How to build a high-converting website
We’re on a mission to help founders develop digital skills so that their businesses can thrive! With the help of our partners, we’ve interviewed real-life business owners like Gary to show you what’s possible when you have an optimised website 🎉
In this blog, we’re exploring how to build a high-converting website. We know that when you’re starting out, the digital world can feel like a maze of platforms and technical jargon. But building a site that actually sells couldn’t be easier!
You can watch the full video interview with Gary here.
What stops founders from building their first website?
We’ve helped thousands of founders, and the biggest hurdle is usually overwhelm. With so many website builders and options out there, it’s easy to get lost in a rabbit hole of platforms and give up before you’ve even started.
Gary’s secret? He realised he didn’t have to have all the answers, He just needed to get started, and test until he got it right!
Building your high-converting website
1. Choose a user-friendly website builder
Running a business is hard enough, don’t make it harder with complicated tech!
Some founders opt for ‘open’ platforms like WordPress when they need something bespoke or customer-built.
But as Gary found, often when you’re getting started, you just need something simple to get the ball rolling.
Initially experiencing a total ‘disaster’ with an open platform, Gary trialled Squarespace and Wix, before settling on Shopify for his business.
Why builders work:
- Drag-and-drop: Many tools have templates built into them that you can customise without coding
- Speed: Out-of-the-box options are often the fastest way to get your site up and running, saving you hours of time coding and instead freeing up time for you to focus on your customers!
- Tried and tested: Many platforms have templates or themes that have been designed to convert. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel as the heavy lifting has been done for you!
Does it actually work? Yes! Gary found that once he settled on a dedicated builder like Shopify, he could focus on the business rather than the tech. By using an optimised template, he created a professional storefront for his business.
➡️ Take Action
2. Niche your Content
A common mistake founders make is trying to sell to everyone. If your website messaging is too broad, it resonates with no one.
Gary originally marketed his product for “back pain” which is a massive market. However, it wasn’t until he focused specifically on runners and running injuries that things took off. As a result of niching, he was able to keep his keywords consistent and direct customers to the pages and products they actually wanted to see. And when his customers saw the products, this led to sales!
How to niche down:
- Solve one problem: Focus on one specific pain point that you know your audience suffers with. Become the go-to solution for that pain point and build from there!
- Consistent keywords: Ensure your ads and your website use the same language so customers don’t get confused.
- Test landing pages: Create a separate page for a specific audience (like Gary did for runners) to see if it performs better than your main site.
Does it actually work? Absolutely. By pivoting from a general health product to a specific fitness tool for runners, Gary saw his sales jump from one sale a month to over 300 a month!
➡️ Take Action
- Identify your niche: Write down your top 3 customer “types” and pick one to focus on this month.
- If you already have a website, try testing a landing page targeting another target market and see what happens!
3. Use data to your advantage
Once your site is live, the work isn’t done – you need to see how people use it.
Gary used heat maps to watch how visitors moved through his site. He realised that if 85% of people weren’t reaching the bottom of his page, he needed to move his best content higher up. He also learned to change only one thing at a time (like a headline or a photo) so he knew exactly what caused a boost in sales.
Gary’s Optimisation Tips:
- High-quality images: Don’t use poor-quality phone photos; professional product shots build trust.
- Social proof: Even if you have to give products to friends and family first, get those reviews on the site!
- Keep it simple: Gary’s mentors told him to strip back the “bells and whistles” and stick to one font and a clean white background – and it worked!
➡️ Take Action
Conclusion
By following Gary’s tips and tricks, you’ll master how to build a high-converting website in no time at all! If you give these steps a go, make sure to email in and let us know 😊
Need support with your website build? Join our community and start accessing free mentoring today!
Meet the Founder
Gary Watts is the founder of Eastnole and the inventor of the Yoback, a recovery tool born from his 20-year struggle with chronic pain and a determination to return to the sports he loves.
After a “disastrous” start with complex website builds, Gary worked with mentors to simplify his online presence and pivot his focus toward the runner market. This strategic shift helped him scale Eastnole from making just one sale a month to consistently reaching over 300 monthly sales!
