Thinking about redesigning your website but not sure how much to budget?

You’re not alone.

The cost of a website redesign can vary dramatically depending on your needs, goals, and the approach you take. But before we get into the numbers, let’s address two key questions:

What can a great website do for you? And more importantly, what’s it costing you to stick with one that’s not working?

Why Your Website Matters

Your website is more than just a digital placeholder—it’s the backbone of your online presence. Here’s what a good website does for your business:

• Attracts Your Ideal Audience: A professionally designed, user-friendly website helps you connect with the people who want what you’re offering.
• Builds Trust and Credibility: First impressions matter, and your website is often the first place potential clients or customers interact with your brand. A well-designed site shows you’re serious, professional, and trustworthy.
• Drives Sales and Bookings: Your website isn’t just there to look pretty; it’s a tool to convert visitors into paying clients. Clear calls-to-action and seamless navigation guide users toward taking the next step with you.
• Works 24/7: Unlike social media, which requires constant engagement, your website is always working behind the scenes—selling, informing, and driving inquiries while you sleep.
• Sets You Apart: In a crowded market, a beautiful, on-brand website positions you as the go-to choice. It’s your chance to showcase who you are and what makes you unique.

A great website isn’t just an accessory for your business—it’s an investment that pays off by working hard for you, day in and day out.

How to Know if Your Website Needs a Redesign

Not sure if your site is overdue for a makeover? Here are some clear signs it might be time to hit refresh:

• Your Website Isn’t Bringing in Leads: If you’re not getting inquiries, bookings, or sales, it’s time to evaluate whether your site is doing its job as a lead generator.
• It Feels Outdated: Design trends and user expectations evolve quickly. If your site looks like it’s stuck in 2015, visitors may assume your business is, too.
• You’re Embarrassed to Share It: If you hesitate to send people to your site because it no longer reflects your brand or value, it’s a major red flag.
• It’s Hard to Navigate: Confusing layouts, missing information, or clunky user experience can frustrate visitors and cause them to leave before taking action.
• Your Site Isn’t Mobile-Friendly: With most web traffic coming from mobile devices, an unresponsive site means you’re losing out on a massive audience.
• You’ve Outgrown It: If your business offerings, audience, or brand have shifted, but your site hasn’t caught up, it’s no longer serving you the way it should.

Want to dig deeper into evaluating your website’s performance? Check out our post, Website Check-Up: Is Your Site Actually Working For You? for a complete walkthrough.

The Cost of NOT Redesigning Your Website

If your website is outdated, clunky, or no longer aligned with your brand, it’s doing more harm than good. Let’s break down what it’s costing you to stick with the status quo:

• Lost Revenue: A confusing, slow, or poorly designed site can turn visitors away, costing you potential clients or sales. If even one high-ticket client bounces because of your site, that’s money you’re leaving on the table.
• Missed Opportunities: Your website is often the first impression someone has of your business. If it’s not showcasing your value, you’re missing out on opportunities to connect with your dream clients.
• Lower Visibility: A website that isn’t optimized for search engines means fewer people finding you online. If your competitors show up on Google and you don’t guess who’s getting the inquiries?
• Brand Damage: Your website is an extension of your brand. If it’s outdated, unprofessional, or doesn’t reflect who you are anymore, it weakens your credibility and makes it harder for people to trust you.
• Wasted Time: If you’re constantly answering the same questions because your site doesn’t provide enough information, or you’re struggling to make updates, your website is costing you precious hours that could be spent growing your business.

Skipping a redesign might seem like the cheaper option upfront, but the reality is that it’s costing you far more than you realize—both in tangible revenue and opportunities to grow your brand.

What Does a Website Redesign Cost?

Let’s talk about what it actually takes to redesign your website and what each option offers.

Website Templates (The DIY Route)
Templates are the most affordable way to redesign your website. Showit offers stunning, professionally designed templates that are fully customizable—no coding required.

Cost Range: $300–$1,000
What You’re Paying For: Access to a professionally designed template, the ability to customize it to match your brand, and a platform that’s easy to use without tech headaches.
Who It’s For: Entrepreneurs on a budget, those just starting out, or anyone who loves a hands-on project and doesn’t mind investing time instead of money.

Semi-Custom Website Design
A semi-custom design is the middle ground between DIY and fully custom. This involves purchasing a Showit template and hiring a designer to customize it for you. Think of it like renovating a house—you’re starting with the structure already built, but you’re making it your own.

Cost Range: $1,500–$3,000+
What You’re Paying For: A professional designer’s expertise to customize your template so it feels uniquely yours, without the price tag of a fully custom design.
Who It’s For: Business owners who want a polished site but don’t have the budget or need for a ground-up custom build.

Fully Custom Website Design
A fully custom website design is a luxury option. Everything is built from scratch to reflect your brand, meet your unique business needs, and wow your audience.

Cost Range: $5,000–$10,000+
What You’re Paying For: A completely bespoke design tailored to your business, extensive revisions, and often extras like custom animations, advanced functionality, or brand photography.
Who It’s For: Established businesses or creatives looking for a premium, fully branded online experience.

Other Factors to Consider

• Hiring a Copywriter: Professional copywriters can help you craft messaging that resonates with your audience, drives conversions, and clearly communicates your value. This typically costs $1,500–$5,000, depending on the scope of work.
• Hiring a Photographer: Brand photography adds a personal touch to your site, creating a cohesive and professional feel. This investment can range from $500–$2,500 or more, depending on the photographer and location.

The Best Way to Start

If you’re unsure where to begin, start small. Templates are an excellent option for getting a polished, professional website up and running quickly. From there, you can invest in customizations, better copy, or new brand photography as your business grows.

The key is to choose the option that fits your current stage of business while setting you up for long-term success. And no matter which path you choose, the most important step is to start.

Showit’s flexible design options make it easy for you to create a website that feels like you and connects with your audience.

