Most business owners I work with don’t want a website. They want results—calls, clients, conversions. The website just happens to be the vehicle. And that vehicle? It needs to be tuned to convert, or else no matter how shiny it looks, it’s just parked in the digital garage.
Improving your website’s conversions isn’t something a simple color change or CTA tweak will magically fix, though those things help. It touches design psychology, content clarity, user intent, speed, tech stack, trust signals, and something most folks don’t realize—they need to feel seen when they land on your site. As a web designer who often plays the unofficial role of “marketing therapist,” I help businesses step back and look at the bigger picture first. Then we get practical.
Today, we’re zooming in on a specific piece of that puzzle: how to improve your website’s messaging for better conversions. Messaging is one of the most underappreciated and misunderstood conversion levers. It's not just about what you say—it's how, where, and to whom you're saying it. And whether it aligns with what they came looking for.
Your website could load in under 1 second, have beautiful animations, and rank #1 on Google, and still not convert. That’s because conversion isn’t earned by traffic or tech alone—it’s earned by resonance.
When visitors land on your homepage, what they’re really asking is: “Am I in the right place? Do these people understand my problem? Can I trust that they'll solve it better than others?” Your messaging is the first whisper (or shout) that answers those questions. And most websites fumble it.
There’s a simple trick I often use during audits. I'll open a site in front of the client, cover up everything but the homepage hero, and ask: “If you were your dream customer, would you immediately understand what this business does—and why it matters to you?” Most of the time, the answer is no. That’s your sign you’ve got a messaging problem.
Think about visiting a landing page for a local fitness studio but seeing the headline "Mind. Body. Transformation." Cool—what does that mean? Is it yoga? Weightlifting? Physical therapy? Is this for beginners or competitors? Vague messaging kills action. Clarity converts.
One of my clients, a Nashville-based contractor, originally had a website that said “Creating Dream Spaces Since 1996.” We worked together to dig into what really mattered to his clients—predictability, timelines, and trust. We changed the headline to: "Franklin’s Trusted Home Renovation Experts—On Time and On Budget, Always." Conversion rate doubled. Same service, clearer promise, better alignment.
Messaging makes people feel like they’re being spoken to specifically. Generalized language is easier to write but does less work. When you take the time to get personalized in your messaging, you create micro-moments of connection. And connection turns into conversion.
Many businesses fall into the trap of trying to appeal to everyone—new visitors, returning clients, enterprise, beginners—all in one voice. That’s like showing up to a party in a tuxedo, cowboy boots, and swim trunks at the same time. Who are you trying to be?
Your messaging only becomes powerful when it’s dialed into a single ideal customer—or, more practically, a small handful of distinct personas with tailored messaging paths.
Start by creating 2–3 customer personas. These aren’t just bios. Get into their mindset. What are they afraid of? What have they tried before that didn’t work? What would make them say YES now? When I was working with a health coach specializing in burnout recovery for entrepreneurs, her original site talked about “increasing vitality.” After interviewing past clients, we shifted her homepage to say: “If coffee’s not cutting it and burnout’s creeping in, I’ve been there—and I can help.” That’s language taken straight from their mouths.
Different visitors are at different buying stages: awareness, consideration, or decision. Messaging should meet them where they are. For example:
I often build different sections or pages for each of these phases. We’re not just mapping words—we’re mapping mindsets.
The “above-the-fold” area—what people see before they have to scroll—is your prime real estate. Yet most people waste it with aspirational taglines, sliders (please stop using sliders), or generic stock photos of laptops and coffee mugs. Instead, this space should do one thing: get the user to either stay or convert.
Your headline should communicate what you do, for whom, and why it matters. Let’s look at an example from one of my Webflow redesigns for a local dog training school.
Old headline: “Helping You and Your Dog Thrive Together”
New headline: “Franklin’s #1 Dog Training School for Fast, Reliable Obedience—Even With Tough Cases”
We added a subheadline that told users exactly what to expect: personalized training programs starting at $299/month, in-home or onsite. Their form submissions more than tripled in 30 days.
