FAQs.

Frequently asked questions about brand clarity, website messaging and conversion

These are the questions I hear most often from service businesses whose websites look fine, but aren’t doing the job they should.

I’ve answered them here in plain English — no jargon, no fluff.

Website clarity & conversion

  • Usually because it isn’t clear enough, fast enough.

    Visitors arrive with a few basic questions: Is this for me? Do they understand my problem? What should I do next?
    If your site makes them work hard to answer those, they leave — even if they like what they see.

    Conversion improves when a website speaks clearly to a specific audience, explains the problem in familiar terms, and makes the next step obvious.

    Clarity builds trust. Trust leads to action.

  • Because design alone doesn’t create understanding.

    A site can look polished and/or have some great animated features, and still fail if the messaging is vague, internally focused, or too generic.

    If visitors can’t quickly understand what you do, who it’s for, and why it matters, great visuals won’t convert your visitors on their own.

    Good design supports clear messaging. It can’t replace it.

  • If someone new to your business had 10 seconds on your homepage, could they clearly explain what you do, who it’s for and where you’re different?

    I call it the Caveman Grunt test because it needs to be obvious!

    Common signs of confusion include people asking basic questions, clicking around but not enquiring, or bouncing straight out.

    Confusion is often subtle — too many messages, unclear priorities, or jargon that makes sense internally but not externally.

  • Start with clarity, not features.

    Before worrying about layout, SEO or extra pages, focus on:

    • Who the site is for

    • The problem you help solve

    • What you want visitors to do next

    In practice, that usually means tightening your homepage headline, opening copy and primary call to action.

    Get these elements right and you have the solid foundations to build the rest.

  • Write from the outside in.

    Explain the visitors problem in their language, demonstrating empathy and focusing on them, before you.

    Then when offering your solution, make a few strong points clearly.

    And explain what makes you different from other similar businesses they can choose from.

    Finally, making it obvious to them what to do next. eg click a link, go to a different page, fill in a form, sign up for something…

  • A good homepage helps the right visitor feel oriented and reassured.

    It should clearly state who you help and how, reflect a problem your audience recognises, show credibility, and point to a clear next step.

    Its job isn’t to sell everything.
    It’s to say “you’re in the right place” by giving them a glimpse into the rest of the site and making it easy to continue.

Brand strategy, messaging & design

  • Brand clarity means people quickly understand what you do, who it’s for, and why it’s relevant to them.

    It’s not just about logos or taglines. It’s about removing ambiguity so your message lands without explanation.

    Your message - both the words you use and the design elements - (symbols, images, fonts, colours) - are all consistent which builds memorable associations and trust.

    When brand clarity is strong, your website, proposals and conversations all say the same thing — in plain language.

    Clear brands are easier to trust, easier to choose, and easier to recommend.

  • Because the copy is doing the job of sounding credible, not the job of being clear.

    This usually happens when the words are written before the brand strategy and positioning is fully nailed down.

    Without clear decisions about who the site is for and what problem it’s solving, copy tends to default to safe, general language that could apply to anyone.

    The fix isn’t better wording — it’s clearer thinking. When positioning is clear, the copy naturally becomes more specific, more relevant, and easier to understand.

  • Not always — but you do need clarity.

    If you’re unsure who the site is for, what problem you’re solving, and how you’re different from you’re competitors, redesigning first usually means redesigning again later.

    That’s why many websites look good but don’t work.

    Even a light-touch clarity process can make a redesign far more effective.

  • Because they’re often written ‘from the inside out.’

    Internal language, industry jargon and big claims can feel safe, but they don’t help visitors understand how you actually help. The result is a site that sounds credible but doesn’t connect.

    Clear B2B messaging focuses less on sounding impressive and more on showing empathy and offering solutions for the visitor.

  • Audience-first copy is written through the eyes of the person reading it, not the business behind it.

    It reflects the customer’s situation, uses language they recognise, and answers their unspoken questions before making claims. The business still shows expertise — but as a guide, not the hero.

    When copy is audience-first, people feel understood. That’s what builds trust.

  • Start with the problem you help solve, not your credentials or process.

    Clear explanations usually:

    • Use everyday language

    • Focus on outcomes, not methods

    • Make it obvious who the work is for

    If someone outside your industry can understand what you do without further explanation, you’re on the right track

Process, platforms & working together

  • It depends on what’s actually causing the problem.

    If your website looks dated or broken, design may be the issue. But if it looks fine and still isn’t working, the problem is usually clarity — not layout. In that case, strategy and messaging matter more than visuals.

    Many service businesses need both, which is why joining up the thinking, the words and the site itself is often more effective than hiring in silos.

  • Long enough to think, but not forever.

    A good redesign isn’t just about building pages — it’s about getting clear on what the site needs to say and do. Rushing that thinking usually leads to delays later, rewrites, or a site that still doesn’t quite work.

    A focused, structured process is often faster overall than an open-ended one as it focuses the team working on it.

  • Item dYes — in many cases, clarity changes have more impact than a full rebuild.

    Tightening your messaging, simplifying the structure, and clarifying your calls to action can significantly improve performance without touching the design. This is often the best first step if your site already looks professional but feels ineffective.

    Rebuilding only makes sense once the thinking is clear or it makes sense to move to a different platform.

  • Item descripA website sprint is a focused way to fix the thinking, the words and the structure together.

    Rather than stretching work over months, the key decisions are made upfront, the messaging is clarified, and the site is built or refined around that clarity. It’s designed to reduce back-and-forth and get to something solid, faster.

    The exact scope varies, but the principle is the same: clarity first, then execution.

    My website projects work in this way with varying lengths dependent on the project.

  • Squarespace isn’t the right choice when a website needs complex functionality rather than clear communication.

    It’s not ideal if you need:

    • Custom web applications or portals

    • Complex user logins or permissions

    • Large-scale e-commerce or bespoke integrations

    • Highly specific, custom-coded functionality

    For most professional services websites, the priority is clarity, credibility and ease of use — and Squarespace handles that very well.

    When the requirements go beyond that, a more bespoke platform is usually a better fit.