The Website “Rule” I Always Break

Ok, hear me out before the marketing police come to get me 🤣 There’s an important website “rule” that I often break:

The rule: Your website should be all about your ideal client.

Yes, your website does need to make your ideal client feel understood and that should happen first thing, towards the top of your site. But that doesn’t mean your website can’t include your personality, your story, your preferences – all the things that makes clients say “Yep. She’s my person.“

Talking directly to your client and how you’re going to help them is essential for your website, but that doesn’t mean your personality has to disappear. I’m going to break down some ideas for infusing your personality throughout your website while making your client feel like they’re in the right place.

1. Keep Your About Section Brief

You can introduce yourself on the homepage in a small about section, after you get through explaining what you do, who you help and what your services are. Add a link from the about section to your about page so they can read more.

2. Add Your Personality

The about page is your place to shine! In addition to sharing your background, experience and training – your about page is the perfect place to share more details. Let people get to know the real you with sections like these:

• Your story – explain how you got to where you are now, what dramatic shift did you have?
• Your likes/dislikes – list out things that you love (or don’t love) in a quick and fun way so people can get to know you
• Play a game – two truths and lie is a fun one to get people engaged and get to know some fun facts about you
• Timeline – walk people through a timeline to show them how you go to where you are
• Your favorite things – if sharing intimate details is uncomfortable for you, consider sharing a list of what’s in your Amazon cart right now
• Personal photo gallery – Share photos of you when you were little, your family or some non-branded candid photos of you in real life so people can see you outside of your business life

3. Create a fun bio snippet

Add a bio snippet throughout your site, so people are reminded who you are. Remember, they may not have seen your bio on your homepage, or they may have entered your site through a blog post. You don’t want to miss an opportunity to share who you are and add your personality!

Example bio: I’m a mid-western girl who picked up a camera at age 16. Now, I get to capture your most important moments in life. When I’m not behind the camera, I’m rooting for the Hawkeyes, drinking a spicy Coke and snuggling with my Goldendoodle Brownie. 🤎

Share your small bio in sections like…

• Blog sidebar
• Footer
• Below blog posts (author box)

Conclusion

Your clients want to feel heard and their struggles/needs are priority #1. Finding ways to infuse your own story, background and personality throughout your website will help people to connect with you.

Don’t disappear from your own website, it’s the website “rule” I’m always willing to break.