Heyyyy Reader! Congrats, you made it through the first month of the year! Whether you took January to slow down and reset or you’ve been up at 6 AM, hitting the gym, and checking everything off your list...wherever you’re at, I see you, and I'm sooo grateful you're here! I hope this month’s Design Download gives you something useful to take into February. My goal with this newsletter remains the same: to give you simple, practical ways to tweak and improve your brand, website and business overall.
No stress, no fluff, just real tips you can actually use and implement right away.
Take what resonates, leave the rest, and let's get into it!
VOL. 009
10 ways to make your website work for you
My client Danielle at The Half Cookie does an amazing job of keeping her announcement bar up to date with new offers & discount codes!
1.Update your Pop-up or Announcement Bar
Your pop-up & announcement bar are prime real estate! Use them to share an offer like a discount on their first order when they sign up for emails, the newest collection, or a free shipping incentive.
For the announcement bar instead of:“Welcome to ____!” (Too generic, doesn’t drive action)
Try this: ✅ “Grab 10% off for Valentine’s Day! Use code LOVE10 ❤️” < incentive to purchase ✅ “Our Valentine's collection just dropped! Free shipping on orders over $75 →” < make sure they know about the latest & greatest you have to offer
2. Make your headline specific
Your headline should instantly tell visitors what you offer and why it matters to them.
How to speak directly to your target audience using these key pieces: WHO ARE THEY, PAIN POINT, DESIRE, SOLUTION >> here's an example
Instead of: "Beautiful gifts made with love"
Try this: ✅ "Not your average knitwear. Handcrafted & made with natural fibers, designed to keep you warm & looking stylish."
Breaking it down: Who the product is for: Those who love unique & high-quality knitwear
Their pain point: “Not your average knitwear” suggests that mass produced or generic options don’t meet their needs
What they desire: “Handcrafted & made with natural fibers” highlights quality and sustainability
The problem solved for them when buying the product: “Designed to keep you warm & looking stylish” they get both function and fashion
3. Add your recent work/a new product
I just KNOW you've been procrastinating adding that new item or service to your site, whether it's your recent client work, your newest products, or photos...we’ve all been there. But here’s the deal: keeping your website current isn’t just about looking good, it’s about attracting the right clients and customers.
✨ If you're a service based business: Show off the work you want more of. Your portfolio should reflect the kind of clients you’re hoping to attract.
✨ For product based businesses: Add that new product you’ve been sitting on! If it’s not on your site, how are people supposed to buy it?
4. Imagery & aesthetic
Your photos should reflect the mood of the upcoming months!
✨ Even though it's still winter, you can start easing into what's coming. Swap out cool, moody tones for brighter, fresh spring-inspired photos and products to highlight on the home page.
📸 Pro tip: On your phone, search February 2023 or March 2022 in your photos and see what content you created in previous years that could fit the current season. Photos don't expire!
📸 Pro pro tip: Create a new folder on your phone with your best, favorite, already edited photos and videos. It'll build over time and you'll always have that in your back pocket for when you need something to post. See mine below >>
A look inside my 'Social' folder on my phone. I NEED that convenient, go-to spot that holds all of my edited photos..ready to go at any time for social posts
5. Re-merchandise your collections
Just like walking into a retail store, your customers expect to feel the vibe of the current season and get excited about what’s coming next.
✨ Rotate the products in your collections. Move products that have been hiding on page 3 up to page 1. A simple shuffle can make your shop feel fresh and new!
✨ Make sure that the flow of your products makes sense for someone who doesn't know your business well. Is it all over the place or confusing? Or are things flowing seamlessly from one product to the next. (You can organize by color, product category, outfits, etc.)
6. Testimonials & reviews
Social proof builds trust. Let real people speak for you!
✨ Add new client feedback or product reviews from the past few months to build trust and credibility.
✨ Sprinkle them across the website in multiple locations, or even add a tab to your navigation with a full page of reviews
7. Declutter your navigation menu
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and imagine landing on your website for the first time, without having seen any of your content before.
✨ Use clear menu labels: Avoid vague terms. Say “Shop Jewelry” instead of just “Collections"
✨ Limit menu items: Keep it simple. 5-7 main items max...too many options can overwhelm visitors.
✨ Check all links: Click through your site as if you were a first-time visitor. Fix any broken links, remove old dates, and ensure all your info is current.
8. Start building your email list!
Your email list is GOLD. As we have all heard, your email list is one of the things you own. We don't want to be freaking out when a social media platform is down or gets banned (yes I'm talking about tiktok). Once you get it set up, you'll thank yourself later!
✅ Add a simple email list sign-up form or welcome pop up with an incentive on your homepage.
✅ Get signed up with an email provider
✅ Automate your welcome email
✅ Set a goal to send 1 email a month. Or even 4 times a year.. just start somewhere with a goal that you can achieve and you'll build momentum!
SEO is what drives traffic to Minny Thrift—I’ve optimized every page and product with strategic keywords and meta descriptions.
9. SEO.(search engine optimization)
Every product, collection, and page on your site has SEO working behind the scenes, so make sure it’s actually working for you!
✨ Refresh your keywords. Think like your ideal customer. What are they typing into Google to find products/services like yours?
✨ Update your meta descriptions... this is the little snippet people see in search results. Make it clear & compelling, and use words that relate to your product offering and business overall.
10. Make sure your footer is accurate, along with policy pages
Let your policy pages answer all the questions for you! The footer is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most visited parts of a site. Do you keep getting the same question about something? Make sure that's answered on your site to lessen the amount of time you spend responding to emails.
✨ Update your footer with current policies, social links, and contact details.
✨ Add or update your FAQs
✨ Shipping & return policy is accurate and up to date
Bonus. Update your blog *or start one*
Just another creative outlet that you can utilize on your site. PLUS, if you have Shopify or Squarespace, it's built right into your website for free.
✨ Add a new blog post, or set a goal to post once a month.. it’s great for SEO, drives traffic, and adds your personality into the site
✨ Repurpose content.Turn an Instagram post that performed well into a blog post or expand on a topic you get asked about all the time.
✨ Blog ideas: behind-the-scenes look at your business, a how-to guide, industry insights, a free pattern, your favorite recent creations, top 5 things you're loving in 2025.
Client Spotlight: Echo Valley Sawmill This dreamy wedding & event venue needed a brand and website that really captured its beauty. We designed a clean yet slightly adventurous and boho brand with hand-drawn details, bringing out the venue’s natural charm in Western Wisconsin. Now their brand and website feel cohesive, beautiful, and totally aligned with the couples they want to book for their magical day.✨
Got a project in mind? Let’s create your dream brand! Imagine your brand and website not just looking good but working for you...bringing in more sales, building trust, and connecting you with dream clients who just get it. That’s the magic we create together. Your vision, my expertise, and a brand that’s absolutely magnetic. Ready to make your business totally obsessed-worthy?
(and I love supporting other small business owners!) Meet Naomi. A Minnesota-based brand and website designer known for bold, modern, and artistic designs. My passion lies in crafting captivating brand narratives and inspiring others to pursue their creative dreams! Let's get creative together!
