I’ve looked at hundreds of wellness websites over the years, and here’s the thing nobody tells you: I can feel the energy of your business within about 10 seconds of landing on your homepage.
Not in a woo-woo way (okay, maybe a little). But in a very practical, this-is-either-working-or-it’s-not kind of way.
So what am I actually looking for in those critical first moments?
I’m looking for clarity over cleverness. I need to know what you do and who you help before I have to scroll. I can’t tell you how many beautiful websites I’ve seen where I genuinely couldn’t figure out if the person was a therapist, a life coach, a nutritionist, or running retreats in Bali. Your visitors shouldn’t have to detective-work their way through your site to understand how you can help them.
I’m feeling for authenticity. There’s a difference between a website that looks like a wellness brand and one that feels like yours. I can spot stock photos from a mile away, and so can your ideal clients. They’re looking for you, not a generic version of what they think a wellness professional should look like. The sites that stop me in my tracks are the ones where I can sense the actual human behind the brand within seconds.
I’m checking if you know who you’re talking to. The websites that convert aren’t speaking to everyone with a pulse. They’re having a conversation with a specific person about a specific struggle. Within 10 seconds, I should feel like you get me, or at least get the version of me that needs what you’re offering.
I’m noticing how I feel. Does your site feel rushed? Cluttered? Like you built it in 2015 and haven’t touched it since? Or does it feel intentional, spacious, like there’s room for me to breathe and actually absorb what you’re saying? Your website’s energy is a direct reflection of how it feels to work with you.
I’m looking at whether you make it easy for me. If I’m interested, can I figure out what to do next? Or am I hunting for a contact form buried in a footer somewhere? The best wellness websites guide you naturally toward the next step, whatever that is for your business.
Here’s what I’ve realized after years of designing for this space: your website isn’t just a digital business card. It’s often the first moment of care you’re offering to a potential client. Those first 10 seconds set the tone for everything that follows.
So the question isn’t really what I notice. It’s what do you want people to feel when they first meet you online?
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