Category: Responsive Web Design

6 Signs Your Painting Business Website Needs To Be Updated

Remember when it was trendy to have scrolling banners, a website visitors counter, blinking text or Adobe Flash on your website?

Does your website still have those…or does it look like it was designed when boy bands were still cool?

If so, it is definitely time for an update.

Here are 6 more signs that it’s time to redo your website:

✅ Your Website Isn’t Responsive

Does your website look as good or better on a phone than it does on a desktop?

If not, it’s time for an update. 

Your website should adapt and look good on all devices.

Why?

Well, first of all, this could actually be hurting you in the organic search rankings.  Google has started to penalize websites that are not designed for mobile devices because they determine the rankings using the mobile version.  If Google prioritizes a mobile-friendly website, you should, too. Unfortunately, the vast majority of painting businesses actually do the opposite.

Secondly, your customers will think that you don’t care about them having a good experience.  

More of your customers are going to your website using their phones instead of a desktop than ever before.  If they have to pinch, zoom and swipe their way through a non-optimized website, there is a good chance they’ll move on to the next painting company quickly.

If your website was built several years ago, even if it is responsive, it may not be as user-friendly on mobile devices as it could be. There has been a shift in both best practices, loading time acceptability and user expectations. 

In order to determine whether or not your site is mobile-friendly, you can use Google’s own mobile-friendly test tool: https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly

✅ Your Website Isn’t Easy For Your Target Market To Navigate

Can your ideal client easily navigate your website?

If not, it’s time for an update.  A client should be able to get to any page they want within 3 clicks.

3 clicks is what the average person finds acceptable while browsing for information.  In this increasingly fast-paced world where attention span is at a premium, prospects should find your website intuitive.

Typically, when business owners prioritize “pretty” websites over functionality and clever wordplay over straightforward descriptions, this is where you can lose people.

Some other common issues that we see:

  • Menu isn’t mobile friendly
  • Too many menu items
  • Too few menu items
  • Inability to navigate back a page or up a level
  • Blogs with no navigation
  • No site menu

If these are a problem on your site as well, you want to start thinking about a change.

✅ Your Website Isn’t Updated Regularly

When was the last time that you updated your website?

If you can’t remember, or if it was more than 3-4 years ago, it’s time for an update.  You want to make the best first impression you can, and that includes what people think of your online properties as well.  In fact, most people will judge a website within the first .05 seconds of seeing it.

An updated website is important for many reasons.

  • Aesthetic trends change, so a layout or graphic scheme that was popular before may not be popular now.  This can date your website.
  • Security protocols will update or change, which may leave you vulnerable to hacking.
  • Embedded code protocols from third parties (like YouTube or Rumble) will change as well, which could break the functionality on your website.

One way to evaluate your website is to compare it to your competition.  Look at the websites of 5 local competitors.  If all of them have nicer looking websites, it’s time to update yours.

Remember, people make assumptions about you based on what your website looks like.  If it looks old or sloppy with broken functionality, they may assume that’s how your business is run as well.

You might not give much thought to an out-of-date website, but it’s the digital equivalent of a high end boutique with bad lighting or a law office with holes in the waiting room upholstery. Putting in no effort to the appearance suggests that you don’t care about how you come across to others.

Customers and prospects want to be cared about.

✅ Your Website Doesn’t Convert Visitors Into Clients

When someone visits your website, do they normally become a client?

If you don’t convert a decent percentage of website visitors into clients, it is time for a website update.

Having a website is essential for any business today. However, merely existing online is not enough. Your website’s purpose is to promote your company.  It should be your BEST (and easiest to control) salesman.

A few ways that you can improve your conversion rate:

  • Be sure to have clear calls to action that stand out on every page
  • Be consistent in your messaging across all platforms
  • Provide helpful content about your business as well as why someone should work with you
  • Add your phone number and email address at the top of the website and make sure they are clickable
  • Adding a chat bot makes it easy to ask questions and helps a prospect decide to go with your services on the spot
  • A scheduler widget that allows a prospect to create their own appointment with you to accommodate a busy schedule
  • Ask for only a small amount of information so it’s easy for a prospect to fill out a form and submit.  The key is for you to get in touch quickly after the submission.

A good metric to look at if you have Google Analytics installed on your site is called Bounce Rate.

Bounce Rate tracks the percentage of first-time visitors that depart your webpage without navigating any further. While it’s normal for some pages to have a larger bounce rate than others, consistently high rates across the board indicate that something is wrong with your website.

✅ Your Website Doesn’t Follow Google’s Rules To Rank Well

Does your website play by Google’s SEO (search engine optimization) rules?

