7 Things That Will Make Your Website Stand Out
Web design is always evolving and in the world of business, the best website often wins. Here are 7 things you can do to make your website stand out from the pack and attract more of your ideal clients and customers!
Cohesive Branding
Quality brand design is the foundation of a good website. I always recommend getting your visual branding in order before starting work on your website. In fact, I require that custom web design clients have professional branding before we work together.
Visual branding includes logo design (plus alternate logos and submarks), a color palette, and font selection. It can also include photo curation or a moodboard that represents the general aesthetic of your brand imagery.
Gorgeous Imagery
Your website is only as good as the images you use. Photos should look professional and match your brand aesthetic.
I always recommend hiring a professional photographer, at least for headshots, but you can also use high-quality stock photos to fill in the gaps.
Click here to see my list of favorite high-quality stock photo websites. Also, check out my guide on how to choose stock photos for your website.
Compelling Copy
The words on your website matter just as much as the photos and imagery. What you write can help you connect with your ideal clients…or drive them away.
If you’re struggling to write the copy on your website, you’re not alone! It’s not an easy thing to do. Luckily, I have a guide that can help you through the process.
And if you’re looking to outsource, here are a few AMAZING copywriters I recommend:
Jess Jordana (She also has a copy template shop for budget-minded folks!)
Creative Layouts
A lot of DIYers just dump a whole mess of text on a page and call it a day. The problem is that big blocks of uninterrupted text are hard to scan and digest quickly, which is a problem in the age of short attention spans.
Getting creative with your page and text layout is essential if you want to captivate your audience. This could mean breaking up text into columns or using images to give the text more room to breathe.
Here’s an example from my own website where I replaced what might have been standard bullet points with a more interesting layout:
Think outside the box and use your imagination!
Movement & Animations
Most websites are still static, which is why it’s so easy to stand out with just a few animations and interactive elements.
My favorite example of a website that uses animation is Alpha Charlie, a creative agency based in San Diego.
Visit their website to experience it for yourself!
Animation is a powerful tool that can help you transform a beautiful website into a work of art.
For ideas and tutorials on how to add movement to your Squarespace website, check out this blog post.
Client Testimonials
Enthusiastic client testimonials can dramatically increase your conversion rate and help you stand out from the competition.
Check out my post on how to showcase testimonials on your Squarespace site!
Video Content
Adding video content to your website can dramatically increase your conversion rate. According to Wyzowl, 66% of customers would rather watch a video than read about a product. And now that 85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, it’s no longer optional if you want to stand out.
There are two ways you can use video on a Squarespace website. You can add a video as a banner to play in the background and add visual appeal. You can also embed video anywhere you want.
Here are a few types of video you can use on your website:
You can film a video about your product or service.
You can embed informational videos or tutorials in blog posts.
You can add a video that explains the story or ethos behind your brand.
There are a few amazing Squarespace plugins that can further enhance the video on your site, like this one* that allows you to play video on hover.
Here are a few more Squarespace plugins for video content:
There’s so much you can do with video to make your site stand out!