Ever felt like your creativity was locked in a vault, and you can't find the key? You know it exists, but you just can’t seem to get to it? If this sounds like you, I'm right there with you, and I think I can help.

As you know, at Showit we believe creativity exists in every person. That’s what we’ve built our business for: cultivating that creativity in you. In this blog post, I'm going to take a look at 24 ways you can discover, explore, refine, and master that creativity within yourself, and apply those skills to your goals. I’ve broken these 24 techniques down into 4 categories, the first (and my personal favorite) of which is the Discovery phase.

Discovery Phase

To foster creativity, you first need to understand what that uniquely means for you. For some of us, finding that creativity (especially in the overwhelm that comes with a New Year) can feel tricky, or downright impossible. Try these 6 techniques to look inside, and begin to unlock your creative genius.

1. Ask “What If” Questions

Challenge your conventional thinking by asking questions like, “What if this project had no budget constraints?” or “What if I could change one thing about this issue in my life?” These questions can stimulate innovative ideas, and get you thinking creatively. Ask yourself, “What would it take to make this possible?” rather than “Is this possible?”

2. Mindfulness and Meditation

Engage in mindfulness and meditation practices to quiet your mind and create space for creative insights to surface. Mindfulness and meditation can take on a variety of definitions, but for our purposes, we’ll go with the definition presented by verywellmind.com: 

“Mindfulness meditation is a mental training practice that teaches you to slow down racing thoughts, let go of negativity, and calm both your mind and body”

In a world of social media, constant notifications, and endless mental stimulation, taking the time to quiet our minds can be easier said than done. However, daily practices of mindfulness and meditation can have a profound effect on your ability to think creatively. In fact, a literary review from the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that there are profound links between mindfulness and creative thinking. 

While the above mentioned article from verywellmind.com outlines a handful of great ways to slow your mind and get focused, trying techniques like breathing exercises, going for a drive (in silence… scary, right?), or checking out an app like Calm or Headspace can be really helpful.

3. Brainstorming Sessions

Collaboration often sparks creativity, and just getting your thoughts outside your head can make a huge difference in your progress toward your goals. As a digital & social media marketer at Showit, working as a team is the most valuable tool I use on a daily basis. Whether it be a formal brainstorming meeting (we do these at least once weekly) or a conversation with a coworker, collaboration never fails to give me new eyes for a project, a new angle on a problem, or stretch me creatively as a whole.

Phone a friend or grab coffee with someone else in your industry. Ask how they would approach your current projects, and get your ideas out of your head. I think you might discover a new non-negotiable in your creative toolbox.

4. Explore Different Art Forms

Experiment with various artistic expressions such as painting, drawing, sculpture, music, dance, or writing. Trying different forms can help you identify where your strengths lie, and is a great way to get those creative juices flowing. Take a friend to an art gallery and talk about your favorite pieces. Try a sketching challenge like Inktober for a month to see what sticks. Whatever it might be, try some new creative avenues this year, and see where it takes you.  

This has been an interesting idea to explore in my own life since working at Showit, which is, by all accounts, a very creative job (and the best job ever). Spending my days exploring creative ideas and working with an incredibly talented team to pull things together is creatively stimulating, but over time, creativity needs new outlets to grow effectively. According to MCI institute, 

“Research has shown that partaking in creative outlets creates stronger social relationships, reduces stress, and allows us to develop a deeper appreciation for the world around us.”

I’m not sure about you, I think stronger relationships, less stress and deeper appreciation for the world would allow me to be more creative in my work here at Showit. With this in mind, a couple years ago I rediscovered my lifelong love for carpentry & furniture making. It took many hours of work to renovate a 10×15 shed as a small workshop, but the impact has been massive. The few hours I spend each week in the quiet of those four plywood walls have become crucial for both stretching and resting the creative muscles I use each day. 

What hobbies have you lost, or what interests have you just not made time to explore?  Consider what role they might play in overcoming creative blocks in your life. 

5. Reflect on Personal Values

Consider your core values and passions. Aligning your creative pursuits with what matters most to you can fuel your creativity, and reignite your love for creating in the first place. An extensive study from Frontiers found that there is a strong correlation between personal values and innovation, stating that the values of employees allowed them to be more creative and effective in their jobs. 

6. Challenge Comfort Zones 

Step out of your comfort zone regularly. Whether it be joining a local two-step class, joining a facebook group for creatives, or just taking on a project a little outside your skillset, stretching your comfort zone might be your key to big growth in 2024. 

I’ve always loved storytelling, but I’ve focused that love toward photography far more than any other medium. In the past couple years, I’ve pushed myself to write more of these stories down, though it is admittedly not in what I would consider to be my comfort zone. The effect has been a more holistic approach to each photo, thinking intentionally about the ‘thousand words’ spoken in the frame, so to speak. Similarly, building a photoshoot around a piece of written content allows me to incorporate more vibrant storytelling through the combination of creative mediums. Ask yourself what you can do today to step out of your comfort zone, however small the action might be. 

Exploration Phase 

The “Exploration Phase” is a crucial stage in the creative process where you will actively seek to expand your creative horizons, experiment with different approaches, and cultivate a broader range of skills and perspectives. This phase is all about embracing curiosity, taking risks, and pushing the boundaries of what you understand your creativity to be. Let’s take a look at a set of techniques that emphasize experimentation and trying new approaches to discover creativity within yourself:

1. Reverse Thinking 

Try solving problems or approaching challenges by working backward. Start with the desired outcome and think about the steps you'd need to take to get there.

For example, want your email list to hit a specific number this year? Work backward, laying out your conversion rates, leads and best performing content. Then, decide how many emails you’ll need to send to hit that goal.

For more information on email marketing (which is still one of the best marketing tools you can use in your business this year) check out this awesome webinar we hosted last year with Angel Marie of Convertkit.

