My Hook Breakfast Club website workshop: homepage, branding and SEO tips for small businesses
I've been a regular at The Hook Breakfast Club for a while now. I go for the people more than anything. It's one of those networking groups where you actually look forward to the coffee and the chat, and I always leave with a new idea or a new friend.
So when I was asked to run a website workshop for the group, I jumped at it.
We had 20 people there on the day, which was a brilliant turnout! One thing stood out straight away: most people already had a website, but hadn't touched it in years (and years). If that sounds familiar, this recap is for you.
Here's a summary of what we covered, plus the little tasks I set everyone to take home.
Part 1: Homepage content
Treat your homepage like a visual contents page
Every page on your website deserves its own short "trailer" on your homepage. That means a little teaser for your About page, a peek at your services, a portfolio shot, a testimonial and a way into your blog. If a page only lives in the menu, chances are it won't get found.
Features, benefits and your "why"
A feature is what something is. A benefit is what it does for your customer. Your homepage copy needs both. Add a section on your values and why you do what you do, too. It makes a one-person business feel human and relatable.
Don't hide your testimonials
Don't exile your reviews to a testimonials page no one is going to visit. Put quotes right where doubt might creep in, like underneath your services or products. Lay the proof down to back yourself up.
Buttons that actually get clicked
Every section should end with a clear next step, worded as an action. Picture your visitor's journey through your site and use buttons to guide them where you want them to end up. My top button tips:
Tell them where they're going. Never use "click here".
Make them easy to tap on mobile, aka big chunky fingers.
Make the text slightly bigger than your paragraph text, in a sans-serif font.
Make the next step sound easy. Words like "simply", "just" and "only" help.
Make them stand out with your brand accent colour and some contrast.
Show what's in it for them if they click.
Use action words like "book", "download", "subscribe" and "claim".
Put buttons near testimonials, because proof encourages clicks.
Be creative! Fun buttons make you memorable, and you don't need to repeat the same phrase everywhere.
Your homework:
List every page in your menu. Which ones don't have a trailer section on your homepage?
For each gap, jot down why it's worth teasing and what your button wording will be.
Pick your best testimonial. Where could it live on your homepage?
Part 2: Brand identity
Your logo is not your brand
Your brand is the feeling someone gets in the first three seconds of landing on your website. Is it friendly, formal, playful or premium? Your photos, colours and fonts should all support the image you want to portray.
Consistency makes you recognisable
People notice when your website doesn't tie up with your Instagram grid, even if they can't put their finger on why. Matching visuals are what make you instantly recognisable and memorable.
Keep it simple: two fonts, five colours
That's my rule of thumb for a clean, consistent brand.
Don't be afraid of repetition
Use the same button styles, spacing and heading sizes on every single page. A website that changes style from page to page just screams DIY.
The little details
A simple repeated icon set, a corner motif or a background stripe, used consistently, adds character and personality. It shows your website isn't just another template.
Your homework:
Put your homepage next to your Instagram grid. Would a stranger know they're the same business? What's the biggest mismatch? (I can tell you now, it's probably your fonts!)
Pick a small icon, motif or pattern you could repeat across your pages to tie everything together.
Part 3: SEO
What SEO actually means
SEO is about helping search engines and real people understand what you do and who it's for, so the right customers find you.
There are hundreds of ranking factors, but I focused on "on-page" SEO, as that's where you can make the biggest difference yourself, right inside your website editor.
Pick ONE main keyword for your homepage
Choose one search phrase and run with it across your whole homepage. Just don't target the same phrase on two pages, or they'll end up competing with each other. Then work through this checklist:
SEO title: 50–60 characters, including your keyword
SEO description: 150–160 characters, including your keyword
One H1 heading per page: 40–60 characters, including your keyword
A logical heading order: H1 > H2 > H3 > H4, then back to H2 for the next section
Your first 100 words: include your keyword, speak to your buyer and explain what's to come
Internal links: around 5 in the body of each page, pointing to your key "money" pages
Your keyword in at least one subheading and one image alt text
Alt text on every image, with images under 250KB each
But with all that in mind, write like you're talking to your customer! Google can tell when you're keyword stuffing.
Why blogging matters
Every blog post is a new doorway search engines can find you through, and a signal that your website is active and up to date. Weekly is ideal, but monthly is much better than nothing.
To make it easier, I use three themes to structure my content:
Lists: steps, tips or round-ups, like "Top 10 Squarespace websites"
Showdowns: comparing things in your sector or niche
Guides: how-tos or the ultimate guide to a topic
My favourite tip: Google your core keyword and scroll to the "People also ask" section. Pick one of those questions and answer it in a blog post. You already know it's something people want to know!
Your homework:
Write down every search phrase a customer might type to find you. Get as many variations as you can.
Turn a few of them into blog ideas using the three themes above.
Open an incognito window and Google your most important keyword. Who's on page one, and what do their websites have that yours doesn't? Sometimes it's content, but often it's structural, like extra pages or faster load speed.
Your questions
There were loads of great questions on the day, mostly about:
SEO and AI search. Does the same stuff help you show up on ChatGPT? "How to get found on ChatGPT" -->
Newsletters vs blogging. Which one is worth your time? I recommend writing your content as a blog, and linking out to it from your newsletter with a short snippet to entice them to click through.
Keywords. How do you choose the right one? Use AI to help you do some keyword research, ask it to look at your competitors and what words they are ranking for. You can also look at your own website and see which keywords you are getting picked up for currently.
H1 headings. What they are and why you should only have one per page.
What happened next
I had such lovely feedback after the session. One attendee has started blogging on their website for the first time, and another booked in a Bespoke Build with me. I love seeing people put things into action!
Where to catch me next
I'll be speaking at Women Inspired in Woodbridge on Wednesday 14th October at 10am, at The Red Lion, Woodbridge. If you're a Suffolk business owner and fancy coming along, I'd love to see you there. Book your ticket here →
And if you'd rather have someone take your website off your hands altogether, take a look at my website design packages →