Keeping Up Your SEO
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is basically the process of maximizing your website’s ranking and visibility when searched via Google or other popular search engines. While SEO can be a complicated topic, and the true algorithm for optimization is unknown, there are a few simple steps that you can take to ensure that your website is set up for success in the search engine world.
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is basically the process of maximizing your website’s ranking and visibility when searched via Google or other popular search engines. While SEO can be a complicated topic, and the true algorithm for optimization is unknown, there are a few simple steps that you can take to ensure that your website is set up for success in the search engine world.
One of the biggest, and most helpful, is starting (or keeping up) a blog.
How a blog can help with your SEO
SEO picks up and catalogs the words on your website, so writing content that is ‘SEO Rich’ or is typically searched by the public, is essential in boosting your website rank. Keywords (or better yet, keyphrases) are truly the answer to this process. Include them in your title, description and throughout your blog.
Images are also a great way to add an extra amount of SEO by customizing the file name and ensuring that the images you choose to include in your post are both good quality and formatted correctly.
Most big website builders such as Squarespace give you ample opportunities to include SEO boosting material such as blog tags, headlines, etc. Make sure to utilize all these options in one way or another to make the most out of your blog and get as much traffic as possible. An example of this from my own site would be something like “holistic-web-designer.png”.
Developing a blog content calendar
Now that we’ve covered the importance of the blog, you might be wondering how on earth to keep a blog up - especially if your business isn’t something that requires one. But not to fear, creating a blog content calendar requires time and effort, but will take the stress off of curating content every single day.
When developing your content, think of your ideal client, questions they may have or any pain points in their lives that they need to have addressed. This is your chance to talk to them fully, uninterrupted and as persuasively as you wish. Bear in mind that this is YOUR content - say what you want to your ideal customers and build the personality in your business.
After you develop a few blog content ideas start to write them down in a list format one after the other until you have roughly enough ideas to fill up at least a month or so!
Grab a blank calendar
To start with the planning side, determine how often you want to be blogging. Is it every other day? Once a week? Maybe just once a month? It’s all up to you. Once you figure that out, begin to fill relevant blog topics into each slot.
Doing the work
Now that you have all the pre-planning out of the way, all that’s left is to start writing!
Drafting and outlining your posts can help you remember to include the keywords needed for optimal SEO as well as stay on topic throughout the entire writing process.
After the blogs are written and ready to be posted, do some research to determine what time would be best to schedule each one and set them to go live at that specific time. Promote your posts on social media with graphics, quotes or stats to advertise each one.
Keeping up a blog is a commitment and takes time and effort if you want to truly make a good one, but the payoff at the end of the day makes it an essential online business builder as it increases SEO, boosts awareness and gives you a chance to speak into your clients in a different way!
Be patient
A common misconception about SEO is that it will boost your ranking overnight. Nope. Building up your Google results takes T-I-M-E. Sometimes it can even take up to a year. Don’t get discouraged! Just keep plugging away and you WILL see results. Just keep in mind that SEO isn’t some magic bullet, but more like another tool in your marketing toolbox.
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Create an Engaging About Page
So you’ve created your About page and it’s almost ready to go! Now you’re ready to put the pixel-perfect cherry on top with three final easy-to-implement tips that will improve your About page TODAY!
01. ADD YOUR PHOTO!
You may feel self-conscious about sharing your photo, and I get it. That one angle makes your hair look funny or you’re waiting to lose weight…okay well A) you are b-e-a-u-tiful girl and life is short! and B) add your photo anyway. People buy from people. They want to see WHO YOU ARE. And the only way they can do that is to see your smiling (*keyword*) face on your website. In an ideal world, this photo wouldn’t be a selfie, but work with whatcha got. If you want to add more than one photo, go for it!!
02. ADD SOCIAL PROOF
Social proof is a fancy term for sharing that you’re legit. People want to know that others have worked with you and liked the process. Social proof can come in lots of forms so here’s a quick list below:
Testimonials
Web/blog features
Podcast features
Media badges
Awards
These are just some common ones, but you can add any of these! This is a great way to share that you, sista, are the SH!T without writing about it in your text.
03. THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT!
OK, now that you’ve set up the greatest About page on the World Wide Web, please do this one last thing: Add a clear call-to-action! This can be a button or a link or a place to join your newsletter. Whatever it is, just make sure you tell your audience what you want them to do next. Often, this is some sort of link to your offerings page (Services, Shop, etc). Just don’t leave them hangin’.
NOT TOO HARD RIGHT?
These tips are totally doable, so go do them! And when you’re done, share your about pages with me! I’d love to meet you.
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How to grow your business before the end of the year
If you have a dream to start a business, look no further. It is time to create your website today. Here’s why you NEED a website if you're launching a business or side-hustle before the end of the year!
Be credible
A website establishes credibility & professionalism. It tells people that what you're doing isn't just a hobby, it's legit and so are you.
Stand out
A website can really set you apart from others in your industry by highlighting what makes you different and therefore a better choice for your dream customers!
Communicate
A website clearly communicates what you offer in a way that engages your audience. It's so much easier for them to see how you can help them without digging through social posts, etc.
Do it your way
You have so much more control over your website than social platforms or even email newsletters! Design, layouts and content can be whatever fits your brand best.
Find your flock
SEO from your site can net you more potential customers who love what you're doing! Let Google bring your tribe straight to your site (no hashtags required).
As experts in the web design industry, we know how important a website (still) is for growing your brand and turning your audience into paying, loyal customers and clients! You can do this. We have resources to help get you started.
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5 Creative Website Templates for Coaches
Although Squarespace makes many creative templates for small businesses, they don’t necessarily craft websites specifically for coaches (think life coaches, nutrition coaches, spiritual business coaches and so many more!).
There are a few benefits of choosing a professionally designed web template that is made FOR coaches:
These templates are designed with your audience in mind! They’re not the standard small business layout. They can be funky, fresh and just as unique as your coaching business.
The pages in the templates are created with your actual needs in mind! If you’re a nutrition coach that offers one-on-one coaching or a life coach that has created courses and a community, these premium templates have pages to match your exact offerings.
Premium website templates for coaches are not generic! While they aren’t as unique as a custom website, they have lots of extra features and cool designs coded into the templates to make your business standout from the rest.
BONUS! When you buy a custom, creative template from a designer vs. just using the out-of-the-box Squarespace themes, you’re supporting another small business. We’re all in this together. :)
HERE ARE MY TOP 5 CREATIVE WEBSITES TEMPLATES for COACHES:
Amelia Rose by June Mango
This template is light, airy and features some fun, unique layouts that you just can’t get from a standard Squarespace template.
It’s designed with a heavy focus on a creative coach that has a personal brand. This coaching template includes 9 unique pages including:
Home
About
Services
Events
Podcast
Blog
Shop
Testimonials
Contact
Best For: Life coaches, business coaches, wellness and nutrition coaches, podcasters and personal brands who are ready to turn their website into a high-conversion sales funnel (that’s also beautiful!)
Investment: $99
Installation Details: Pre-installed on a new or existing site. Done-for-you installation and design is available for $899.
Foundress by Station Seven
This template is modern and features some cool but simple layouts that will help you up-level that standard Squarespace template.
It’s designed with a great set of pages for a coaching business that holds creates content, like a podcast or coaching course. This template includes 9 unique pages including:
Home
About
Podcast
Courses
Blog
Shop
Portfolio
Services
Join Us
Best For: Coaching businesses that sell or promote content like podcasts, shops and courses.
Investment: $199
Installation Details: Pre-installed on a new site only.
Clean Freak by 23&9 Creative
This template is elegant and features some fresh, clean layouts that you don’t usually see from a standard Squarespace template.
It’s designed with a heavy focus on a fitness brand or coach. This template includes 6 unique pages including:
Home
About
Offerings
Events (or blog)
FAQ
Connect
Best For: Fitness coaches or wellness and nutrition coaches.
Investment: $179
Installation Details: Pre-installed on a new or existing site.