2. Random Word Generation 

Have you ever played the Wikipedia game? Two or more people would pick two entirely unrelated subjects, then race to see who could get from one to the other using only inline links on Wikipedia pages. Years ago Mike, who wrote part 1 to this series, & I raced from John Mayer to Delta Machinery. Try to think of a way those two connect; I’ll wait.

Is this just an aimless time burner, or could it make an impact on our creativity? 

Try choosing a random word or phrase and challenge yourself to create a connection between that word and your current project or challenge. This exercise encourages lateral thinking and creative problem-solving, pushing your current thought process outside the box. While a connection between a great musician and great power tool brand might not get you past your current creative block, you may find it unlocks a previously unseen angle on your project.

3. Role Reversal 

Imagine yourself in someone else's shoes—whether it's a different profession, age, or cultural background. Think about the following.

• How would they approach the task at hand?
• What would an illustrator think about when they approach this website design?
• How would a dancer approach this musical composition?

This exercise helps you gain fresh perspectives.

Role reversal doesn’t just stop at moving past creative blocks; many effective marketing campaigns from brands like Snickers have made use of the technique, and this article from paradigm-il.com does a great job explaining why.

4. Constraint-Based Creativity 

We just finished one of my personal favorite Showit events, the annual Showit Pinewood Derby. Each of us was given a pine block, wheels, and axles, and set loose to create our tiny race cars. However, the derby brings with it an entire document of restrictions on weight, size and material, pushing participants to create the fastest or most unique design, all without breaking any rules.

I’ve started challenging myself to replicate real cars out of the wood, and the restrictions have forced me to think flexibly. This year, a few days before the race I realized my Mercedes-Petronas F1 car (any fans out there?) was a half inch too long, and had to rush to shave length, while maintaining my hard work on replicating the real thing. It was frustrating at the time, but in the end those restrictions are what present the true creative challenge, and make the derby so much fun. 

In short, embrace constraints in your process. They can force you to think creatively and find unique solutions.

5. Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a visual technique and a powerful tool for organizing, brainstorming, and presenting ideas in a structured and creative way. There are four main components to a good mind map:

1. Central Idea or Theme: At the center of a mind map, you start with a central idea or theme. This could be a word, a phrase, or an image that represents the main concept you want to explore. For example, let’s put down ‘sports’ as shown in this example from nulab.com:

2. Branches: Radiating outward from the central idea are branches, like the limbs of a tree. Each branch represents a main category or key concept related to the central theme. In Nulab’s example above, we have individual sports, water sports, contact sports, and team sports. You get the idea.

3. Sub-branches: Sub-branches extend from the main branches and represent subcategories or more specific ideas related to the main concepts. Sub-branches can be further divided into even smaller sub-branches, creating a hierarchical structure. Here, we’re breaking down subcategories within each segment of sports on the mind map.

4. Keywords and Images: Finally, instead of lengthy sentences, mind maps often use keywords, short phrases, or images to represent ideas. This keeps the map concise and easy to understand at a glance.

6. Creative Challenges

Join creative challenges or competitions that provide specific prompts or themes. Check out local Facebook groups, Instagram challenges or other creative outlets for a bit of built in accountability. 

The Exploration Phase is all about embracing a spirit of curiosity and adventure. By experimenting with these techniques and occasionally getting outside your comfort zone, you'll not only expand your creative toolkit, but also discover new facets of your own creativity. Remember that creativity thrives when you allow yourself to loosen up, explore new ideas, and take risks in your process. 

Refinement Phase

Ok, take a deep breath. You’ve tried the above techniques, and now your mind is overflowing with fresh ideas and new creative horizons. Or, maybe you just have a new take on an old project. Either way, your next step is to refine these new ideas, and bring them into sharp focus. Your next six techniques for refining your creativity are as follows: 

1. Feedback and Collaboration

Didn't we already talk about this? Glad you're paying attention

Brainstorming and collaboration are not a ‘one time use' tool. Throughout the journey of a project, share your ideas with others and seek feedback. Bring in colleagues, friends, or mentors to gain different perspectives and insights. Sometimes all it takes is a new set of eyes to refine your great idea into something awesome.

2. Iteration

Ever heard the saying, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’? I’m willing to bet you have, and unfortunately, it rings true in the creative process.  Don't settle for your initial concept, but refine, refine, refine. Continuously iterate and improve your idea by revising, tweaking, and experimenting with different elements. It might not seem to improve with each iteration, but over time, you’ll see your best work come out of the mess. 

3. Research and Inspiration

Explore related concepts, case studies, or creative works that inspire you. Gather insights and ideas from various sources to refine your own. My personal favorite way to do this, while it might not be as technical as some, is to find bloggers or YouTube creators focused my creative interests. I've spent hundreds or thousands of hours in the back corners of Woodworking YouTube, and it always surprises me how many approaches there can be to one chair, one problem or even one specific technique.

4. Prototyping 

Develop a prototype or mock-up of your idea, whether it's a physical product, website, or artwork. Prototyping allows you to test and refine your concept in a tangible way, as well as share it with others and hear their feedback. Side note- as you might be well aware by now, many of the concepts in this post are connected, if not interchangeable. Find the ones that work for you, and just get started.

5. Time and Distance 

Don’t be afraid to step away from your idea for a while. Sometimes, taking a break and revisiting your concept with fresh eyes can reveal new ways to refine and enhance it. This may be as simple as making a latte or taking a walk, or it may mean switching to a different project for a few days. Take your time, and your goals for 2024 will thank you. 

Mastery Phase 

You’ve made it this far, and for that, you should be proud. You've explored new avenues of creativity, and likely discovered more about yourself in the process. You’ve also experimented with your findings, and refined those ideas into tangible, effective results. Now, let’s bring this process home with 6 advanced techniques to bring your creativity to the next level. 

