This is a quick 30 minute activity to get rid of dead ends on your website by using Calls To Action (CTAs). These can make a HUGE difference to the effectiveness of your website and the number of enquiries you get from it.

One of the common mistakes I see good photographers make is to have a website full of dead ends. What I mean by this is that their website might be clearly organised (info / portfolio / pricing / about me / blog / contact etc) but each page operates solo – it does what it says on its tin and then just ends….

Here are my images…. end of page.
Here’s my pricing… end of page.
Let me tell you about myself… end of page.

Often the only exception to this is the contact page, where the visitor IS asked to do something else after finishing reading – i.e. get in touch.

 

 

The problem with all these ‘dead ends’? When a page ends, unless there’s a clear instruction to do something else, often the viewer’s interaction with your site will also end. Statistics show most people spend about 5-10 seconds on a website in TOTAL. Usually they’re just having a quick look just for long enough to decide whether to rule you out or keep you as a possibility.

When they reach the end of a page, figuring out what to do next requires brain power and working things out. This is something research and statistics show most website visitors don’t like to do – so often they’ll just flick onto something else and start looking at other sites. You might feel it’s obvious what they should do next, but you’ve had the luxury of spending hours/days/weeks/months creating your website and know what’s where and how a photography business and photography website typically works. You KNOW what you want them to do next. But they don’t…. unless you tell them.

 

 

This brings me onto the solution… Ensure that you have clear Calls To Action (CTAs) on EVERY page.

Ensure that you don’t leave it to the visitor to have to work out what to do next at ANY stage. You should expertly lead them through your website, making it crystal clear at every step exactly what it is you want them to do next. Leave a trail of crumbs for them to follow. Don’t leave any dead ends. Every page should lead to something else – the aim is that you don’t want them to leave your website without doing the things you want them to do, hopefully culminating in the ultimate CTA – them getting in touch with you.

 

What to do

 

Go through your website. For EVERY PAGE (remember they might go to any of these pages first – they won’t necessarily view them in the order you expect or wish), do the following:

1) Ask yourself – after reading this page, what exactly do I want them to do next?

2) Put a clear Call To Action at the end of the page telling them to do this, with a fully functioning link so they can just click on it and instantly do that thing without having to think or work out where anything is.

 

 

Calls To Action need to be foolproof – make them as specific and instructional as possible.

For example, just writing: “Tel: 07777 111111” is not a CTA. That doesn’t directly prompt the visitor to do anything – people see numbers listed like this all the time and will just gloss over it. However, writing, “Drop me a quick text on 07777 111111 with your name and wedding date” immediately suggests the next step and they’re much more likely to get in touch this way.

 

Here are some examples of CTAs you might like to include:

 

• Get in touch (link to contact page – more about this below as this is the ‘ultimate’ CTA)
• Have a look at my photos (link to portfolio page)
• Read more about my approach to family shoots (link to info page)
• Download my free pdf (link to lead magnet landing page)
• Join my mailing list to receive xyz (link to join email list)
• Download my brochure (link to brochure download)
• Book in a chat (link to reserve slot to talk on phone/Zoom etc)
• Pay your booking fee (link to payment button)
• Reserve your shoot date (link to online booking calendar)
• Read more about abc / check out article(s) xyz (link to useful/interesting blog post(s) relevant to them)
• Connect with me on Facebook/Instagram etc (links to social media)
• Read what my clients have to say (link to testimonials)

 

 

Your contact page – the ultimate Call To Action

 

As listed above, there are many Calls To Action you can use; however the ‘holy grail’ of CTAs is them getting in touch – this is what we want them to do more than anything else – as obviously these enquiries are the gold dust we’re ultimately after.

Ensure you have multiple ways to get in touch. So many photographers make the mistake of only having one way to get in touch – usually a contact form. Many don’t give their email address or phone number. Why make it harder for people to get in touch with you? You need to be making your client’s job easier! Different people find different methods of getting in touch more comfortable than others, so give them some options and make it easy for them to get in touch in whatever way is most convenient for them.

 

 

Try to include as many of these as possible on your contact page (you don’t need all of them, just as many as possible) and ensure there are clear Calls To Action for each one:

• Contact form – eg CTA: “Take 2 minutes to fill out the quick contact form below”
• Email address (with a clickable link) – eg CTA: “Drop me an email on [email address] and tell me about you and your family”
• Phone number – eg CTA: “text or call me on [number]”
• Social media handles (with clickable links) – eg CTA: “DM me on Instagram with your wedding date”
• Brochure download (with clickable link) – eg CTA: “Download my brochure for more info”
• Link to online calendar to book in slot for a chat – eg CTA: “Let’s have a quick chat on [Zoom/Skype/telephone]

 

It’s important to keep things simple, and you may of course have one preferred method of contact. If this is the case, just state at the top of the page: “The best way to get in touch with me is X’ and present this first. Then you can always write underneath, “However, if you prefer you can also get hold of me in the following ways…” and then list the others.

So, happy dead end hunting – I hope this helps you to get rid of them! Did you find any dead ends on your own website?

Anna 🙂

 

 

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OTHER ARTICLES

 

If you liked this article I have heaps of others for you!

Just click on whichever sounds most like you and I’ll take you to a page full of resources to help you 👍

 

My biggest problem is MINDSET – I lack confidence

My biggest problem is BRANDING – I don’t know what makes me different to other photographers

My biggest problem is PRODUCTIVITY – I just can’t seem to get things done

My biggest problem is MARKETING – I don’t know how to best promote myself

 

I’d also love to chat to you on Instagram or Facebook if you’re on there – come and say hi!

Take care and have fun growing that wonderful business of yours!

Anna 🙂