I recently asked in my Facebook group (Showit & Squarespace for Creatives) “What’s your current biggest challenge when it comes to designing your website?”

The response: “Just figuring out all the content because it’s time consuming and overwhelming.”

I TOTALLY get that. Here is a rundown of what most service-based businesses need on their website:

✓ Headshot of you (and preferably a brand photoshoot)

One of the best ways to build that know, like, and trust factor is to have a photo of YOU looking AT THE CAMERA. This shows you are an honest, real person in a distant online world.

✓ Mission statement

Arguably the most important content for your website is the COPY! If you want a website that converts (it makes the sale or the viewer fills out your contact form, etc.), you need copy that is engaging and forces them to say an easy YES.

That being said, the mission statement is my #1 suggestion of what to focus on. Analyze the GOAL of your website, and based on that create a mission statement that clearly states who you are, what you do/ offer the client, and whom you serve.

Get my free copywriting for beginners checklist

✓ Headline

This is not the same thing as your mission statement. Create concise headlines to place above each paragraph to make your website skimmable.

Read More: How to improve your website’s scannability

✓ 4 pages

If you are a service provider, these are the pages I suggest: Home (with your mission statement clear and above the fold), About, Services, and Contact.

I also think a blog is a great idea (even if you only post 6 times a year) as it gives you an opportunity to feature your work and use your keyword phrases which will help build your SEO and rank you higher on Google. Squarespace and Showit both offer blog page templates already set up for you, so just start writing!

✓ A cohesive brand

Whether you design your website on Squarespace or Showit, you will need to set up a color palette and font choices. At the bare minimum this should be thought about prior to your web design. If you want to know the other brand elements your business needs, I liked the blog below. ↓

Read Next: What Brand Elements Your Business Needs

what else?

This is the bare minimum. I could argue you should also have clear call to actions, social media buttons, case studies or testimonials, and basic SEO, but I am more focused on you GETTING YOUR WEBSITE OUT INTO THE WORLD.

Once it is out there, you can go in and perfect it, but you can’t start ranking on search engines until you hit PUBLISH.

Need help hitting publish on your website?

I have a course that guides you through how to design a website that converts on Squarespace.

You can have your website up & running IN 30 DAYS OR FEWER, even if you’ve never designed a website before!

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