1. Cross-Pollination of Ideas

In nature, cross pollination occurs when one plant pollinates another of a different species, resulting in a new plant that carries the characteristics of both. When it comes to creative projects, pulling in ideas from fields that may seem unrelated to yours is a great way to think outside the box and refine your ideas a little further. 

To learn more about how you can use cross pollination in your business or other creative pursuits, I’d recommend checking out this article from Growth Engineering. 

I’ve recently been compiling a series of questions around the idea of creativity, and I’m excited to share more of those with you as we get deeper into 2024. But until then, grab one of these AI generated scenarios and imagine what it would look like in reality. Consider how these two unrelated realities could combine, and what kind of creative work would result. Have fun! 

• If Warhol painted a series about 21st-century life, which modern object would be his new soup can?
• What would be the tagline for a cologne inspired by the smell of fresh printer ink?
• If Picasso and Kanye West collaborated on a fashion line, what would be its standout piece?
• Envision a restaurant where each dish is not only a culinary masterpiece but also a musical composition. Savor flavors while listening to a symphony of sounds that complement the taste and aroma of each course. Which dish sounds the best? 
• How might the principles of architecture be applied to cooking?

2. Scenario Planning 

Anticipate multiple scenarios or futures for your project. By considering how your work will be used and what impact it will have on your audience, you can develop strategies that are robust and adaptable to different circumstances.

3. Advanced Brainstorming Techniques

Go beyond traditional brainstorming by incorporating advanced techniques such as brainwriting, reverse brainstorming, or SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse).

4. Quantitative Creativity 

Utilize data and quantitative analysis to inform creative decisions. A data-driven approach can reveal trends, patterns, and insights that lead to innovative solutions, which can be particularly useful in creative endeavors around marketing and small business growth. Pay close attention to your social media engagement. Watch your google analytics to gain a better understanding of your website’s health, and, most importantly: adjust accordingly.

PS: This blog post will give you everything you need to know to make sure your site health is at its best.

5. Creative Leadership 

Foster a creative environment within your team or organization by practicing creative leadership. Encourage risk-taking, provide resources, and champion innovative thinking. When you encourage others to push the boundaries of their creativity, you’ll begin to do the same. Here’s a great article from Furman University on how you can build your creative leadership skills this year.

6. Cultivate Expertise 

While in previous steps we encouraged you to look past your usual realm of expertise and try new things, this is where you master those new things. Deepen your knowledge and expertise in a specific area relevant to your project, and watch how becoming an expert in a particular field can lead to breakthrough insights, unlocking your creative potential even further.

As you think through your goals for 2024, take some time to reflect on the above 24 techniques for unlocking your creativity this year. Consider how you can apply a few of these to your process, and ask what goals might just be a little more attainable than they seem. Build a roadmap to follow through the year, and steal these concepts freely!

In our next post, we’ll be giving you some practical steps to boost traffic to your website. This will help take your project, product or business, and get it out there to the right people. Check that out here.

Whether you’re launching a brand new website or giving your current site a revamp, one of the most important components to consider is your website copy. 

Great website copy has the power to completely make or break your website, because it has the biggest and most direct influence on your readers’ decision to take your desired action.

If you want your readers to ‘inquire,’ or ‘sign up,’ or ‘download,’ or ‘book now,’ – you’re going to have to give them a reason to WANT to do that.  

When a potential client or customer lands on your site, you only have a matter of seconds to impress them and make them want to stick around and learn more about you and what you have to offer.

And while the overall aesthetic of your website might be the first thing your new reader notices, it isn’t the element of your site that’ll make them stay.

Nope, that’s your website copy’s job—which is why writing website copy that inspires your readers to take ACTION is so vital to the success of your brand.

What is website copy (and why do you need it)?

In the simplest of terms, copy = words that are strategically written to encourage your readers to take action. Website copy is the copy on your website. Anything that isn’t a part of your blogging or content marketing—all of the words on your site—is your website copy.

And, like we mentioned earlier: it’s one of THE most important elements of your website, because it’s how you make your website work for you.

If you want your readers to ‘inquire,’ or ‘sign up,’ or ‘download,’ or ‘book now,’ – you’re going to have to give them a reason to WANT to do that.  

…which means you’re going to need website copy that conveys the “hey, do this!” message, while also helping your reader get to know you, learn about your services, and determine whether or not you’d be a good fit for them. 

Now that you know what website copy IS, let’s talk about how to write the website copy that WORKS.

Long story short? The words on your website matter A LOT. 

And, hot take: your website copy deserves just as much—if not more!—of your attention than your website’s design.

So, because we’re on a mission to help you create the best possible website with this 10-part blog series, we want to teach you how to write the best possible website copy. 

Keep reading to not only learn about how to write website copy that converts your clients, but also how to make your readers feel like they’re having a conversation with you while they scroll through your site.

Here’s what GREAT website copy can do for you:

Answers your reader’s questions before they even have to ask them. This saves you tons of time during the inquiry and onboarding processes. 

Attract more dream clients. No more going back and forth with someone who isn’t aligned with what I like to call “your idea of ideal.” 

Articulates exactly what you want to say, so you don’t have to explain yourself over and over again. Having a corner of the Internet completely dedicated to showing your ideal clients who you are, why you’re so awesome, and what all the benefits of working with you are? Yes, please. 

Give you an unreal amount of confidence. Because what could be better than feeling 100% positive that your website accurately depicts just how valuable you are? 

Before we move on to the HOW, we need to first chat a little bit about the WHAT. 

Website copywriting can be easy when you have the formula to follow—and we’ll get there in a sec—but there are a few things you need to know about yourself and your brand before you can actually sit down to write your copy:

1. Who are you, and what do you do?
2. Who do you serve?
3. Which problem are you solving OR need are you meeting for them?
4. Why would someone want to work with or buy from you?
5. What’s the benefit of choosing you over someone else?
6. What is the action you want your readers to take when they visit your site?