If you haven’t optimized your website in the past year or two, it’s time for an update.  Google constantly is changing/adding to their SEO rules.

SEO lays the foundation for having your website rank well and show up on the first page of results.  For more in depth information on SEO, check out this article from IFTS on “SEO for House Painting Companies”.

A few of the most important SEO rules:

  • Your website should have an SSL certificate
  • Load time for the site should be under 3 seconds
  • Popular keywords associated with your business should be used in the URL, page titles and headers
  • The meta description and page title field should be filled in
  • There are no bugs in the website code
  • There are no security vulnerabilities

While it is true that sometimes a combination of different approaches might solve these issues, if your website is more than a few years old, it is usually best to start from scratch. There is a limit to how many times you can fix a broken website by applying temporary fixes.

✅ Your Website Doesn’t Have Multiple Ways For People To Contact You

If I go to your website, are there multiple ways to get in touch with your business?

If you don’t have a phone number, a contact form and an email address easily available, it is time for an update.  Because people communicate and learn in different ways, it’s important to make it easy to contact you using multiple methods.

A great first step is to add the phone number, email address and social media property links to the top of your header.  These will be easily accessible no matter what page of the website a prospective customer is visiting.

A chat bot can be a valuable tool as well.  The easier you make it for prospects to get their questions answered and any fears allayed, the better chance you have of getting that person as a client.

Finally, a contact form on your website that can be navigated to easily (one click) makes the perfect trifecta of website communication.

🤔Thinking That Your Website Is Ready For An Update?

After reading this list, you may be convinced that a website redesign is in order and you are probably right!

Want help?

Using the newest responsive design trends, search engine optimization (SEO), and other cutting-edge features, our developers will craft a unique website for your company.  Call IFTS today at 412.715.6266 to get started!

Get the Top 3 Social Media Post Templates for Painting Companies to Grow Your Following and Get New Clients

Engage with prospects and save time with your FREE Canva template kit. This kit features the top 3 social media posts for painting companies and directions on how to brand them for your own business in 5 minutes or less.

Enter your email below and get the templates sent directly to your inbox along with an instructional video on how to make personalized edits.

How to Create a Landing Page on Your Website For Your Painting Business

Spending money on digital advertising but not receiving the desired results – more leads?

This issue can sometimes be caused by problems with your Landing Page.  A landing page is the webpage that you direct people to after clicking on your advertisements. 

If you want to generate more leads for your painting business, you need to create a well-designed landing page with laser focus. In this article, we’ll discuss the fundamentals of what a landing page is and offer advice on how to improve each element to boost conversions.

So, What Exactly Is A Landing Page?

A landing page is a dedicated web page built for the sole purpose of receiving visitors from advertising campaigns. When someone clicks on one of your digital ads, they will “land” here.

This is a single page that explains to potential clients why they should hire you for a certain project and how to get started. There should be only ONE action that they are able to take on the page.

What Conversion Factors Should Be Considered When Creating A Landing Page?

Although homepages are still crucial, they are often meant to cover all that you do. They’re also made to let site users dig deeper into your company in various ways.

With a landing page, you are able to control how visitors arrive on your site and direct them to do ONE THING.  When someone is searching for an exterior painter and clicks on an ad, they should be directed to a page that details the exterior painting services that your company offers. If an ad for handyman services is clicked, the user should be sent to a page with detailed information about handyman services. 

If you want a greater lead conversion rate, sending visitors to a landing page is your best bet.

Here are seven best practices for developing a conversion-optimized landing page for your painting company.

#1 - Have Only One Call-To-Action (or CTA for short)

Simply put, your call to action (CTA) is the desired next step for your site’s users. You should make the CTA highly visible immediately by placing it at the top of the page. 

PRO TIP: For optimal results, have your CTAs be buttons of a consistent color throughout your landing page. Each button’s text must be an EXACT replica of the others.  These buttons should stand out, so make sure that they are a contrasting color to your site color scheme.

If you want a visitor to take action after clicking on your ad and getting on your page, don’t overwhelm them with options. Make sure the goal is crystal clear and easy to understand.

Make sure that your landing page consistently encourages your target action, whether that be a phone call, a scheduled consultation, or a subscription to your newsletter. Try to narrow your attention to a single step that they should take. Having too many options available can make decision making more challenging.

Be sure to provide a call to action (CTA) at the conclusion of each paragraph to help direct readers to take the next step. You shouldn’t leave your audience looking for what to do.

