Spa owners, is your website working for you or against you?

If you’ve bootstrapped your biz and have taken on the role of building your own website, don’t worry: you’re not alone! Between the easy-to-build website templates available, cheaper hosting options, and ample selection of stock imagery to pluck from, it almost seems too easy…

…And if you’re seeing slow loading times, little-to-no client conversions (bookings), and/or a high Bounce Rate (meaning that people are visiting a page on your website and leaving ASAP!) then it’s probably the DIY aspect that’s to blame.

Here’s what you need to know about why exactly that’s happening–and how to fix it!

The Importance of a Good Website For Your Spa Business

The truth is, your website should be doing the heavy lifting of converting website visitors into paying clients–but if you don’t know what you don’t know, you’re likely missing important chunks of what makes a cohesive lead-generating site.

Why? Because as much as we all love the fun of picking out a website template and filling in the blanks (and trust me–that genuinely is fun!), it just won’t reel in the clients you need to stay profitable.

The non-negotiables of any good website are as follows:

• Your website has a user-friendly design that reflects your spa’s brand identity
• Your website is SSL-secured to ensure that your customers’ financial information is kept safe when purchasing online
• Your website is built mobile-first 
• Your website has clear calls-to-action that drive bookings & retail sales
• And your website is easy to navigate 

…If you read that and think, “Wow, no wonder web designers cost so much!” then you’re right on the money (pun intended): just like an esthetician, web designers know how to look below the surface to determine what to prioritize and why to “clear” your website woes. Their niche is providing results, just like in skin therapy.

So what are the ways your site is likely working against you? Well…

Why is Your Spa Website Working Against You?

“But Kirsten,” you may be saying, “I did hire a professional web designer! How come I’m still not seeing results from my website?

We hear that exact same thing from many of our coaching clients, and Delia summarizes why perfectly: “Digital marketing is a very different industry than esthetics; esthetics isn’t like clothing, where just anyone can fit into it… those unspecialized web designers can’t look down the pipeline, see spa-specific issues issues, and anticipate when they’re coming up for you.” Meaning? You’ll always need to pivot your service offers and, in turn, details on your website depending on seasonality and other key factors–but whether you’ve done your website on your own or have hired a non-spa related website designer, you’re likely left to scramble at the last minute to make those pivots due to a lack of foresight.

Other key factors that are holding you back are:

• If you created your website from a template, you probably didn’t have a professional set of eyes look it over to make sure it is SEO-optimized, easy to navigate, and/or fast-loading
• Inconsistent branding (or, cue the gulping noise–no branding at all!) from making little changes to your site through the years
• Slow site speed, which can usually be chalked up to too many large images or too many plugins
• A website that looks bad or functions poorly on mobile devices, which makes up nearly 60% of all web searches globally
• "Walls of text", vague working, or under-selling your services and expertise through lackluster wording (which we get! Estheticians aren’t copywriters–you have enough on your plate as-is)
• Images, words, tone, and/or services that don’t connect with your ideal client
• Key info that takes too many clicks to find (like your booking page)
• A lack of SEO-optimization, meaning that potential clients who search for your business or services online will have to wade through 20+ pages of Google to even see your site!

Whew! We know that list seems long, but trust is when we say that the fix is easier than you think.

Invest in a Quick Website Assessment–Done By Both Spa and Website Professionals

Have you been noticing that your website isn’t generating booked appointments or online retail sales?

Before you panic, consider investing in a Quick Website Assessment instead. 

In this brand-new offer, both Delia–who is both a spa professional and web design expert!--and I do a deep-dive into your site to answer the following questions for you:

• Who is your ideal client...exactly?
• What is your current niche? (And are you wanting to change this niche?)
• What do you want your most-requested service to be?

This assessment is recorded and sent to you so, at any point, you can begin to tackle the pain points that are driving clients away… whether that be doing it on your own or turning to professional spa digital marketing services!