(Click here for more of a dive into these questions with Showit Design Partners Liberty Type)

Once you have the answers to the above questions, you’ll have all of the info you need to write website copy that tells your readers EXACTLY what they want to hear.

Here’s the plan for teaching you how to write the best website copy ever:

Throughout the next few sections of this post, we’re going to go over the 4 core pages of your website copy: Home, About, Services, and Contact. 

Each one of these pages has a very important job to do—and the copy you write on each page matters equally, believe it or not. (Justice for the Contact page! Shall we start a petition to ban boring ones forever?)

Walking you through each page. We'll share the purpose of each one. What each page absolutely must include in order for your reader to be able to make a buying decision. Then, how to sprinkle a little personality onto it.

You ready? Here we go.

Website Copy Checklist: How to Write Your Homepage 

YOUR HOMEPAGE’S JOB IS TO CAPTURE YOUR READER’S ATTENTION.

The best thing about website copy? It gives you the opportunity to shape the narrative of the first impression you leave on anyone who lands on your site.

Because your homepage is typically a new viewer’s first introduction to your brand, you have the chance to attract or repel. This potential client doesn’t know enough about you yet to determine whether or not they want to pay you or peace out. That’s your homepage’s job. 

WHAT YOUR HOMEPAGE NEEDS TO INCLUDE:

• Introductory headline that explains what they’re about to read (give them context about the site they just landed on; what will they find there?)
• Introductory statement reinforcing what your headline said
• Your “Mini About”—aka a very small version of your ‘about me’ that helps your reader get to know you immediately (end this section with a call to action to read your About page)
• Showcase the main benefit you’re providing
• Give an overview of your services
• Add an element of social proof (get the best testimonials ever with these questions from Showit Design Partner Made by Rove)

HOW TO ADD PERSONALITY:

Write like you’re talking to a friend.

Specifically, the friend that you know better than anyone else—that best friend you have a borderline telepathic relationship with. Confidently talk to them like you know them, AND be as comfortable + unapologetically yourself as you would be with that friend. 

  Remember that this person—if all goes well—will likely actually TALK to you one day, and ensure they get the same version of you on this page as they will on a call or a meeting.
When you take out the pressure of the screen in between you, it becomes a lot easier to remember that you’re speaking to another human on the other side, and all they want from you is a reason to keep scrolling. You can do that! That’s easy—be yourself, unapologetically, as if they’re going to accept you no matter what.

LEARN MORE: 

→ QUICK TIP: How to use “HIGH VOLUME” Copy w/ Showit Design Partner Writefully Said Creative Co.

→ REMEMBER: Drop Your Keywords Into Your Homepage

→ WARNING: Don't Drop Too Many = Keyword Stuffing w/ Showit Design Partner Kyle Goldie

BONUS PODCAST: 6 Website Copy Make or Breaks w/ Showit Design Partner Branded by Bernel

Website Copy Checklist: How to write your About page 

YOUR ABOUT PAGE’S JOB IS TO BUILD A CONNECTION.

If your reader clicked on your About page, they’re curious about who you are—but, selfishly, only in relation to who THEY are.

And, in this case, that selfishness is a GOOD thing. All readers are selfish, especially when reading website copy because they’re looking for information about something that they’re hoping will benefit them in some way. 

And you want to be the person to provide that benefit, right?

So, on your About page, when they come looking for a reason to like you, something to connect with you over, or a reason to believe that you’re the right person for the job, it’s your responsibility to deliver on that CONNECTION piece. 

You want them to like you initial connection!

So they can get to know you the rest of your About page sharing more detail!

Then they come to trust you the reason they inquire!

WHAT YOUR ABOUT PAGE NEEDS TO INCLUDE:

• Grab their attention with literally any other headline than “About Us” or “Meet The Team” or “Our Story” (read why here!)
• Invite them into your story (start in the middle!) to build the connection
• Share your value proposition
• Address the main thing they’re hoping to gain, and share why you understand how much they want that thing
• Share evidence that supports the fact that you are the right person to provide them with that thing (expertise, personal experience, professional experience, etc)
• Tell them what makes you different
• Share social proof 
• Share personal details (everyone loves a “fun facts” moment!)
• End with a call to action to learn more about your services OR inquire 

HOW TO ADD PERSONALITY:

We will give you the Sparknotes version here. BUT! If you wanna dive into an entire blog post ALLLL about how to create a better About page with Showit Design Partner Jessica Gingrich?

Say what you actually want to say.

Stop worrying about whether or not people will “get it” or if your copy appeals to everyone; that’s not your goal. Instead, focus on serving the people who actually fall under the ‘dream client’ category for you, and speak directly to them. 

What do they think is funny? Which reference would they understand? What’s something you know they’re feeling right now? Say those things—not the things you feel like you “have” to put on your About page just for the sake of formalities. 

Treat your About page like a first date, not like LinkedIn. 

You wouldn’t show up to a first date, sit down at the bar, and start rattling off your resume, so why would you do that on your About page? 

Remember that readers are selfish, but also that they WANT to get to know you. Approach this page like making a new connection and having a conversation about why you think you’d be compatible. 

Treat your website like a conversation, not a billboard.

Don’t talk AT them; talk TO them. If your reader was standing in front of you, and asked you to your face why you do what you do, or why you’re qualified, or what makes you love what you do so much… what would you say?

Use words and phrases like “so” and “but” and “ya know?”—things you would actually SAY out loud—combined with punctuation and emphasis for elements of natural conversational pause, and you’ve got yourself a personality in that copy, baby. 

LEARN MORE: 

→ 6 things you need to know before writing your About page 

→ The “not about you” About page formula

→ How to Write Copy for Your Home + About Page w/ Showit Design Partner Amanda from Liberty Type

Website Copy Checklist: How to write your Services page 

YOUR SERVICES PAGE’S JOB IS TO INFORM AND PROVIDE CLARITY.