June by Wellness Site Shop
This template is bright, fun and features cute, playful layouts that are perfect for a coaching business with a youthful brand feel.
It’s crafted exclusively for health coaches and life coaches. This template includes 7 unique pages including:
Home
About
Services
Blog
Shop
Contact
404
Style Guides
Best For: Health coaches and life coaches.
Investment: $397
Installation Details: Pre-installed on a new site only.
Bailey Lane by June Mango
This template is feminine and artistic. It features really unique scrolling features that really up-level your Squarespace template.
It’s designed with nearly any coach in mind! It would be perfect for a mindset coach, business coach or parent coach’s website. This coaching template includes 9 unique pages including:
Home
About
One-on-one coaching
Group Coaching
Community / Membership
Blog
Testimonials
Subscribe
Best For: Life coaches, business coaches, wellness and nutrition coaches, parent coaches, podcasters and personal brands.
Investment: $99
Installation Details: Pre-installed on a new or existing site. Done-for-you installation and design is available for $899.
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The 1 page you MUST have on your website (legally!)
Yes, you need a homepage, and there are plenty of other pages that really make your website stand out. But there is one page that EVERY website needs - no matter what! And that is a Privacy Policy page.
No, it’s not sexy, but it is illegal not to have one.
Your site’s Privacy Policy should also be easy to find (it’s typically somewhere in the footer) and include information about the type of information you collect (e.g.: emails, names, etc), how personal data is used (e.g.: to track conversions, send marketing emails, etc), and a description of their rights.
June Mango provides a basic Privacy Policy for all our client sites, but the depth of your Privacy Policy depends largely on your website. There are few free templates swirling around on Google, but I highly recommend getting a real-deal version created by a lawyer (like this one).
Also, I’m NOT a lawyer - you know that, right? So of course, none of this is legal advice. Just best practices and web-safety! :)
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Cabin Fever Brand Design
Project RECAP
Such a fun branding project for Cabin Fever Coffee and Play House - think coffee house meets indoor playground without the primary colors and giant equipment. The brand is built upon the idea of a family minded space where you can attend parent-child sing and dance classes, let your kids run wild while drinking a hot cup of coffee or rent our space for your family-friendly event. These logos below include the alternate directions for the branding concepts. One is a nod to the forest friends and is more whimsical and childlike with hand drawn elements and the cute little fox. The second direction is more of an outdoorsy-iconography style design with the feeling of a cabin in the woods.
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Adding a Background Image to a Form
Switch things up from the standard Squarespace design of your form with a background image! Incorporate some simple custom coding into your website to design a unique form.
block ID #{
background-image:
url(insert URL here);
background-size: cover;
color: white;
}Switch things up from the standard Squarespace design of your form with a background image! Incorporate some simple custom coding into your website to design a unique form.
In this video I cover:
How to identify the content block where you will be placing your background image
The specific code used to achieve this look (see below)
SHOW NOTES
0:16 Identifying block ID code to change the form block
1:26 Adding code ID to custom CSS
2:00 Adding specific code to add background image
2:56 Changing background image size to fit the form
3:30 Changing form text color
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Sacred Vibes Healing
Lacey from Sacred Vibes Healing and Acupuncture
wanted to create a brand to lift and up-level her acupuncture clinic and crystal retail space. We wanted to combine the feminine energy of her personality with the directness of her crystal use in energy healing and acupuncture treatments.
Lacey felt that most acupuncturists practice more clinical-style acupuncture and focus heavily on pain management. Lacey has a broad spectrum of healing modalities for an array of different symptoms/concerns, which makes the treatments and her approach more unique. We tried to create a warm, inviting and high-vibrational design that feels inviting for all.
We rounded out the branding with web design,
social media templates, and a newsletter template.
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Adding an Anchor Link in Squarespace 7.1
Learn how to create a "page jump" within your Squarespace website. Get website visitors where you want them to go quicker with this trick.
Learn how to create a "page jump" within your Squarespace website. Get website visitors where you want them to go quicker with this trick.
In this video I cover:
How to identify the section you want to link your scroll
Properly putting the correct code to your section
<div id= "section name"> </div>
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How much money do you need to save for maternity leave?
