False Beliefs About Websites

It’s pretty clear that COVID-19 is absolutely killing business in the events industry. You don’t need me to tell you leads have dried up and sales are slow right now. You see it in your inbox every day.

Couples aren’t booking, but they are looking

Online engagement is up up up over the past several weeks, since people are cooped up in their homes. Benchmark data from tens of thousands of companies show website use is up, emails are getting opened more, and chatbots are getting significantly higher engagements than earlier in the year.

Weddings are complex sales that take time to close – it’s just taking a lot longer than usual. People may not want to buy anything right now, but they want to do their research.

Put your website to use!

The stores on Main Street are closed, but Internet Avenue is still open for business. Over the past few weeks, we’ve done webinars on how to turn your website into an interest-building storefront for your company.

The problem most wedding pros run into is bad advice on how to create a great website for potential buyers.

Here are the top myths we’re busting so you can get the most out of your website in the coming weeks and months.

Myth #1: “People don’t read anymore”

It’s not that people don’t read anymore, it’s really that they don’t want to read bad writing. If you had terrible images on your site they wouldn’t spend much time looking at those either, but we wouldn’t say no one looks at photos!

Studies show from 2003 to 2016 people read about four minutes less per day. Not much difference. However, internet use at home from 2000 to 2018 increased by about 14 hours. What we do know is that you have about 15 seconds to get someone hooked into your site or they’ll leave.

Most of the reasons why time on site is down and bounce rates are up has to do with bad design. It’s not just what you write but how you present it that matters. 

If you want to get people to read more on your site:

• Include great copy

• Effectively wireframe headlines, subheadlines and body copy 

• Use photo captions

• Write in small paragraphs

• Keep text to an 8th-grade reading level

• Use bullet points when possible

• Put headlines in non-script fonts

• Write the site for skimmers with catchy and useful headlines

• Insert Call To Actions as natural next steps

Myth #2: “I get most of my business from referrals and Instagram.”

Congratulations. You’re like most businesses out there that aren’t investing in lots of SEO. But just because that’s where they heard about you doesn’t mean you don’t have to have an incredible website. 

Your website is your store. When past clients or referral partners send a potential client your way you want to wow them right when they enter the store. Same with clicking on your link in your profile on IG. Visitors will form an initial opinion in 50 milliseconds – 1/6th the time it takes you to blink. 

Yikes. Let’s say you pass that test: now what? You’ve got to do something with the trust they’ve put in you. Give them something to let them know they’re in the right place so they don’t think they’re lost (or entering a bar where the record scratches as everyone turns to look at you when you walk in.)

Here are some basics to do at the top of your site so you don’t a) confuse or b) scare people away:

• Put your absolute best, high-quality image at the top of your site

• Make sure the image shows your ideal couple enjoying your services

• Image background shows an essential scene in your market

• Headline and tagline are clearly visible and legible on the image

• Headline tells visitors what to expect on the site 

• Tagline uses a Unique Selling Position to share what visitors get from your services/site

Myth #3: “ The only goal for my site is to get people to inquire or showcase my work.”

I fully believe the highest goal for your website is to generate leads to your inbox. 100%. And your site should absolutely showcase your best work. 

But, if you want to take your site to the next level you’ve got to: 

1. Move newly engaged couples through the buyer’s journey

2. Increase the value of what you offer

3. Reassure all decision-makers (especially those behind the scenes)

This last point is so important if you want to find success with higher-priced services. The more you charge the more people are involved in making the decision.  You have to meet everyone’s needs, not just the person who initially inquires.

If your site can’t sell to the fiancé or the parents or the BFF, then you’re leaving the sale to the person who originally emailed you but has no idea how to sell you. I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty risky.

Take control of your company

So much is out of our control these days. One thing that’s not: your website. Unlike the algorithm or space we need to keep from others, you are in charge of what you want others to see when they land on your site.

What are you going to do? Believe in the myths you’ve been told through a long game of “telephone,” or get out and learn what really makes sites successful?