5 mistakes to avoid when setting up a website
We are pleased to be collaborating with a long-term friend of Crafty Fox Market to create our Top Tips series to help you make the most of selling your products online. Yeshen Venema is one of the leading product photographers in the UK, specialising in the design and craft sector and he’s put together a guide on the five things to avoid when setting up your own website.
Not having a clear brand identity before building the site
It’s as simple as having a logo, sub-mark (version of your logo that works in a small square format), a 1-2 fonts and a pallet of 2-3 colours. Starting your site without these will lead to an inconsistent or boring look.
Not having professional photography and/or graphics that are optimised for your website layout
90% of your website should feature high quality imagery, if you use amateur photos it will look amateur. If you’re not skilled with a camera, work with someone who is. Make sure you understand your template/page structure prior to a shoot so that you get the right images. Custom graphics and icons can add a unique touch and make your site stand out.
Too much copy and not adding regular content
Think of your customer’s attention span while scrolling through Instagram, let alone your ‘About’ page. Sorry, nobody wants to read your life story. Keep it short, unique and to the point. Add regular, relevant content (a blog/journal/mood board page is ideal for this) for improved SEO.
Not stating clearly who you are, where you are and what you do
Think of this as your elevator pitch, for example ‘I am a weaver from Sheffield who works with local wool to create blankets’. Put this on the homepage and repeat it (using different phrasing) on your ‘About’ page.
Not having a clear way to get in touch, call to action and follow on social
It may sound obvious but I’ve seen websites with no contact page or email links that do not work. Make it simple for someone to contact you and create a clear CTA (Call to Action) on most pages such as ‘BookNow’ or ‘Shop Now’.
Why not try out these tips and share your new websites with us on Instagram? We’d love to share them in our stories - just tag us @craftyfoxmarket to be featured!
Yeshen Venema is a leading product photographer and Squarespace Specialist working from his own studio in Islington, London. Find him at www.yeshen.uk and @yeshen.uk. All images by Yeshen.