Your Services page’s job is to give your readers the necessary information they need in order to make a “buying decision”—aka the info it’ll take for them to want to take the next step & head over to your Contact page to close the deal. 

You don’t want to make your readers wonder if your services are right for them, or what’s included, or if they can afford it—that’ll only make more work for YOU when they have to reach out and ask you.

If your readers have to guess, they’re not gonna buy. It’s that simple. So, when writing your Services page, your objective is to be as clear and informative as possible, while making your services feel like the right solution for the reader.

WHAT YOUR SERVICES NEEDS TO INCLUDE:

• Optimized, keyword-rich headline
• Introductory statement addressing the reader’s current state (where are they at right now? What are they dealing with? What’s the #1 thing they’re looking to find a solution for? And why do they want that solution?)
• Give them an overview of the benefits of finding their desired solution
• Introduce your services
• Explain what’s included (and how much it costs, if you’re so inclined—here’s why you should mention pricing on your Services page)
• Explain your process (here are 3 ways to do that!)
• Sprinkle in elements of social proof (testimonials, reviews, photos, etc)
• Add a “right for you if” section (help them understand who you’re best qualified to work with & most interested in serving!)
• End with a STRONG call to action to work with you

HOW TO ADD PERSONALITY:

Tell the story.

Studies show that readers are drastically more receptive to information presented to them with a little bit of story attached, as opposed to simply relaying facts. 

Ease your reader into your Services page by considering their story, and showing that you understand their current situation so well—well enough to make them feel seen, and well enough to provide them with the exact solution they’re looking for.

Then, illustrate your services and process in the same way you would on a discovery call. (Your website copy is a conversation, remember?!)

This will allow your reader a window into your personality, and what it would be like to actually work with you.

LEARN MORE: 

→ YES! You Can Edit My Client's Testimonials w/ Showit Design Partner Elizabeth McCravey

→ Make a High Converting Sales Page w/ Jenna Kutcher & Showit Design Partners Tonic Site Shop

→ Check out my Services page for an example!

RELATED: How to Write Sales & Landing Pages that Convert

Website Copy Checklist: How to write your Contact page 

YOUR CONTACT PAGE’S JOB IS CLOSE THE DEAL.

BUT don’t only treat this page like JUST business. 

Of course, the MAIN goal of your Contact page is to inspire people to inquire—and you don’t want to take away from that—but approaching this page like you would any other page on your site (aka as something you’re hoping people actually read and enjoy), you’ll gain respect from your reader & automatically position yourself as someone who cares. 

Your submission form will be at the top of your page, below your headline (and your intro statement, if you plan to add one!), so the extra content won’t take away from the page’s goal—in fact, all it will do is HELP you.

WHAT YOUR HOMEPAGE NEEDS TO INCLUDE:

• A strong, clear headline
• A submission form for your leads to inquire
• FAQs (things like “do you offer payment plans?” and “how far in advance should I inquire about working with you?” – NOT necessary info that deserves a prominent spot elsewhere on your website, like “which services do you offer?”)
• A secondary option to continue the relationship (more on this in Part 9 of our Website Health Series!)
• More content for the reader to explore
  • Featured blog posts
  • Lead magnet download
  • Newsletter opt-in
  • Instagram grid preview 
  • A call-to-action to visit another place on your site (your portfolio? Your online course? Your Resources page? Anything!)
• Your Mini About

HOW TO ADD PERSONALITY:

Don’t default to the typical “get in touch” or “contact us” or “ready to get started?” headlines. 

Instead, focus on writing something more specific, direct, or personal. This will likely be the last thing your lead reads before reaching out to you (or not)—what does that person need to hear right now? What’s the #1 thing you’d want them to know if you knew they were on the fence about inquiring? Say that.

  Actually give them content to read.

If you do this, you’ll be lightyears ahead of thousands of business owners who don’t put any effort into their Contact pages, because they don’t realize how important they are for conversion. 

Even by adding simple things like a section of 3-4 featured blog posts, an overview of the services you offer, or a short 2-3 sentence paragraph about you (preferably sharing something relatable / relevant to the reader!), you’d be doing yourself a HUGE favor in the ~connection~ department.

LEARN MORE: 

→ Design Your Contact Page for Better Leads w/ Showit Design Partner Alex Collier Design

→ How to write optimized inquiry forms (so you can get better leads!)

WANT MORE FREE WEBSITE COPYWRITING TIPS?

We’ve got you covered! Along with a little help from our friends…

Write your website copy alongside a pro? Check out Sara of Between the Lines website copywriting template! While you are there, subscribe to her free weekly copywriting newsletter (which her readers have called “the only reason to wake up on Tuesday mornings”). 

10 Simple Rules for Writing Captivating Website Copy w/ Showit Design Partner K Design Co.

The #1 Resource for Writing Copy that Converts w/ Showit Design Partner Lauren Rich Creative

BONUS CONTENT: How to Captivate & Convert w/ Your Social Media Copy

While website copy is what inspires your readers to take action, website design is what catches their eye in the first place.

And, just like website copy, it’s one of the MOST important components of a high-converting website. Head to Part 6 of Showit’s Website Health Series for our best website design tips & tricks for a beautiful, functional, user-focused website!

…which is why, in our next post in Showit’s Website Health Series, we’re telling you all about
how design can make or break your website. Go check it out!

So, you’ve made it. You’ve achieved what is, for many of us, the dream—working from home, with all the 

freedom, flexibility, and DISTRACTIONS 

you could ever ask for. Gone are the romantic aspirations of astounding creativity, replaced with the not-so-colorful mediocrity of an unengaging home office, or better yet, living room couch. 