The second part of planning for maternity leave is going to cover finances and inform everyone around you! If you missed them, check out the first two posts in this series: when you take your maternity leave and how to set up systems for your business to run smoothly.
This is the big question for solopreneurs planning for maternity leave:
how much money do you need to save?
To begin this process of discovery, break down what you pay on a monthly basis now and what you may be paying once the baby comes.
The first category to breakdown is your monthly personal expenses:
mortgage/rent,
utilities,
cable/internet,
auto insurance,
gas,
student loans/debt,
groceries,
health insurance
After this, factor in the baby expenses:
diapers,
pump,
pumping bags,
bottles,
misc. midnight purchases (it happens!).
Planning a baby budget and giving yourself some wiggle room for impulse buys can help alleviate a lot of financial stress in an already stressful situation. You will find there are typically a lot of monthly buys you did not expect for the baby.
The next category to break down are your monthly biz expenses:
marketing,
admin (scheduling apps, website host),
assistants/employees,
studio/office costs
The final category to break down will be your extracurricular expenses:
Netflix/hulu,
takeout/easy meals,
house cleaner,
travel,
savings,
shopping,
hospital bills.
These are all subject to change and might go up or down after the baby comes (ie: maybe more for house cleaning and less for travel). However, having a rough breakdown will help you create a feasible budget for the months you’ll be on leave!
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THE MATERNITY LEAVE MONEY
WORKSHEETS!
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How to plan for maternity leave as a solopreneur
During pregnancy, I realized that all the information about maternity leave dealt with people in corporate jobs – rarely people that work for themselves. I had to figure out everything myself (I did a LOT of deep googling). I wanted to help solopreneurs plan for maternity leave without the hassle, so created plans, worksheets, and posts to help teach others what I learned myself.
Preparing for Maternity Leave Part 1:
First, you want to get an understanding of what maternity leave will really feel like, specifically with regard to your emotions and expectations. You may think that you will feel a certain way, but you don’t really know how you will actually feel until you walk through each step.
Everything will change: your emotions, relationships, energy levels, etc. All of this is normal, but remember that while you may think everything will feel fine, it may not – and that is okay!
How do you know when to stop working?
What is the final day that you cross off your to-do’s? This is different for everyone, but there are some good guidelines to follow.
The first is to reverse engineer your time. After 35 weeks, focus your attention only on ‘nice to dos’. These are things that you don’t have to get done and are not crucial. Things such as Instagram posts, newsletters, and expenses.
Before 35 weeks focus on ‘must dos’. These are tasks such as client work, scheduling blog posts, etc. Again, this is all relative to each person and you may feel super exhausted around 30 weeks and need to lay in bed for hours a day, so keep that in mind! If you can, you may also want to scale down your hours slowly instead of stopping altogether.
How long should you plan to be out on maternity leave?
This is personal. I can’t answer that for you! However, I like to say plan for whatever you think you’ll need plus a little more. You can always come back earlier, but it is harder to add extra time at the end after you have scheduled finances, delegations, etc.
Should you work during maternity leave?
This is also different for everyone, but I can give you a few pointers. For many, it depends on the type of work you do. In general, it is better to handle minor tasks: responding to emails, writing posts or newsletters, checking in on social media - but the key is to not stress yourself out with anything work related. Give yourself permission to just be present!
Here are another few things to consider:
Maternity leave shorter than 12 weeks puts women at higher risk of postpartum depression and anxiety.
Will you/how long will you be breastfeeding?
And how long can your partner take off?
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Favorite Logos of 2021
A recap of some of my favorite unchosen logos and submarks from 2021 branding projects including one for an acupuncturist and a child and family counseling logo.
There were so many fun branding projects in 2021 and so many amazing clients! Since each branding process gets 3-4 fully designed brand identity options, not all logos get the green light. Some aren't quite right for the client or maybe just didn't fit as well as another option, but I have a little love for all of my logos (and maybe get a little too attached?? Eh, whatever!).
These are some of my favorite branding concepts and their variations created that didn't make the final cut.
pst…
Like a logo above and think it’s the perfect fit for your business?
