I mentioned this was a bit of a joke in the web dev space: “Make it pop.” That’s because often, what clients think will help is to make their logo bigger. You know, to “make it pop!” But really, making the logo bigger isn’t helping you convert your visitors into customers or clients. What matters much, much more is what you say, and how you say it.
And by the way, your logo should be high-resolution and fully readable on the page, but typically small enough that it doesn’t add to the “scroll” of the page.
Here are some other ways to Pop with Purpose:
Be Clear
An easy mistake to fall into when writing your copy (what your website says) is the desire to be *clever*. Cleverness has its uses, but it shouldn’t be the primary copy on the page. We want to be as clear as possible. If you’re tasked with writing the copy for your site, you can imagine that you’re explaining it to your grandma, or a 10-year-old. Sure, you might hook them with a clever phrase, but that doesn’t mean they’ll understand what it *means*.
Writing clear copy can be difficult to do for some folks. We can be so close to our own products or services that we take certain bits of knowledge or understanding for granted. There’s a reason professional copywriters exist – they know how to write and structure copy to prevent that from happening. But if you’re writing your own, try asking a friend (who doesn’t really know what you do), to read your copy and then explain back to you what you do.
Keep It Simple
Have you ever seen a sign that was so busy you couldn’t read it? A website can be like that too if it’s too cluttered. Keep your website simple. Choose one or two big ideas you want to tell your visitors about and make sure those ideas are the first things people see. If visitors can understand your message quickly, they are more likely to stick around.
Of course, keeping it simple doesn’t mean you don’t offer complex solutions or a plethora of products or services. It simply means you don’t try to talk about all of them at once.
When writing copy, there is a “Rule of 1” meaning: 1 Page, 1 Idea, 1 Call to action. Occasionally, this rule can strategically be broken, but it’s a good place to start.
Tell Your Story
Every brand has a story. Maybe your lemonade stand business uses a special recipe from your grandma, or you donate some of your profits to help save the environment. Your website should tell your brand’s story. This makes people feel connected to your brand and part of a larger community. They’re not just buying lemonade—they’re joining in on your adventure!
Listen and Improve
We can’t always get it right the first time around. It’s important to get feedback from your visitors and customers to “iterate” and improve on your design and copy. Find ways to learn what they like and don’t like about your website. You can ask them to fill out a quick survey, or you can watch which parts of your website they visit the most using analytics. Use what you learn to make your site even better.
Keep Updating
Just like you might change your lemonade stand sign to say “Now with more lemons!” your website should also have fresh updates. Share new products, exciting news, or special offers. This keeps people interested and coming back to see what’s new. It also signals to Google and other search engines that your business is active and relevant, making it more likely your future customers will find you in the search results.
In the end, popping with purpose means making your website not only stand out but also clearly communicate what your brand is all about. It’s about making a space online where people want to come, stay, and learn more about what you offer. Just like the best lemonade stands, the best websites make people feel confident about what your offering, how it benefits them, and excited to support them.