Pair your headline with a clear CTA. Not “Learn More.” Try “Book Your Free Training Session” or “Get My Free Website Audit.” If your CTA doesn’t promise something useful or emotionally satisfying, people won’t click. Test CTAs like you would test ad copy—they are conversion levers, not just buttons.
One hidden killer of conversions? Mixed messaging across your website. If someone clicks a Google ad promising “Same-Day HVAC Repairs” and lands on a homepage about “24/7 Comfort Made Easy,” they’re mentally disconnected. That break in alignment creates confusion—and confusion kills momentum.
For local SEO clients, I’ll often build dedicated service pages for specific suburbs or search terms. The key is mirroring the user’s journey. If they Googled “emergency AC repair Franklin TN,” then that’s the promise the landing page should reinforce immediately—with both visual and written cues.
This also applies to blog posts that drive traffic. If you have a blog post ranking for “how to fix a slow Wix website,” your post should lead naturally to a service offer or free resource that aligns with the problem. Not just a vague CTA to “Contact us.”
Look at your site navigation. Does it make sense to a stranger? Does it match how your audience thinks about their own problems? One SaaS company I worked with had links labeled “Solutions,” “Platform,” and “Use Cases.” We changed those to “By Industry,” “Features,” and “Success Stories” based on how their users talked—and bounce rate on inner pages dropped by over 40%.
Strong messaging builds emotional resonance, and the best way to make people feel safe enough to take action is to trigger trust. Here’s how I guide clients in implementing this across their messaging.
Instead of generic blurbs like “Great work, really professional,” we extract three-part mini-narratives:
These stories do more than provide social proof—they provide contextual proof to other potential clients in similar situations. One of my clients in wellness coaching now uses testimonial videos that open with, “I didn’t believe this would work either, but here’s what actually happened.” That’s the kind of honesty that converts skeptical thinkers.
Are you showing trust symbols like partner logos, awards, reviews, certifications? More importantly, are you weaving them into the right places—right next to your service promises, next to your CTA, or as part of your offer explanation?
According to Nielsen Norman research, visual proof elements significantly increase homepage engagement and length of session. Don’t hide them in footers.
Your customer isn’t just shopping for a service. They’re the hero in a personal story. Are you positioning your business as the mentor that guides them?
I often borrow from Donald Miller’s StoryBrand principle: make your customer the protagonist, not you. Here’s how you restructure your messaging:
When I realign messaging this way—especially on About pages and service intros—conversions almost always improve. People don’t just want services, they want transformation. Help them see the arc.
Even with strong high-level messaging, small conversion barriers can show up in your microcopy—form instructions, label fields, pricing explanations, footers. These can all be conversion touchpoints or conversion killers.
Instead of “Submit,” your form button could say “Let’s Talk” or “Send My Quote.” Instead of vague labels, use human-friendly explanations: “What do you need help with?” instead of “Message.” Never underestimate the power of one well-written line. Copy affects trust as much as design does.
Even if you don’t list exact prices, use messaging to anchor expectations. “Most Webflow projects range between $3k–$8k depending on scope. Book a discovery call to get a custom quote.” Transparency builds trust. Ambiguity raises alarms.
A Wix designer I advised stopped hiding behind “custom pricing” and added starter package ranges on services. Her email inquiries declined in quantity but doubled in quality. Her close rate jumped nearly 50%.
If you’re struggling to increase conversions, start by examining your messaging. Is it emotionally compelling? Is it tailored to your audience’s current state of mind? Does it promise a clear outcome and deliver trust along the way?
Too many businesses treat messaging like decoration. It’s not. It’s the script of a meaningful conversation your website is trying to have with someone who’s unsure, skeptical, or in need. And if you listen—really listen—to what they care about, your messaging will become the most powerful tool in your digital toolbox.
Clarity is kind. Specificity is persuasive. And empathy? That’s unbeatable. Craft your messaging with those three in mind, and your website won’t just look good—it’ll finally start doing its job.
Copyright © Zach Sean Web Design