Feel free to reach out for details on how to purchase!
No Code Custom Button Options
Discover how to use image blocks to create custom buttons for your website. No custom code needed to incorporate this element into your website design.
Discover how to use image blocks to create custom buttons for your website. No custom code needed to incorporate this element into your website design.
In this video I cover:
How to use the image content block to create a button
The various image content blocks you can use as buttons
The content you can link within these images
Show Notes
0:26 Inserting an image block
0:36 Uploading an image that looks like a button
0:57 Linking your image button
1:15 Resizing your image block
2:00 Uploading a background image for your button
2:11 Setting up a poster image design
2:36 Adding text on top of your button
2:44 Resizing the height of your image block button
3:14 Updating your button font style
The following information was created for use with templates made with Squarespace 7.0. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks
for the new 7.1 platform!
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Questions to ask yourself when you’re in a business funk
Everyone’s creative process looks different, but a lot have the same initial phases. Here are a few thoughts on how to streamline yours.
Every few years, my creative brain starts to wander. I imagine new businesses I could start or new projects that really feel like they would light me up. I fantasize about how amazing it would be to take on these new roles and shake up my routines. When these thoughts bubble up, I admittedly follow them down the rabbit hole of creative dreamland. What I always end up realizing is that I don’t actually want to burn everything down and start over.
So what is bringing up all of this distracted energy?
What’s usually happening is a little below the surface (always is, right?). Sometimes this happens around a season of rest or wintering. Sometimes this happens when you’ve been at it awhile and are beginning to feel those telltale signs of burnout. Sometimes you do have more to give or may have had a shift in your values or priorities.
Whatever the reason, if you find yourself feeling like you're in a business rut, here are some questions you can ask yourself.
What do I like doing?
What DON’T I like doing?
What am I really good at?
What is really important to me right now?
Who is really important to me right now?
What will have the greatest impact on my life and/or my business?
Using these questions will help you determine what to focus on and what to let go of. From here, you can begin to find ways to incorporate new creative ideas into your current business; you probably don’t need to burn it all down and start anew.
Getting into a funk is a natural part of life and business. Everything is cyclical after all. Pop open your journal, ask yourself these questions, and see what comes up.
Rest is not a reward
Everyone’s creative process looks different, but a lot have the same initial phases. Here are a few thoughts on how to streamline yours.
What is the deal with our cultural idea of rest? It seems to be synonymous with lazy, unproductive, invaluable, and even shameful. I’m here to remind you, no… implore you, to reconsider these ideas of rest. KC Davis speaks to this idea of rest being deserved inherently and not something we only deserve at the end of productivity.
We only have so much energy at any given moment.
As we exchange that energy throughout our daily lives, we become literally depleted of that energy. Imagine you work 6 hours with clients everyday, but then continue on to clean your house, take care of kids or pets, go for a run, chat with a partner, check in on a family member, and on and on. Each activity depletes your energy storage.
A good way to think about energy is as a glass of water. Some activities in our lives require a lot of that water (eg: client work, parenting, exercise, etc). Some activities may only need a small sip (eg: writing an email or doing the dishes). And some activities may be more like an energy exchange (eg: chatting with a friend), which is more like giving a little water and getting a little back. But at some point, your cup is running low. You just don’t have any more water to give to anyone, including yourself. We all have limited energy.
And so, we rest. We recover. We re-up.
It’s a critical part of the process! And it allows you to actually give more than if you push on through.
But another belief many have is that rest is the thing at the end. It’s the reward for all the hard work. “Once I do XYZ, then I can take a break”. “If I can just squeeze out three more emails, then I will let myself rest.”
Rest is not a reward. Rest is something you are inherently worthy of.
It is as essential as food and water. It makes you better at everything else. There is no shame in resting, sleeping, meditating, going for a walk, watching a little Netflix, folding the laundry tomorrow, or never folding the laundry at all. You are not lazy. You still have value.
Allow yourself to take breaks. Pencil it into your calendar if you have to. Put the laundry out of sight. Do whatever you need to do to shift the belief that your rest is not as valuable as your work.
