMAtX7y2BQ5cCSfYcdCzrDtTitXfKV-J4J9Zry7c) in your homepage banner) - A section subhead visible above the fold [Fool-proof above-the-fold structure] Check how it looks on devices your prospects use Only because your homepage above-the-fold space looks fine on your Mac, doesn't mean your job is here done. Many of your visitors will check your website on a screen smaller (or larger) than your own. Here's how to check how your homepage looks on the most popular devices: - Open your homepage in Chrome - select the settings (top right corner) -- More tools -- Developer tools - Select a device from the Dimensions drop-down menu [How to view your page on other devices] To find out what the most typical website devices your prospects use: - Open Google Analytics - Go to Audience -> Mobile -> Devices If you can't find the most typical devices in the Dimensions drop-down menu, you can also add a custom device by specifying its dimensions (after you googled for them). Like this: - Open the Dimensions drop-down menu - Select Edit -> Add custom device This would be all from me for the week. Rainy greetings from Germany 🌧️🍁🍃 Gill [Website review](=.yyTL6SPhuEyXXyt8DzqHZSzZVF9MCNKqTyt2BpFvOr4) | [Copywriting](=.ldCbr21J_xQRdyjRUqOhiZPIytfgg7ZLUmHHK6Vh2Ss) | [📙 My book](=.pQprNpFBmd8EG-O_pO5eGdA0HSl-Q9ycLNLI2loElm8) P.S. 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