7 things you need to fix on your website to build trust (& actually convert your viewers into paying clients).
TRUTH BOMB: In the age of AI, people are sick and tired of robotic, soul-less, copy & paste internet businesses and they are only buying from brands that they trust.
If you want to build, grow & sustain a business in this climate of consumer distrust & AI generated content, then you need to invest in marketing strategies that actually help you to connect authentically with your audience, and build that all important like, know and trust factor.
For this, I believe that a beautiful & effective website is an absolute MUST.
WHY?
Because a website that works (A.K.A it actually converts your viewers into paying clients) is strategically designed to take them on an epic trust building journey that finishes with them clicking and happily investing in your services.
Just like my new client did just recently! She found my website (through Instagram I think), browsed my Services page and then booked a coffee chat with me via the form at the bottom of that page. A week or so later, we discussed her project together and a few days later she signed the contract & paid the 1st invoice - woohoo!
The best part? I didn’t have to do anything extra or use a tonne of energy trying to “convince” her to work with me. Truthfully, my services page did that hard selling work for me which is the GOAL!
If you don’t have a website (& will soon be building one) OR if your current website is kinda janky, outdated, not converting/selling & is in desperate need of a makeover then...
You are in the right place!
Here are 7 things you need to fix on your website to build trust (& actually convert your viewers into paying clients) + the specific action steps to help you get it sorted!
WEBSITE FIX #1: NO CUSTOM DOMAIN
Buying your own custom domain is one of the easiest ways to instantly give your audience a hit of credibility! And honestly, I’m surprised by how many non-custom domains I come across, especially on social media! Not only does having your own domain tell your audience that you are LEGIT (& therefore trustworthy) it also means that your website will have way better visibility in search engines - a custom domain is great for SEO!
PLUS: With a custom domain, you will be able to create a personalised email address which is now a requirement if you are sending emails to a mailing list.
ACTION STEP: This is super easy - BUY your own domain!
If you don’t know where to go to buy one, I really like & can highly recommend Go Daddy. You can use it to search up different domain ideas and find out which ones are available or not.
Bonus tip: If you are planning on building your website on Squarespace and don’t yet have a custom domain, you can actually get a FREE custom domain through Squarespace when you sign up which is super rad! You’ll also be able to set up your custom email through Squarespace too.
WEBSITE FIX #2: BROKEN LINKS
So you’ve made all of this incredible, value-packed social media or blog content that is getting people to your website. Your hard work has paid off - woohoo!
Well, not quite…because your hard earned visitors keep discovering that some of the buttons on your website are either broken or don’t take them where they expect to go - gah!! Frustration central!
Honestly, they don’t have time to persevere. They’ll probably just go back to that other coach or service provider whose website they were perusing yesterday - their buttons *actually* worked!
When it comes to your website, getting the details right = a great 1st impression which builds trust and is crucial to convert your viewers into paying clients.
ACTION STEP: Double and triple check all of your buttons and forms before you press publish.
Also, make it a regular habit to go through your website links on a quarterly basis (at least) especially if you publish regular content to your website like a blog and if you have lots of external links.
The internet changes very rapidly and links can expire, so it is crucial to stay on top of this by creating a regular link checking routine!
WEBSITE FIX #3: UNCLEAR MESSAGING
The messaging on your website is SO freaking important, like seriously. Why? Because effective copy & messaging sells - period.
It needs to get their attention (so they will actually stick around), be specific (to who you are talking to), and to the point (it tells them what they want to know without the fluff) which of course, makes a hella good first impressions & therefore, builds trust. (Cha-ching!)
Your website visitors should be able to find out the following information within 7 seconds of landing on your homepage:
1) What you do & who for.
2) The problem you solve.
3) How you’re different.
Otherwise they are gonna bounce!
ACTION STEP: Add a clarity tagline to your homepage header that gives all the key info they need to know from the get-go.
Here’s a simple clarity tagline writing recipe that you can use:
👉🏻1 part what you do
👉🏻1 part who you serve
👉🏻1 part where you are (optional/if location is relevant)
👉🏻1 part how you’re different
👉🏻1 part Call To Action
For example, here is my clarity tagline on my homepage:
“Not-boring Squarespace web design & copywriting for online coaches & service-providers on a heart-led mission.” (how I’m different + the what + the who - I purposefully leave out my location because I work with people globally)
And last but not least...
“MAKEOVER YOUR WEBSITE” (the Call to Action button which links directly to my services page)
Try it out for yourself & let me know how you go!
WEBSITE FIX #4: UNRESPONSIVE DESIGN
In order to build trust with your people, you must have a RESPONSIVE website. This means that your design seamlessly translates from the desktop version, to mobile (the most important) and also to tablet.
According to Forbes, as of Q1 2025, 62.73% of all website views were via mobile! (link) So prioritising the mobile design of your website is REALLY critical, otherwise...yep you guessed it, over 60% of your viewers will be bouncing - buh bye!!
The harsh truth is: no one is going to buy from a website that looks like a hot mess on mobile because 1st impressions are EVERYTHING!
ACTION STEP: If you are DIYing your website, make sure you don’t skip this step! Spend time making sure that the mobile (most important) & tablet versions of your website are looking their best otherwise you will definitely be losing a lot of trust.
Squarespace has a built-in mobile editor which is super handy and means that you can optimise your website for mobile pretty easily. Editing for tablet however, is a bit trickier.
