You have a wellness business website. It looks professional, it has a services and contact page. And yet you, a wellness business owner, have been wondering why website isn’t converting visitors into enquiries?
For many fitness, nutrition and wellness businesses, often the reason is not how the site looks, but in what it says and how it has been set up.
And that is exactly what my wellness website audits are designed to uncover and why I do this before writing a word of website copy for a client.
Because here’s the thing. There is little point in updating a client website with new copy and content when the website has technical or structural issues which could compromise the web copy.
That simply is not doing justice to my skillset, my client’s business or the website experience for my clients’ clients.
That is why as a health and wellness copywriter, the first and non-negotiable step in my copywriting process is to review my client’s website.
The insights from website reviews play a big role in shaping what I write. The issues that come out of a website audit are often a combination of both copy (aka the words) and technical.
In this blog I share what typically comes up in audits I run on my clients’ wellness websites the reason they may be hindering enquiries and what is needed to resolve these issues.
Website Copy Issues
Vague Messaging That Could Apply to Anyone
“We help you reach your health and wellness goals” – I see this (and variations of this) on many client sites.
The issue: this type of messaging is very vague – it is not clear who this is being directed at or what client problem the business solves. This will increase the likelihood of website visitors on your website bouncing over to a competitor website.
Fixing the issue: Good website copy speaks directly to a specific audience with a specific need and that is what makes the difference between a website that converts and one that doesn’t.
Low level of Content on Key Pages
The issue: Many wellness websites have pages with very little written content. There may be a heading, a short paragraph and a clickable button.
That’s about it.
Whilst this may present a clean look, it doesn’t give search engines such as Google much to work with and, in addition, doesn’t entice potential clients to stay on your wellness site.
Fixing the issue: Update your website with copy that demonstrates how client pain points are supported by your wellness business and that then helps to build trust. For businesses in the wellness space, trust is everything.
Service Descriptions That Lack Warmth
The issue: There is a difference between describing what a service is and communicating what it feels like to experience it. I have seen many service pages on wellness websites that describe the service but in a clinical way.
Fixing the issue: Sharing how you can help your clients in a way that speaks to their emotional needs. A client choosing a personal trainer or yoga studio isn’t just looking for a list of class types. They’re looking for a reason to believe this is the right fit for them.
Weak or Poorly Positioned Calls to Action (CTA)
A call to action isn’t just a clickable button. It is a prompt that appears at the right moment in the visitor’s journey, says the right thing and feels like a natural next step.
The issue: Many wellness websites either have no clear CTA, have one that appears too early (way before the visitor has had time to build trust). Poorly positioned CTAs are one of the most common reasons a wellness website fails to convert visitors into enquiries.
Fixing the issue: The wording and placement of CTAs need to align to the user journey. CTAs for first-time visitors to your site who are just learning about you and what your business offers are very different to those visitors who know what they need, are comparing different providers in the market and need encouragement to the purchasing stage from your business.
Missing About Page
For a wellness business, an About page is one of the most important pages on a website.
The issue: Without an About page or one with minimal information on it, you’re missing a significant opportunity to build human connection that helps nurture visitors into becoming paying clients.
Fixing the issue: Effective About pages are underpinned by weaving in a combination of your personal story, values, and expertise and which tie back to the needs of your target audience. Your potential clients want to know who they will be working with and why you do what you do.
The Tech Side: Looking ‘Under the Hood’
Think of the technical side of a wellness website audit as a website health check to identify what is working and what may need attention.
Missing Meta Descriptions
Your meta description is the short line of text that appears under your page title in Google search results. It is important as it is the first impression someone has of your website before they even click through.
The issue: If you haven’t ensured that your page meta descriptions describe the page, Google will write them for you by pulling random text from your website that may not reflect what the page is about.
Fixing the issue: You can check and update your meta descriptions in Google Search Console or through an SEO plugin such as Rank Math or Yoast. A well-written meta description increases the chance of click through.
Low Text to HTML Ratio
This sounds technical but in plain English it means that some pages have very little written content relative to the code behind them.
The issue: there is insufficient information for Google to index and rank these pages.
Fixing the issue: Update these website pages with good quality content that answers the questions your target audience are asking.
Non-Descriptive Anchor Text
Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink.
The issue: If your internal hyperlinks has “click here” or “read more” rather than something descriptive, you’re missing an opportunity to help both Google and your readers understand where the link leads.
Fixing the issue: Go through your blog posts and service pages and look for any links that say “click here,” “read more” or “here.” Replace the anchor text with something descriptive that tells the reader and Google exactly where the link goes.
For example, instead of “click here to read more” perhaps update to “read my guide to wellness website copywriting” or “find out more about my blog writing services.” It is a small change that makes a positive difference to both user experience and search visibility.
404 Errors
The issue: If your website has been redesigned or pages have been moved or deleted, old URLs may be returning 404 errors. This means that website visitors and Google are landing on pages that don’t go anywhere. For website visitors this can mean a negative user experience.
Fixing the issue: Pages which contain 404 errors should be redirected to the most relevant current page.
Pages Not Being Indexed
Not all pages on your website will be indexed by Google, and some shouldn’t be indexed.
The issue: If key pages such as your services, About or contact page aren’t being indexed, potential clients simply won’t find them through search.
Fixing the issue: The first step is to identify why a particular page isn’t being indexed. Services such as Google Search Console help with highlighting and providing suggested solutions to issues such as non-indexation.
The most common reasons for a page not being indexed include:
- the page being set to no index accidentally in your SEO plugin
- the page having very thin content that Google sees as not worth indexing
- the page simply not having yet been crawled.
Once you know the reason then it is easier to identify what to do to resolve if needed.
For example, removing the no index tag if it was set as such in error, add more meaningful content to thin pages or request indexing directly in Google Search Console to prompt Google to crawl the page sooner.
What Happens After a Wellness Website Audit
A wellness website audit doesn’t reveal just a list of problems; it can be used as a great guide in highlighting where your website is letting you down and what needs to change so that it works more effectively for your business.
I include a complimentary copy-tech audit as part of every client web copy project. It means the copy I write is informed by an understanding of where your site is starting from and not just where you want it to go.
If your wellness website hasn’t had any attention in a while or if you have been wondering why it isn’t converting visitors into enquiries, a wellness website audit is a great place to start.
If I can help, let’s chat!