Are you looking to start your photography website redesign process? Then you’re in the right place!
Redesigning a website is no easy task. In fact, the entire process has a lot of moving parts which is why this time around I did not do it alone. Instead, I hired an amazing team of creatives that really brought my vision to life!
If you’re thinking about redesigning your site, here are some hard learned lessons that you might find helpful!
1. Hire a Copywriter
If you truly want your site to captivate your ideal client and convert into sales, then investing in a conversion copywriter might be the best decision you can make. I’ve read numerous books on how to write amazing copy, and while I feel like I have a good knowledge base about this topic, I decided to take a deep dive into my brand with an actual copywriter.
Ashlyn helped me define my brand voice, mission statement, elevator pitch, ideal client avatar, onlyness factor, and so much more. In fact, I loved what her and her team put together for my website copy so much that it made me want to buy my own products. Ha!
If you’re looking for some amazing books on copywriting, here are my top 3 recommendations:
Copywriting Secrets by Jim Edwards
How to Write Copy that Sells by Ray Edwards
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
2. Don’t Be Afraid to Switch Platforms
For years I shouted from the rooftops that WordPress was the best website platform. Indeed, it is one of the most robust and powerful platforms out there. In fact, I wasn’t even planning on switching to a different company when I decided to redesign my website. However, because the theme I was using made some changes to their business model and decided to pursue a subscription model, and my designer was no longer working in WordPress, I started looking into Showit.
And let me tell you… I have never seen an easier platform to work in. Everything is drag-and-drop, no coding necessary. If you want full control over your site and don’t want to go to a web developer every single time you want to update something, then Showit might be a great option for you. The great thing is that your blog will stay on WordPress while you design your theme in Showit. Therefore, you can use all of your plugins (Yoast is my favorite for SEO), while maintaining the creative design freedom of Showit. It’s a win-win!
3. Choose the Right Website Theme and Designer
With hundreds of themes out there, it’s really important that you find one that is very close to what you want your future website to look like. This will ensure that your designer will be able to work quickly and have your site ready in record time. I chose to go with the Magen Bay Design by Davey & Krista because it felt like it was created specifically for me and my brand. Every single thing I wanted on my new site, this theme already had it. It worked so seamlessly with my brand that the copy that Ashlyn Writes wrote for me fit perfectly on the Home Page without having to change anything. Talk about a perfect fit!
Also, I need to brag on my amazing designer, Sharon Capps, for doing such an amazing job. One thing I considered when hiring my designer was that, besides loving her work in general, she had worked with other photographers and had a fast turnaround time. I do not like delaying projects, and Sharon was amazing to work with!
These are my 3 takeaways from my photography website redesign process. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comment box below!