Allow me to introduce Sarah Pugh, a graphic designer, sneakerhead, interior design enthusiast, and most recently, Showit support pro based in Arizona. From building websites on Showit to renovating the Airbnb she recently completed with her husband, Matt, Sarah is no newcomer to the intersection of aesthetics and productivity. 

Sarah and Matt have started their latest renovation project just a few miles from Showit HQ, and having lived in and flipped a number of houses, Sarah's learned a thing or two about how a creative space can help you be more productive. So straight from the expert's mouth, here are 7 budget friendly ways to improve your workspace so you can be more productive this year.

Use an Ergonomic Office Chair to Give Your Back Some Love

A comfortable office chair with adequate support like this one can be monumental in improving your workflow. In fact, according to entrepreneur.com, simply upgrading your office chair can increase your productivity by up to 17.5%.

Along with productivity, why not find a chair that really reflects your personality? Sarah has been careful to keep her office setup cost effective, but she hopes to one day add her dream chair, in the ‘coral’ color selection, of course. The nearly $600 price tag on this chair doesn’t land it in the ‘budget’ category, but for those for whom the wallet is less of a factor, this would be a great option to consider.

Start Your Day with a Great Coffee Maker & Your Favorite Mug for That Morning (or Afternoon) Boost of Energy

For some it may go without saying, but keeping your caffeine fix within an arm’s reach can save you a mid-day trip to the nearest Starbucks, and in turn, increase your productivity that much more this year. A study from Honest Coffee found that the average worker spends 18 hours per year dropping out to get coffee, and while the research was specific to residents of the UK, we can’t help but see a correlation across the pond.

 “But I can’t make it like they do,” you might say. Well friend, it’s easier than it looks, and with a bit of time on Youtube (here’s one of my favorites creators on the topic), you might just find yourself to be quite the barista after all. 

For Sarah, coffee is about more than a boost of energy; she has a true love for the tastes and smells, adding a bright spot in her daily routine. “Every morning I make my black coffee (always hot, even if it’s summer) on my very old (and incredibly functional) Nespresso,” Sarah says. “When I have good coffee beans, I use my vintage drip coffee maker. I keep it simple (no sugar or creamer) and budget-friendly. I fit the box of pods into my grocery budget, and I don’t buy coffee out more than once a week, normally on the weekend, because who has money to buy a $7 cup of coffee every day! But I love coffee. Friends gift me coffee beans instead of flowers. I love my coffee.”

Hang a Wall Calendar for Planning and an Artistic Focal Point

Functional artwork is a great way to liven up your workspace, particularly in small home offices where opportunities to fit decor in around the necessities may be limited. Sarah chose this wall calendar ($60 from Amazon) to combine form with function, adding a bold focal point to her home office. She finds that a statement piece like this boosts her creativity, while allowing her to visualize the tasks she has to do, and as a result, pushes her to stay more productive. 

Sarah uses a highlighter to keep track of her schedule and tasks, preserving the bold simplicity of the calendar. 

Light A Favorite Candle or Essential Oil Diffuser 

Nothing brings the good vibes like a great candle or a few drops of your favorite essential oil. And along with good vibes, according to self.com, research shows that aromatherapy can increase mental acuity and productivity. In fact, studies have even shown increased productivity and less stress between different scents, with lavender being one of the most effective, as it may lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone many of us could use a little less of. 

We had Sarah’s diffuser running during our shoot, and I can confirm, it’s a game changer. 

Add Plants to Boost Your Mood 

You may be surprised how much more productive you can be this year, simply by adding new plants in your home office. In fact, plants can have profound effects on mental health, and consequently, drive creativity and productivity. One way plants have been shown to benefit productivity is through an idea known as the attention restoration theory, in which studies have shown that plant-induced ‘restoration’ of attention can be quite beneficial to staying on task. The chart below shows the cycle of attention, and with plants filling the ‘effortless attention’ category. 

Sarah is currently kept company by a monstera and dracaena, both of which have been faithful companions for over a year. If you find yourself thinking, ‘I can’t keep plants, I always kill them,’ you can’t go wrong with these two, or a healthy pothos, found at any home store or nursery. If houseplants aren’t an option, a walk around the neighborhood or a nearby park is a great alternative. 

Use an External Monitor 

Adding an extra screen or two to your setup is a great way to organize your thoughts and visualize projects as they come together. Even a budget friendly option like this $100 monitor is sufficient to de-clutter your process, and in turn, help you be more productive this year. 

Turn on a Bluetooth Speaker or Separate Device for Movies & TV Shows in the Background

While for some this may be the end of productivity, Sarah has found that playing her favorite playlists, TV shows and movies in the background keeps her productive throughout the day. Interestingly, she’s not alone, with studies revealing how background noise, even background noise from TV shows or movies, can increase productivity, in a similar fashion to how the ambiance of a coffee shop can get those creative juices flowing. Gilmore Girls, anyone? 

Make it Happen

With these tips in mind, take your workspace from lacking in creativity to highly productive, and watch your business reap the benefits this year. At Showit, we’re in your corner, and can’t wait to watch you crush your goals in 2023!

P.S. We live and breathe creative freedom, (it’s even in our mission statement), and if you haven’t given us a try, we truly think you should! You can read about why so many website designers prefer Showit over other platforms, or jump right into your 14 day free trial and start building the website of your dreams. 

How many times has this happened to you on the wedding day: You have a gorgeous couple, the light has just reached epic proportions and you are leading them out to the most stunning location that you spent hours and lots of gas money to find, when the bride's cell phone rings, it's her mom/wedding planner/venue person all calling at the same time wondering where the heck she is and why isn't she at the reception!! The cocktail hour is about to end!!! So suddenly the time, vision and imagination you have put into cajoling your bride out here in the first place is reduced to 10 minutes of half hearted attempts of romance by a distracted bride and a groom who can't wait to get back to the bar and his already drunk groomsmen.

