7 Must-Haves for your Coaching Website
Hi there! I’m Marlyn (pronounced like the fish, not the actress 😆). I am a brand and website designer with three plus years experience in website design, specifically Squarespace websites. I also have worked as a tech virtual assistant, online business manager, and customer service lead. All of these things led me to where I am today and allowed me to work with some amazing clients, including coaches, many experts in their field.
I crafted this post based on my experience working with coaches in all niches, and centered on what makes their websites really valuable in marketing their services. Today I’m going to cover 7 important sections that should be a part of your coaching website. Whether you are working with a designer, or you are just starting and want to DIY your website, here are 7 Must Haves for your Coaching Website.
A Hero or Headliner
Your Headline should be a 1 - 2 liner telling who you are and what you do. This is different from the business introduction section or the about me section, in that you don’t need a detail, more of a title. If you think of your website like a virtual business card, then the headline is that bold title - name and what you do.
I like the one below because it is straight to the point: Name, Occupation, tagline. Boom!
2. A Business Introduction Section
From a design standpoint, this should NOT be long. There are other pages and sections in which you can elaborate on your services and background. In this section, keep it simple and describe who you help or what the problem is. Honestly, the best websites have strategic copywriting here that appeals to the ideal client..you know, “Are you feeling stuck in a business rut,” etc.
The health coaching website example below cuts right to the core of emotions in it’s copy, though simple in it’s explanation and lay out.
3. The About Section
There is some debate in the website design world about which sections should come and in which order. Some people think that the About section should come before any others on your website, others think it should come after the introduction and services.
In my opinion, a coaching website should always have the about me close to the top, and definitely before services. The reason being is that coaching is unique in that it is the brand of well, YOU. A visitor has to get to know, like, and trust you as they say, before they ever take advice from you, much less buy from you or work with you.
Some ideas for the About Me section include: your journey to coaching, your expertise or number of years in your field, a personal mission statement and more.
I found this gem of an example below, where the About Me section is not only front and center, it is basically the homepage itself. Brave. I like it.
4. Testimonials or social proof
Again, it’s just my personal opinion, but the social proof or testimonials should come near the top of your coaching website as you are building the awesome brand that is you. Good testimonials are going to include results from working with you, as well as insight into how you operate, i.e. how you are different from other coaches.
One of the many features I adore about Squarespace is that you can easily save sections to be “pasted” elsewhere on your site. No need to re-invent the wheel. The testimonial section should be one of those sections!
To shake things up a bit, I added an example from Raw Coaching below, as they are fortunate to be able to collect pictures for testimonials. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. I’’m obsessed with the instagram-like picture collage here.
5. The Call to Action Section
This is the all powerful Call-to-Action section (CTA). What do you want your visitor to do? Book a Discovery Call to learn more, Check out your latest podcast episode, etc. You don’t need much, just a one-liner and a BIG button.
The CTA section can also be “sprinkled” throughout the homepage. For example, you can have a Book a Discovery Call button in several natural places such as your Introduction or Services section. Additionally, many websites have a CTA button in their top navigation menu.
6. The Services Section
The services section is also often called the “work with me” section. When posting on your homepage, you can have a quick snapshot of what you offerings or services are such as speaking, 1:1 coaching, or group coaching.
https://www.cortneymcdermott.com/
7. The Opt-in Section
This is where you can collect leads for your coaching business by having visitors opt-in to either a newsletter, lead magnet, checklist, etc. I am such a nerd because I LOVE opt-ins, both creating and collecting them!
You can also encourage them to follow you or subscribe to your newsletter, or podcast.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it..a list of 7 must-haves for your coaching website: the headliner, introduction, about me, social proof, call-to-action, services, and the opt-in. I hope this has been helpful for you as you draft your beautiful future website. If you have any questions or maybe you want to outsource the design after all, feel free to book a call with me. I’m always standing by with my nerd pants on ready to talk design 🤓!
