Website mastery — How to make your site work harder

Q: From your perspective, what takes a website from just 'doing the job' to really working hard for brands? 

A: Without proper planning and setting clear goals, your website will fail. I’ve seen websites that look fantastic but are hard to use and produce nothing for the business. By focusing on goals for the website at the start, you know what design, content, and functionality you need to make it brilliant.

Q: When a client says they want 'more leads” from their website – where do you usually start?
Is it design, structure, content, tech – what actually drives action?

A: First, we find out what their current website conversion rate is, how many leads they are getting, and what their target is. Then we take a good look at their existing website to see what needs improving. We use tools like GA4, heatmaps, and even user testing surveys to see where the pain points are.

Without doing this work, you’re doing the job blind. You need to know what your customers want from your website. Buyers want to see benefits (not just features) plus proof (reviews, case studies) to back up your claims. They want interesting content that answers their questions and easy user journeys.

Q: What’s the most common mistake you see companies make with their websites and how can they fix it?

A: Most companies don’t design websites for their audience. It sounds crazy, but I see very few consulting their customers about what they want to see on their website. They tend to approach a website as something that provides lots of information about their products and their company. It’s what I call “Telling, not Selling.”

How do they fix it? Get insights from your target audience about what would make them respond to your website. Instead of talking about “we do this and that,” talk about the real benefits that you, the customer, get from your products or service.

Q: There’s often debate around templates vs custom builds. What’s your honest take?

A: We only do custom-built websites at Bigfork, but there is a place for template websites too. Templates can provide a quick, low-cost website, which is ideal for startups or small businesses. The main problem with these though is that they can look very similar, and there aren’t many options to develop the design or functionality further. They can also be slow and may have SEO issues. Custom-built websites are the answer for companies who want a successful website that is unique to them.

Q: We often talk about the importance of first impressions. In your world, what three things should every homepage absolutely get right? 

A: The homepage normally gets the most traffic, so first impressions are important for first-time visitors. The design has to appeal to your target audience, who want to know who you are, what you do, and why they should use you. These are questions you need to answer above the fold. As most of us are highly visual, you need to do this with good images/video and strong messages. This is where a good website designer earns their money.

Q: From what you’ve seen, how much of a difference does strong branding make to how a website performs? Are businesses missing a trick by underplaying brand?

A: Strong branding makes a huge difference to website performance. Firstly, good branding differentiates a company from their competitors. I see too many company websites that look and say the same thing as their competition – for example: “We’re the UK market leaders in…”

Secondly, good branding gives a website emotional appeal. Whether it’s your values, your people, or a product benefit – something about your brand that has an emotional pull for your target audience makes it memorable.

You’ll be spending lots of time and money creating your website, and my advice is to work with professionals with proven experience and expertise to get it right.

Q: You’ve got a reputation for being thorough but easy to work with. What’s the secret to delivering quality while keeping the process human and how do you keep projects running smoothly – without steamrolling your clients?

A: Our approach is all about partnership, and we don’t assume they know everything about websites. At every stage, we communicate, get their feedback, and explain what we’re doing and why. Delivering quality depends on having a robust and proven process — which we have — but also getting clients on board and helping them understand why the process is important.

Q: And finally – what’s your top piece of advice, your one golden nugget, for anyone planning a website redesign?

A: Your website is one of your most important marketing assets. You’ll be spending lots of time and money creating your website, and my advice is to work with professionals with proven experience and expertise to get it right. If it’s not planned, designed, and developed successfully, you’ll be needing a new website again soon!

If you’re planning a redesign or just wondering how to get more from your digital presence, we’re here to help. At Naked, we can combine brand, design and marketing expertise with Bigfork’s technical know-how to create websites that don’t just look good — they deliver. 

bigfork.co.uk