We are all worthy of rest.
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What is a holistic business?
Everyone’s creative process looks different, but a lot have the same initial phases. Here are a few thoughts on how to streamline yours.
Holistic businesses are ones that support the whole person behind the business, not just their business needs. Spreadsheets and profit margins are important, but so is rest, boundaries and creativity. I am a firm-believer in holistic approaches.
To look at something as a whole, not just the sum of its parts, allows one to make meaningful strides towards any goal.
When we approach our business in this way, we allow the excess to fall away and give ourselves room to grow the things that align with our values. To do this, you have to see the big picture. For example, as a new mom, I had a major shift in priorities, but also in time. I no longer had a full 8 hour day to do my work. And more importantly, I didn’t want to spend 8 hours at my desk. I wanted to squeeze my baby’s cheeks and catch up on much needed sleep. I needed to look at what my priorities were at that time to begin to make changes that related to my business. I also needed to pay my bills, so spending ALL of my time with my baby wasn’t an option either.
I started by looking at what I love to do in my business, what items brought in the most money, and how much time I realistically could spend working in a given week. Using that formula, I was able to delegate some tasks and shift some things around so that my business fit into my life (not the other way around!).
Each item affects another. Our lives are an ecosystem, and a business is one part of that. A holistic business understands this fundamental shift and utilizes a new mindset to cultivate growth, but also joy! It takes intentionality and the understanding that behind every business is the human running it.
Jamie Foley Brand Design
Project RECAP
Jaime Foley is an interior designer who needed a brand identity to match her newly formed business. Jaime Foley Design Studio has a focus on the co-existence of beauty and function. Her goal is to make your home not only look great, but feel great too. With a focus on clean lines, and a modern esthetic, the mix of old and new create warmth and a space that speaks to you and your life.
So we brought that mission to life through design. Below are some of the designs from the process!
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Crystal Healing Collective
Jean from Crystal Healing Collective
wanted to create a brand to lift the launch of her coaching & healing business.
With a crystal shop already active, we wanted to marry the physicality of the
crystals with her energy work.
Jean was very specific about the earthy, neutral palette that would be a less trendy alternative to what we often see with energy brands. Representing the unseen elements of energy and healing often lends itself to aura photography with bright gradients, but this wasn’t a good fit for Crystal Healing Collective. We did lean into the movement of gradient colors to represent the shifting energies of Reiki, which is Jean’s primary practice, but we grounded it with deep blues and rusts which lend themselves to the idea of connecting with the earth.
We rounded out the branding with web design, social media templates, a newsletter template and crystal cards.
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The Top 5 Things to Make Your Squarespace Website ADA Compliant
Creating a website that is not only beautiful but also accessible for all is an easy process that can make a big impact on your audience. There are a few simple steps that you can take to make your website ADA compliant. Take a look at the breakdown below!
Creating a website that is not only beautiful but also accessible for all is an easy process that can make a big impact on your audience. There are a few simple steps that you can take to make your website ADA compliant. Take a look at the breakdown below!
Tag Images With Alt Text That Describes the Image
When naming your image files, or updating your file names within Squarespace, be sure to describe the image clearly. In the past, you may have focused on keywords for your image names, update these files with descriptions of the actual image. For example, instead of local-vet-practice.png, name the image accurately - such as black-lab-in-animal-hospital.png.
Contrasting Colors
Be aware of your color usage throughout your website. Make sure that you have enough contrast between colors when they are close to one another. Especially when they are overlapped, such as buttons or collage image blocks.
Text Size
Your text sizing should be large enough in its regular format, but also clearly legible when resized and enlarged. Be mindful of this step during the design process from the get-go to avoid having to backtrack and reevaluate your webpage.
Clear Page Names and Navigation
Make your navigation clear to understand and visible throughout your website. Plus, keep your page names clear and concise - more straightforward. This will help avoid confusion for anyone clicking throughout your website.
Buttons That Say What They Do
Instead of your standard “click here” on your button text, label buttons accurately and clearly (ie: send a request).
