Familiarity fills in the gaps
You know what your business does. You understand the shorthand in your service names, the story behind every project and the reasoning behind your navigation. A first-time visitor arrives without any of that context. That difference is where a website review should begin.
In the recorded conversation, Candice reflects on being too close to the website she had directed herself. The review exposed issues she would recognise in a client’s site, but had overlooked in her own. This is a useful reminder for any founder: knowing the intended journey does not tell you whether another person can follow it.
Review the experience before explaining it
Ask someone unfamiliar with the company to explore the site while you watch. Give them a realistic task: work out what you offer, find a relevant example, then decide how they would contact you. Avoid guiding them through the page. The hesitation is often more informative than the final answer.
Write down where they stop, what they expect a button to do and which words they misinterpret. Separate personal taste from an obstacle to understanding. A colour preference is different from a service description that needs a verbal explanation.
Turn observations into decisions
Prioritise the changes that make the offer, evidence and next step easier to understand. You may need a clearer opening sentence or a better position for the enquiry button before you need a complete redesign.
Repeat the same task after the changes. The useful question is whether the journey became clearer, rather than whether everyone likes the new layout. A website review gives the team an outside perspective and a concrete list of decisions to make.
Put the review into practice
Choose one customer journey on your website and review it with these questions in mind. If you need an outside perspective, discuss your website with Select Creatives.
