12 Tips for Building a Successful Website
Building a website improves how you think about your business
You might be surprised to discover in the process of building your own website, as you work on explaining what you do for visitors, that you naturally sharpen how you think about your business. You get better at explaining what you do everywhere: in conversations, on the phone … You get better at your work.
These 12 tips will help you build a site that works well for your visitors, and they'll also help you become a clearer communicator about your activity along the way.
What your website visitors actually want to find
1. What do visitors actually expect to see on my website?
Your website isn't only about you. It's also about the people who visit it. Try to imagine their questions before they ask them. What would someone who's never heard of you want to know? Make sure your site answers those questions clearly. For important questions, each answer may need its own page.
2. How many topics should I put on one page?
When you try to cover too much on one page, visitors get lost. If a page has three different topics, consider splitting it into three separate pages. If you follow the One topic, One page rule, your menu will be a clear guide to everything your website offers. Search engines also appreciate this kind of organization.
3. Should I use technical language or the words my customers know?
If you're a plumber, you might think in terms of "pipe fittings" and "water pressure regulators." But your visitors are looking for someone to "fix a leaky tap." You don't need to change your voice, just make sure your clients can follow along.
4. Do people really read everything on a website?
Most people don't read websites from start to finish. They scan, looking for the part that matters to them. Short sentences help. Clear titles help even more. If someone can understand your page just by reading the headings, you've done well.
5. How do I keep visitors exploring my site instead of leaving?
Based on what they need or the questions they're looking to answer, visitors will follow links from the first page they land on, moving naturally from page to page. You can encourage this journey by placing links and buttons throughout your site to connect related topics.
Google finds this trail of internal links and sees a site that looks well-organized and helpful.
How to help Google understand your website
6. What kind of content does Google actually care about?
Google's job is to connect people with websites that answer their questions. If you run a guesthouse, a page about nearby hiking trails or restaurants isn't filler. It's exactly what travelers search for when planning a trip. Just focus on being organized and useful, and search engines will notice.
7. How do I know what people are searching for?
Go to Google and start typing your main topic. Watch what appears in the dropdown. Those suggestions are real searches people make every day. They tell you what questions to answer, and what words to use when you do.
8. What makes a good page title for search engines?
Page titles, block headings, menu tabs: each one should tell visitors exactly what they'll find, using the kind of phrases you discovered in tip 6. A title like "Our Services" is vague. "Handmade Jewelry in Marrakech" is clear.
Good titles help visitors and search engines understand your site at a glance.
9. Can I use content from other websites on my site?
Google knows when the same content appears on multiple sites, and is likely to exclude the copies from its results. Similarly, visitors can tell when words don't quite fit. Your own voice, describing your own work, is always better.
10. How many times should I use a keyword?
Beware of overusing keywords. Both Google and your readers will notice when you repeat certain words more than necessary, and they'll judge your site negatively for this. If you find yourself repeating the same word, look for synonyms and enrich your website with nuance.
Before you publish: use the Optimization Assistant
11. How do I know if my site is ready to publish?
When you click “Publish”, you can activate the Optimization Assistant. It will check your site for common issues. Think of it as a helpful friend looking over your shoulder, catching things you might have missed. If something doesn't make sense, the Help section explains it. Take its suggestions seriously, especially the first few times you publish.
12. How can I help search engines find my new website?
If you have a Smart or Pro site, you can add it to the SimDif Directory. Choose from over 400 categories to find the right place for your site. This gives you a quality link that helps search engines discover your work. It's a small step that can make a real difference.
What about AI?
Should I use AI to write my website?
We know it's tempting. Tools like ChatGPT can write quickly and impressively. But AI writing often sounds very generic, and that can hurt your business.
Your visitors want to connect with you and see that you understand them. Authenticity matters to readers, and matters to search engines too.
The Answer: Use AI as a helpful tool, not a replacement
Kai works differently. Available in Starter, Kai helps you proofread your text and can also guide you through a step-by-step review of each page, suggesting missing topics and improvements to titles and descriptions. In Pro it goes further, transforming your own rough notes into complete paragraphs. Look for the Egg icon to embark on a smarter, safer way to use AI.
