Your website doesn’t have to be complicated to help people take the next step. It does need to make a few things clear: what you offer, who it is for and how someone can get in touch.

Before committing to a redesign, try these five checks. They can help you spot small changes that make your website easier to use.

1. Say what you do near the top

Someone arriving on your website may know very little about you. Can they quickly understand what you offer and whether it is relevant to them?

Read the first heading and paragraph on your homepage. Do they explain your work in familiar words, or could they belong to almost any business?

A useful starting point is:

“I help [who you work with] with [the problem or service], so they can [a realistic benefit].”

For example: “I help small businesses and charities make their marketing and websites easier to manage.”

You can still show your personality. Give visitors a clear explanation alongside it.

2. Make the next step easy to find

Once someone understands your offer, what would you like them to do?

That might be to enquire, book a conversation or read about a service. Choose a clear next step for each page and use wording that explains what will happen.

“Ask about website support” tells someone more than “Click here”.

Place that link or button where it makes sense, including after the information someone needs to decide. Check that it leads to the right destination.

Avoid asking people to choose between several equally prominent actions before they understand your offer.

3. Check your website on your phone

Open your website on your own phone and work through it as a visitor would.

Check whether:

• The text is comfortable to read without zooming.

• The menu is easy to open and use.

• Buttons and links are easy to tap.

• Images fit without pushing important information out of view.

• You can reach and complete the contact form.

Try the whole enquiry journey, rather than stopping at the homepage.

This is a useful practical check, although it does not replace a full accessibility review. If possible, ask someone else to try it too: they may notice things you have become used to.

4. Answer the questions people ask before enquiring

Think about the information you regularly explain in emails or introductory conversations.

Depending on your service, visitors might want to know:

• Who the service is suitable for.

• What is included.

• Whether you work online, in person or both.

• What it costs, or how you prepare a quote.

• What happens after they enquire.

You don’t need a long page covering every possibility. Start with the questions that help someone decide whether to contact you.

Be specific about what you can offer. If availability or response times vary, say so rather than making a promise you cannot consistently keep.

5. Make getting in touch straightforward

Look at your contact form. Are you asking only for the information you need to respond to an initial enquiry?

A long form can create unnecessary work before someone has even spoken to you. Save detailed project questions for a later conversation where you can.

Make required fields clear and explain what happens after submission. Offer another contact method if that is practical for your business.

Send a test enquiry yourself. Check that the confirmation appears, the message reaches the right inbox and any automatic reply contains accurate information.

A form that looks finished still needs to work.

Start with one useful change

You don’t have to tackle all five checks today.

Choose the change most likely to remove a point of confusion: a clearer opening sentence, a more useful button label or a shorter contact form.

Keep a note of what you changed and pay attention to the questions people ask afterwards. Their feedback can help you decide what to improve next.

If you’d like support making your website clearer and easier to manage, explore my website creation service or get in touch.