14 Tips for Your Wedding Vendor Website

I (Lori) recently had the honor of speaking about social media for wedding professionals to the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE). I was overflowing with information I wanted to share, but was of course limited in the amount of time I had. So I put together this post with 14 tips for wedding vendor websites. Maybe you are a player in the wedding industry as well and I hope you find these tips useful for your website!

1. Professional design. We know it might sound self-serving, but if your website looks amateur, your business does too. Professional website design for your wedding business is worth the investment for that all-important first impression.
2. Beautiful, high-quality images. We are an image driven culture, and this is especially true of the wedding industry. It’s one reason Pinterest has exploded over the past year. Brides planning their wedding want to envision their special day. The images on your website should help them do so.
3. Email sign-up field. Take the chance to connect with website visitors again and potentially turn them into a paying customer. Make sure you indicate that your email newsletter is free, how often you will be sending, and what brides can expect to find in the message (Discounts & promotions? Wedding planning tips? A free bridal guide ebook?)
4. Clear call to action on every page. This might be a phone number or a ‘call for free consultation’ button. Or the email sign up field we mentioned above for brides to receive monthly updates or special promotions. Make it easy for brides to contact you or purchase from your website.
5. Social media icons above the fold. Encourage brides to connect with you on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Continue the conversation there and lengthen your total reach through these avenues.
6. Make your site mobile friendly. More and more people are searching for all manner of things from their mobile phones. Don’t miss out on a potential client because your website isn’t easily navigable on a smartphone. One thing we love about designing websites on the WordPress platform is the abundance of premium themes that come with a mobile friendly version of the site.
7. A blog with fresh content added at least weekly. This is paramount to helping your website show up higher in search engine listings. Plus it gives people a reason to subscribe to your content and return to your site on a regular basis. Make sure your blog is included internally on your own domain. Post wedding planning tips, before & after transformations, interviews with brides. The possibilities are endless!
8. Full address. The footer is a great place to include your full address and phone number on every page. This way Google knows where you are located and can include you in local searches.
9. Testimonials. Contact brides and ask for a few sentences about their experience with you and your business. Peer reviews are an important part of gaining the trust of potential clients.
10. Local keywords. Most wedding vendors work only locally, but brides are often planning from a distance. Include keywords related to the city in which you work throughout your copy and blog posts. Take advantage of web searches by brides or out of town wedding guests for vendors in your city.
11. Photos of you and your staff. Make your business more personal by including pictures and bio information of your staff. Brides looking to hire you want to feel like they know you. After all, you will be in charge of very important elements for their very important day!
12. Prices. People want to know what to expect before they even pick up the phone to call you. A ballpark figure or a starting estimate will do nicely. Give brides the information they need for their budget up front so you don’t miss out on their business.
13. Links to press coverage. Whether you’ve been mentioned in a local newspaper or featured in a prominent wedding magazine, make sure it’s listed on your website. This gives you credibility and establishes you as a top player in your local market.
14. A well-produced, professional video. This may not be in everyone’s budget, but a professionally produced video on your home page can do wonders for your business. Video is able to pull together so many emotions, both visually and audibly, to make your business come alive. The sum is greater than the parts where video is concerned.

There you have it! 14 elements to a great wedding vendor website. What other tips do you have to offer?