Enter the Day After Session. It can be shot the day after the wedding, as the name suggests, or any time really: days, months or even years after the wedding. When I shoot destination weddings, I insist that couples schedule a day after session (or in some cases, the day after the day after. We all need a day to recover after most destination weddings, right?) just so we can capture that amazing setting and not get caught up with wedding day drama and miss the rad locations.

Here's a few reasons why I think Day After Sessions are amazing.

1. No stress – The wedding is over. There aren't roomfuls of guests wondering if you are ever returning. The bride and groom can focus on each other and aren't distracted by pushy coordinators or overbearing mothers. It's okay to walk through that gorgeous field or beach and not worry about getting the bottom of her dress dirty. And often times, because they are newlyweds, they are REALLY into each other and the romance is definitely there.
2. More photos for the album! So depending on your pricing structure and how you sell albums, you can just add these in, up sell more pages, or even sell a completely separate album of just the Day After pics.
3. If weather is terrible on the wedding day, no worries, you can still get those shots you've been dying for.
4. Sometimes things happen on the wedding day and you just don't have the time for those intimate portraits.
5. You can really get creative and try some new techniques you have been desperate to test out; like some off camera flash, or different posing, or even some underwater stuff shots!
6. Put that dress back into good use! The bride pays a fortune for a gown she is just going to wear once? Heck no, get your money's worth, baby!

Maya, a client of mine from New York, loved her day after shoot, which consisted of a Trash the Dress session in a cenote and then at the beach at their Mayan Riviera Resort. “Weddings are often such a whirlwind affair that the day passes in a flash,” she said. “The day after, the couple can capture their love beyond the all the ceremonies and traditions….” She adds of their shoot, “It was beautiful, it was real, it was above and beyond anything we could have ever asked for and it made the whole wedding experience that much more magical.”

Another one of my clients, Veronica, said her day after photos are her favorites from her entire wedding! “Out of all our wedding photos, we loved our day after session the best (and trust me it's hard to say given that the rest of the photos are also INCREDIBLE). Because it was only us and Dan, it created an intimate setting where we were able to comfortably take photos without the pressure of all the other wedding events. This not only made us more relaxed, but it also gave Dan the flexibility to fully demonstrate his talent. Choosing to have an after session was one of the best decisions we made. They are a treasure we will cherish for the rest of our lives.”

Weddings can be daunting. We love our clients and we love the creativity of shooting the wedding day itself. But then we have to come home and go through 3000-5000 images and cull and edit them, it can be overwhelming! Over the years, I have come up with a system that allows us to edit an entire wedding in 10 hours or less. That includes downloading, culling, editing, exporting, and uploading into PASS, the digital delivery system we use. I use an envelope system. It sounds strange, and I am not sure why it has made the process so much faster for us, but it really works!

Step One: Get it right in camera. Get it right in camera. Get it right in camera!!!! Okay, this has nothing to do with folders but I cannot stress enough how much time this will save you in post production. One of the main reasons we can edit an entire wedding in 10 hours or less, is because we don't have to spend an inordinate amount of time manipulating the images in Lightroom and/or Photoshop to get them like we want them. So watch tutorials, take workshops, and practice, practice, practice, until your fingers bleed, (Okay, maybe not that long). But do what you need to do to get your images right in the camera.

Step Two: Create folders on your desktop that represent the the major events of the wedding day. (see example below) That way as you are downloading your cards onto your desktop, you can drag them into their appropriate folder. While one card is downloading, I am dragging and dropping images, from the previous card, into its appropriate folder. It is a bazillion times easier and faster (okay, again I am exaggerating!) to cull and edit folder by folder than it is to try and do an entire wedding at one time. I have no scientific evidence to back me up on this, but try it. I can pretty much guarantee you're going to love it!

Step Three: Start on your first folder. The first thing I do is cull the images in the folder I am working on. I use Photo Mechanic, by Camera Bits, to cull our images. (See video below to see just how we do it. It is so quick and easy!) If you do not have Photo Mechanic you can cull in Lightroom. But I really cannot stress enough how fast Photo Mechanic is. There is zero lag time waiting for images to load. As quickly as you can push the arrow key to navigate to the next image, it is crisp and focused and ready for you to push keep or delete.

After culling the folder you are woking on, edit them in Lightroom. When you have finished editing them, export that folder. While it is exporting, start on folder number 2. Or take a break, go eat lunch or read a book to your toddler. When you come back it will be so easy to remember where you left off. But you will find that editing them a folder at a time is much less daunting!

There are several advantages to editing a wedding folder by folder.

1. You will start to see more consistency in your images. Because you are now working on the same set of images at the same time, they will look consistent. It is much harder to have that consistent look to your images if you are editing the details, then the groom, then some of the ceremony, then a few more details, etc. Editing all of the images, from the same set, at the same time, will give you a nice finished consistent look.

2. It is so much less overwhelming to edit a folder at a time. You are getting through the wedding in small do-able chunks. A folder of 150 detail images, then take a break. A folder of 200 bridal portraits and her with her maids, then run and pick the kids up from school. Grab the ceremony folder and make yourself do it before going to bed. Etc… That is more manageable than the thought of having 1200-1500 images in Lightroom that you have to go through and edit.

3. When you edit this way, and load the finished images folder by folder into the digital delivery system of your choice, they are already organized perfectly and efficiently for your client. Rather than your clients having to sort through 1500 images, the day is broken up into manageable pieces, and ordered according to the events of their wedding day. Trust me, clients will love you!

4. Lastly, editing folder by folder enables me to do 4 things at once. It is not uncommon for me to be editing a folder in Lightroom, while Lightroom is exporting the previous folder I just edited. And at the same time, the folder before that is being uploaded into Pass and downloading onto our personal external hard drive. It's a beautiful thing.

So for your next wedding, try editing it folder by folder. If you try it, I really think you'll like it.