Your Website Looks Like a Lost Cat Poster

Have you ever seen those LOST CAT or "We Buy Houses" posters stapled to a telephone pole on the side of the road? You know the ones: faded, cluttered, and easy to ignore. When you see them, you go: “Awwww,  I hope they find Skippy the Cat. I’ll keep an eye out. ”

It’s depressing. Sad.

Now, be honest…does your website look like that? Because honestly? If it does, then YOU look like you’re the one lost in the marketplace. And instead of finding your cat, you need help finding a clue.

We need to talk about the difference between having a website and having a brand. Just because something is live on the internet doesn’t mean it’s working for you.

And listen… if you catch me at a networking event and tell me you’ve got a solid marketing strategy and a website? I’m pulling up your site on the spot. Right there in front of you. Over the past week I’ve met a lot of great website designers who specialize in UX design, AB testing, and other catch phrases that are a tell-tale sign that they technically know what they’re doing.

It’s important to understand that a website isn’t just about design, it’s about technicality. Sometimes, you get a person too design, so the website doesn’t become functional for users. Then you meet a designer that is too technical, but they don’t understand branding or artistry.

Either way, when a designer doesn’t integrate both sides, it tends to start to remind me of a missing cat flyer: No structure. No design. No clear value. No call to action. No functionality.

(Cue the Sarah Mclachlan music from that sad animal video that makes us all cry… you know the one where we dive for the remote to change the channel. Is that the kind of response you want from a potential client when they see your website.)

Let’s keep it real, if your website doesn’t reflect your professionalism, people will wonder if your business is even legit.

Your site isn’t a placeholder. It’s your digital handshake. Your proof of concept that you might have an idea of what you’re doing. It’s your 24/7 sales tool.

It should showcase your brand…not make people question it or make fun of it.

AND…this is a very specific message to people using AI.
To the rebels, the ultra-rich, the early adopters who used AI to build their websites just to say they did… “That’s nice.” But it looks like you don’t know how to use AI.

YOUR WEBSITE ISN’T FOR YOU. IT’S FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS.

Here are 7 things your website must have (or you’re basically stapling a flyer to a pole):

1. Clear Messaging
   Say what you do in plain English, within 5 seconds. Don’t make people decode your value.

2. Ditch the Cliché Stock Photos
   No clip art. No blurry stock. Use original, quality visuals that match your brand’s vibe. And no, not the first photo on page one of Google.

3. Mobile Optimization
   If it doesn’t work on a phone, it doesn’t work. Period.

4. Strong Calls to Action
   What do you want visitors to do…book, buy, subscribe? Make it obvious, and repeat it.

5. Trust Builders
   Logos, testimonials, press mentions, case studies, show people why you’re credible.

6. Functional, Clean Design
   Design is communication. Keep it clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate.

7. Real Connection
   Don’t just inform…connect. Make your site feel like you.

If your website reads like a flyer instead of a business, it’s time for a serious upgrade.
Need help? That’s literally what we do. Let’s talk. Hire the professionals so you can focus on your product line or feature upgrades. We get that you might not have money, but maybe you would have more money if you had a professional website.

#websitedesign #branding #smallbusiness #marketingstrategy #publicrelations #legit