#2 - Make Your Ad Wording Match The Wording On Your Landing Page

Landing Pages require that you be consistent. Obviously, your ad must have interested the visitor enough to click on it. People will click on an ad because it addresses an issue they’ve been thinking about or because it came up at just the right time. 

The term for this is “Ad Congruity.”

PRO TIP: Google will decrease your cost per click if the advertisements you’re running are relevant and consistent with the landing page.

Inconsistency between advertising and website content can turn off potential customers. For example, offering a free consultation for interior painting services in an ad but only discussing cabinet painting on the landing page. If your landing page is not perfectly tailored to your ad, you risk losing more visitors and leads than you gain.

#3 - Emphasize Value

Everyone who lands on your page is thinking about hiring your painting firm. They’ll decide if they think you can really help them out. This is where you need to focus on your clients’ problems and not yourself.

To get a conversion, you need to provide your site visitors something they really want.

There is a limited window of opportunity to persuade site visitors that they have arrived at the answer to their problems. Do your best to focus on what’s in it for them as you try to sway them into working with you. Describe in detail how you will manage their project stress-free from start to finish.

You need to prove your worth as a house painting business to them.

PRO TIP: reframe the conversation so that it’s about the client. Use “you” and “your” in place of “we” as much as possible.

#4 - Landing Page Length Matters

How long your landing page is will depend on what you want to achieve. Do you want people to fill out a form when they visit your site? You want them to call you? Or just to teach them something in a download?

For example, if you want a visitor to call you instead of downloading a house painting brochure, you may need more content. This is because It takes a lot more work to pick up the phone and make an appointment for an estimate than it does to send an email address to find out more. So, you’ll need to give them more information to show them why your company is the best choice and that you are deserving of their time.

#5 - Use A Video For Extra Persuasion

This study shows that having a persuasive video on your landing page can help increase conversions by 86%.

Now, putting any old video on your landing page won’t help you get ahead faster. Adding video can be a real power move, but it could also keep people from clicking on your CTA. This video needs to go with the rest of your landing page and tie everything together. Keep it short and to the point, but don’t make it your landing page’s main focus.

The best place for a video is in the middle of the page, above the fold. Here, it won’t take away from your call to action or value proposition, but it will show that you have more to offer as the visitor scrolls down the page.

#6 - Feature Social Proof

Your clients will be the best source of social proof. Include quotes and testimonials from real customers who talk about their experiences with your business. When you talk about yourself, it’s usually seen as marketing fluff, but when someone else does it, it’s more powerful.

Did you know that 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation from a friend or family member? Putting these reviews on your landing page will give potential painting clients the proof they are looking for.

PRO TIP: Use reviews from third-party, trustworthy sites like Google or Facebook. These look a lot better than just using text from a client on your website.

#7 - Optimize Your Forms For Conversions

Conversion rates can be made or broken by how many fields are needed. You need to get as much information as possible from a potential client so that you can follow up with them. However, if you ask for too much information, it will hurt your conversions.  People don’t want to fill out a lot of fields.

We recommend using the following fields on your landing pages:

  • Name

  • Email

  • Phone number

  • Message (describe project)

By giving visitors the option to leave a message, they can talk about their project and get in touch with the person who will be in charge of it. This will give you a chance to get ahead of the game and find out what they want before you set up an estimate.

Landing pages are the best way to turn as many visitors as possible from online advertising campaigns into customers, and you now know everything you need to know to get started!

Still not sure where to begin? Let us help you. Send me (Stacey Ivol) an email at si@iftsdesign.com or give IFTS, Inc. a call 412.715.6266 for a FREE consultation.

What Should You Consider Before Hiring A Web Design Company?

So, you’re looking for a well-designed website that keeps people engaged while still being simple to use AND converts visitors into clients? 

Get in line! 

A website that is proactive in addressing your requirements and business goals has become more essential than ever before.  In this day of information overload, having an online presence that reflects the unique features of your business or services while still being simple enough to not only attract but also retain customers is essential. You need to stand out among the almost 2 billion websites that exist today.

Remember – there is no need for consumers to waste time on a confused or dysfunctional website when there are hundreds (often thousands) of alternatives available to them at the click of a button.  

Keep all of this in mind as you conduct research and attempt to determine the most appropriate route when developing your company (or personal) website. There is no reason to squander your time or money, but a few well-timed and well-placed investments may go a long way toward ensuring your success.

Did you realize that some individuals make their entire career designing websites?

Okay, so you probably already knew that, but think about the following scenario: 

Your home requires plumbing or electricity. Considering that these are important factors in your overall quality of life, are you willing to put in the hundreds of hours required to learn how to do it yourself, knowing that the chances of making an error are significant? 