The easier option of course, is to invest in a professional web designer like myself! I will do all that fiddly (and often frustrating!) responsive editing for both mobile and tablet so that your website is both beautiful and effective across all device types! I use the Responsively App to help me which is a super helpful tool!
WEBSITE FIX #5: NO SOCIAL PROOF & INEFFECTIVE TESTIMONIALS
Having effective social proof on your website is vital for creating a website that converts.
Why?
Because your viewers won’t just take your word for it as you are the one selling them something. BUT they will believe someone else who doesn’t have an agenda.
Plus - from a psychological perspective - there is something called “The Bandwagon Effect” which basically means people are more likely to jump on the bandwagon (buy your thing) when they can see others have already purchased and have been able to create results.
There are some different kinds of social proof such as:
Trusted by - List of big names that you may have worked with, displaying their logos.
Virality - Using words like “bestseller,” “most popular”, “most requested.”
Case Studies - using data from previous client projects to show proof that you can generate results for your clients.
As seen in - List of logos of the media outlets you have been featured in or podcasts you’ve been on which helps establish your authority/expert status
Testimonials - Reviews from your previous clients who share the results they achieved through working with you.
PSA: Just slapping up someone’s words on your website isn’t going to cut it either…
If you want testimonials that will actually do the hard selling work for you, then you will need to format them more effectively so that people actually read them!
ACTION STEP: Apply these rules to create more effective testimonials:
Break up testimonial text blocks with scannable headings, and different sized fonts. (Pull out the best part of testimonial and display in large heading first).
Make it look like a testimonial by using quotation marks and use italicised copy or a different font to the rest of your copy so it stands out.
Make it sound more personal like an email or a DM by using 2nd person POV (“you”) and not 3rd person. EG: “Working with you was amazing!”
Add an image of your client with permission (increases conversion by 30%!)
When you can, use screenshots of your client’s words as they are more believable.
Here’s the same testimonial block reformatted using these rules I’ve just shared:
Ineffective VS…
…More effective!
Can you see the difference?
WEBSITE FIX #6: LOW QUALITY VISUALS
Take this one uber seriously because your imagery and graphics will either MAKE OR BREAK your website (& it’s trust building effectiveness) so it is super important to have a good range of high quality visuals to use. (Buh-bye heavily pixelated headshots).
According to Forbes, using quality visual images on your website helps to evoke emotions within your viewer, will make your website & content more memorable, and will make your website content more engaging - all incredibly important for making more sales!
Also, it has been found that websites that showcase quality headshots that look directly at the viewer, can increase trust by over 50%!!! It’s simple, your people want to see who you are!
ACTION STEP: Ideally, if you can afford to invest in a professional brand shoot then I’d absolutely recommend this.
You’ll walk away with a tonne of high-quality, branded headshots and photos that will make your website really stand out. Plus, you can also use them on your social feeds and in your email marketing.
However, if you don’t have the budget for it right now that’s OK! I’d recommend doing your own photoshoot at home with your smart phone.
You can use a tripod or get someone you know to take some snaps of you in different poses and outfits in a couple of different locations with decent, natural lighting.
And let’s not forget about stock photos! These can be really great for horizontal banner images (these need to be super high-quality) and can help to provide a variety of quality images to use on your website.
Here are some really great places you can get good quality stock for your website for FREE:
pexels.com
unsplash.com
Another great one for more edgy brands is: deathtostock.com (but note they are not free, but well worth the subscription).
Bonus tip: Try to find stock images that match your brand tone words and those that closely match or compliment your colour palette.
WEBSITE FIX #7: NOT HAVING AN ACTUAL WEBSITE
Another (quite surprising!) thing I see a lot is the use of mini-websites in replacement of an ACTUAL website such as: Canva sites, Milkshake websites, bio sites or just a Linktree, that hold a bunch of different links.
Don’t get me wrong, these are helpful tools especially if you are just starting out and you haven’t had time to build a website yet. However, this is not a good long-term website solution.
If you are serious about growing a successful brand and business, you need a digital home for your content & offerings that truly reflects the amazing value you have to offer the world.
What’s more, it will be strategically designed to help you build TRUST with your viewers and to increase CONVERSION, so you can have more client inquiries in your inbox, more money in your bank account, and more impact created in the world!
Cuz that is what this is all about right?
ACTION STEP: Check out my current website makeover options and then definitely book a coffee chat with me!
Feeling a bit lazy? I got you - here’s the TL;DR version of my services page:
Website Makeover Options:
THE ONE-PAGE WONDER - A fully custom one-page website OR sales page, strategically designed to sell & book clients with a 2–3 day turnaround. Investment: $999 USD
THE SIGNATURE REFRESH - A fully custom 3-page website (Home, About, Services + Contact & standard pages) on a 3 week timeline. Investment: $1800 USD
THE ULTIMATE GLOW-UP - A fully custom 5-page website (Home, About, Services + 2 pages of choice + Contact & standard pages) on a 4 week timeline. Investment: $2300 USD
2. Need some spicy words that sell? Add-on my full-service copywriting package!
You’ll get: Full-service, done-for-you website copy that is intentionally crafted to help you stand out from the crowd, and book + sell more of your stuff! Investment: $999-2300 USD (depending on size of project)
3. Supercharged VIP Day
If you already have an existing Squarespace website that doesn’t need a full refresh, but you need help with the niggly details. Then take a load of endless tweaking (and overwhelm) off your shoulders, and hand it over to me for one supercharged VIP day! Investment: $777 USD (full day), $450 USD (half day)
