What’s a website strategy & why do you need one?

Your website is your most powerful tool for attracting and converting clients. It’s where you show off what makes your business special and tell visitors why they should choose you. 

But making your website work effectively isn’t just about putting information online; it’s about having a clear plan. This plan, or website strategy, is essential because it aligns every part of your website with your business goals.

It turns your website into an active part of your sales process, helping you stand out, draw in the right clients, and get them to take action. 

In this guide, we’ll cover what makes a strong website strategy, show you the steps to create your own, and how to put it to work on your website.

How to develop a website strategy

Creating a website strategy is like drawing a map for your website. It shows you where you want to go and how to get there. 

Let’s break down the three key parts of a good website strategy: the main goal, the path users will take (user journey), and the message you want to share (messaging journey).

1. Set your Main Goal

Every website has a job. For businesses, that job is usually to get visitors to reach out or book a service. This action is your website’s main goal. It’s what you want people to do before they leave your site. 

Everything on your website, from the images to the text, should help visitors understand why they should take this action.

Start by asking yourself, “What is the one thing I want visitors to do before they leave my site?” 

This could be to book a call, fill out a contact form, or make a purchase. Be specific about this goal because it influences everything else on your site. 

Once you have your main goal, check every page to ensure it guides visitors toward this action. If something doesn’t help achieve this goal, it might not be needed.

2. Map the Visitor Journey

Think about the steps a visitor takes from the moment they land on your site to when they complete your main goal. This path is called the visitor or user journey. 

It usually starts on the home page and ends with the visitor filling out a contact form or booking a call. 

Your website’s menu should make this journey easy by clearly showing visitors where to go next. Keep your menu simple, with the most important pages easy to find and clearly labeled.

To map out the user journey, you need to think like your visitor. Start on your homepage and imagine what information you’d look for first, second, and so on, until you’re ready to take the main action. 

The pages in your menu should reflect this order. And keep in mind that simplicity is key. Try to keep your main navigation to six pages or less to avoid overwhelming your visitors. Direct and clear labels for each page help visitors understand where to go next.

3. Craft Your Messaging

The messaging journey is about the information your visitors need to decide to take action. 

It usually starts right on the homepage by clearly explaining what you do and why it matters to them. When presenting details about your business, always try to phrase it in a way that highlights the value your potential clients will receive from working with you.

Then, as they navigate through your site, you can build trust by telling them more about you on an “About Us” page, answering their questions in an “FAQ” section, and showing examples of your work in a a gallery or portfolio. 

On these interior pages, make sure the path to taking the main action (your website’s goal) is easy and obvious.

By the end of their visit, your website should have given them enough reasons to contact you or book your services. And if they’re not ready to engage yet, it’s a good idea to have an opt-in or newsletter signup so they can stay in touch until they are ready.

For more step-by-step guidance, check out our Website Copywriting Guide for Service Providers.

Applying your strategy to your website

Here are a few practical steps to start applying these concepts to your website:

• Review your current website and ask if each element aligns with your main goal.
• Ask a friend or colleague to go through your website and give feedback on the user journey. Is it clear and logical?
• Write down your key messages for each page before designing or redesigning your site. This helps ensure your content is focused and effective.

Your website strategy shouldn’t be set in stone. It’s a living part of your business that you can refine as your goals evolve or as you learn more about what works best for your visitors.

Get the Website Template

Now that you know how to nail your copy, grab the template designed for service providers: Brooklyn South.

It’s strategically crafted to help you book more clients and charge higher rates, and it’s built for the Showit platform — the easiest & best website platform out there.