Alternatively, are you planning to engage a professional, certain that their knowledge and skills will ensure that your requirements are fulfilled? 

Another scenario that is commonly encountered:

A business owner will tell us, “My teenage nephew is really good at computers and promised to help set up a website for our company this weekend.”

Does this nephew know about SEO, website speed optimization, CTAs, internal and external linking, Google Business Profile optimization, congruity across your online presence and other factors that help your website rank as well as convert? Our guess is probably not.

Most people don’t know what must go into a website to make it work for your business in 2022.  There are 175 new websites created PER MINUTE every day.  The “If you build it, they will come” mindset no longer works like it did twenty years ago.

Designing a profitable or promotional website is critical to your company’s livelihood, and while DIY projects are a fun and educational way to pass the time and learn something new, the truth is that there is a lot more to online success than meets the eye. 

A professional web design company employs multiple people that are well-versed in the complicated and diverse requirements of many types of websites. 

Throughout their careers, they have gained incomparable expertise that serves as a precious basis for their current endeavors. This experience has given them invaluable knowledge that serves as a priceless foundation when starting a website design project.  This is why I strongly recommend that you hire a professional when it comes to creating your website. 

However, the type of expert you choose is equally crucial. 

Figure out what you need the website to do

Before employing someone, it’s critical to have at least a basic understanding of your own requirements and objectives. Because pro web designers work with a large number of clients, understanding what you want before you talk development with them will guarantee that you and the designer are a good match and will assist them in providing you with exceptional service.

What kind of person or company do you want to work with?

It’s also crucial to be aware of who you’re working with. 

Because of the internet, it is simple for people to market themselves as “experienced professionals” (yet another reason to have a high-quality website!). 

Investigate what you’re looking for; if you come across someone claiming to do it for a significantly lower price, be skeptical; you’ll most likely wind-up spending twice as much money to get a useless site back up and running. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! You are knowledgeable about your industry, and they should be knowledgeable about theirs. 

Inquire about their opinions on your project and see whether their ideas are compatible with yours. Look at their previous work and see what other sorts of sites they have worked on and the industries that they are familiar with.

Due diligence is important when choosing a web design company

Another component of “knowing who you’re hiring” is to request a portfolio and references from past customers. Be careful to research the designer’s past work; it’s critical that you choose a firm that can collaborate with you and meet all of your business requirements. Reviewing work from prior clients is a valuable and instructive approach to obtain honest feedback about the quality of the designer’s work, his or her willingness to collaborate, and overall professionalism.

You’ll want to know who will be engaged in the creation of your website after learning more about the firm itself. Web design and development are comprised of several different components. You should inquire as to whether any of the services being supplied will be outsourced and whether the firm has a group of employees with whom they operate on a regular basis. 

Make a list of everything that you want your website to be capable of

You should also check to see if the company provides all of the features that you are searching for. For example, having a mobile-friendly or responsive website that adapts to any screen size might be a distinguishing feature of your site that sets you apart from your competition in certain situations. Find out what sorts of services the web firm provides and make sure that they are in line with your expectations and the requirements of your organization.

Is there a timeline that you have to meet?

Another issue that has to be addressed is deadlines. If you have deadlines, it’s critical that you communicate them to anyone you hire so that they can ensure that your project is successfully completed on time. 

You want to ensure that anyone you employ will devote the necessary time and effort to your project.  Make sure they will develop an appealing and easy-to-use website in a timely manner, so that you are not forced to wait months for your company’s website to go up.

Hiring a web design firm is a good investment for your company, and the appropriate expertise may make a significant difference in your performance and profitability. 

In your hunt for a web designer, make sure you do your homework and be clear on the type of relationship you are seeking. Don’t be hesitant to ask questions or obtain references/portfolios from potential candidates. 

Hiring the right company to design your website is just as important as hiring a web designer in the first place!

Hiring IFTS for your web design needs

Thinking about hiring IFTS, Inc.?  We offer a free one-hour consultation to hear all about your business goals and what you want your website to do for you.  After that meeting, we can provide references and other information about past projects.

To get started, schedule your appointment today by calling 412-715-6266.

Get the Top 3 Social Media Post Templates for Law Firms to Grow Your Following and Get New Clients

Engage with prospects and save time with your FREE Canva template kit. This kit features the top 3 social media posts for law firms and directions on how to brand them for your own firm in 5 minutes or less.

Enter your email below and get the templates sent directly to your inbox along with an instructional video on how to make personalized edits.