• Don't panic! SEO isn't dead, but it is changing. Your goal is shifting from just ranking in a list of links to being mentioned as a trusted source within AI-generated answers. All the hard work you've put into your site is the perfect foundation for this.
  
• Your new superpower is being human. The best way to get noticed by AI is to prove you're a real expert (E-E-A-T), answer the specific questions your clients are actually asking, and build a brand that people genuinely trust.
  
• Focus on answering questions, not just targeting keywords. Think about what your clients ask you on discovery calls and in emails. Turn those questions into blog post titles and answer them directly. This is the single biggest thing you can do to win in the new world of search.
  
• You don't need to be a tech genius to do this. We'll walk you through the simple, practical steps using free or low-cost tools that make a huge difference—no coding required. You've got this!

If you’re anything like us, you’ve poured countless hours (and probably a lot of heart) into your website. You’ve tweaked page titles, written blog posts, and worked so hard to get Google to notice you. So when you hear about AI search tools like ChatGPT completely changing the game, it’s easy to feel a little panicked.

Does all this talk about AI mean your SEO efforts were a waste of time? Is SEO even a thing anymore?

Let’s take a deep breath and talk about it. Because the short answer is: No, SEO is not dead, and your hard work absolutely matters! In fact, the strong foundation you’ve built is more important than ever. Think of it like this: you've built a beautiful house with a solid foundation. Now, it's just time to update the kitchen for a new way of ‘cooking.'

The rules of the game are shifting, but the good news is that as a small business owner, you’re in the perfect position to adapt. Big business might have an advantage when it comes to budget, but small businesses tend to be more agile. You can make changes and pivot way faster than a giant corporation can.

So, let's break down what’s happening, what you should focus on, and how to create a simple, actionable plan—without the scary tech jargon.

Part 1: So, What’s Actually Different? From SEO to GEO

Okay, let’s get to the heart of it. What’s the big deal with this AI search stuff? It all comes down to a shift from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to what people are now calling Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

It’s just a fancy way of saying we’re moving from trying to please a search engine to trying to have a conversation with it.

The Old Way (Traditional SEO): You focused on keywords. You wanted to rank for something like “newborn photographer Richmond VA.” Your goal was to show up in that list of 10 blue links on the first page of Google. Success was measured by getting clicks.

The New Way (AI-Powered Search & GEO): People are talking to AI like it’s a person. Instead of typing a few keywords, they’re asking full questions, like: “What should I look for when hiring a newborn photographer in Richmond, and can you show me some with a light and airy style?” The AI’s goal is to provide a single, helpful, summarized answer.

Your new goal is to have your business mentioned in that summary.

See the difference? You’re moving from trying to win a spot on a list to becoming a trusted resource that the AI wants to quote. It's less about traffic and more about trust.

Here’s a little table to help it sink in:

Part 2: 3 Tips for Optimizing Your Showit Website

You don’t need to get a degree in computer science to do this well. If you focus on just these three things, you’ll be way ahead of the curve. 

Think of these as a flywheel—the more you do one, the more it helps the others, and soon enough, you'll have unstoppable momentum!

Tip 1: Prove You’re a Real Expert (That’s You!)

This is something we talk about all the time, and now it’s become increasingly important in the era of AI. Google’s AI wants to recommend legitimate, trustworthy businesses. It looks for signals of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

You’re not a faceless corporation; you’re a real person with real skills and stories.

Actionable Steps:

• Beef up your About Page: It should tell your story. Who are you? Why do you do what you do? Show your face!
  
• Showcase customer reviews and testimonials everywhere! Don't just keep them on a single page. Sprinkle them throughout your site.
  
• Create detailed author bios: For every blog post, have a little bio for the writer (even if it's just you!). Include your picture, title, and a sentence about your experience.
  
• Write case studies: Don’t just show the pretty pictures from a project; explain the process and the amazing results you got for your client.

Tip 2: Answer Questions, Don’t Just Target Keywords

This is the biggest mindset shift. Your ideal client isn’t just typing “brand designer” into Google anymore. They’re asking specific, detailed questions. Your job is to answer them better than anyone else.

Think about the questions you get from clients all the time:

• “How much should I budget for a brand designer?”
• “What’s the difference between a logo and a full brand identity?”
• “What do I need to prepare before I hire a copywriter?

Take a few minutes and create a list of the questions your clients and prospective clients ask you. Then expand on that list by including the questions they should be asking you. If you feel like your list is still too short, run those ideas through ChatGPT and ask it to expand on those ideas. These ideas make for great blog, YouTube, and social media content.

Actionable Steps:

• Use questions as your blog post titles. Literally. Title your next post: “What are the best fonts to use in website design?”
  
• Answer the question immediately. In the very first paragraph, give a direct and concise answer. Then, you can use the rest of the post to go into more detail. This “inverted pyramid” style is perfect for AI.
  
• Write conversationally. Read your content out loud. Does it sound like a real person talking? If not, rewrite it until it does. Use “you” and “I.” Be a human!

If you already have lots of content on your website, you can run those posts through an AI platform like ChatGPT and ask it for recommendations for improving the format of the post for AI search.

Tip 3: Give AI a Clear Roadmap to Your Site (It’s Easier Than You Think!)

Okay, stick with me here. There’s a thing called “structured data” or “Schema Markup.” It sounds technical, but there are really easy ways to implement it on your website that we’ll get to in a moment.

A simple way to understand structured data is to think of it as a way to label the information on your website so that AI understands it perfectly. 

For instance, recipe websites typically format their recipes using schema markup so that search engines understand it’s a recipe. There’s schema markup for all sorts of other things too such as reviews, products, local businesses, how-to articles, and FAQs.

What you’re trying to do is clearly communicate with AI platforms, Google, and other search engines in a language that they clearly understand.

Using Schema Mark is not the only way to do that. Another is to ensure you’re using the proper HTML tags while designing your Showit website.

Actionable Steps for Showit users:

• Use headings: Headings are an easy way to structure the content on the page in a way that makes content more readable by both humans and AI. As a reminder, only one h1 should be used (that’s often the title of the post), and then h2s and h3s should be used as needed.
  
• … and lists. Use bulleted and numbered lists whenever you can. AI loves easy-to-scan lists.
  
• Generate your Schema Markup. You don’t need to code this yourself! There are free tools online called Schema Markup Generators. You just fill out a form with your business info (like name, address, phone for LocalBusiness schema, or your Q&As for FAQPage schema), and it spits out a little piece of code.
  
  If your Showit website has a WordPress blog, this is even easier! SEO plugins like RankMath, Yoast, or AIOSEO have structured data features built right in.
  
  For example, when you’re writing a blog post, you can use RankMath to add a block to the editor specifically for FAQs (FAQ by Rank Math). You just type your questions and answers into the block, and the plugin automatically generates the correct, clean schema code behind the scenes. No copying, pasting, or code generators needed!
  
• Check your work! Use Google's “Rich Results Test” tool to make sure you added the Schema Markup correctly.
  
• HTML Tags: Make sure you’re using the proper HTML tags when building your Showit website. If you bought your template from the Showit store or a trusted Showit Design Partner, this should be done correctly (but be sure to pay attention as you customize it!).

Paying attention to on-page SEO (how you structure your web pages) is a non-negotiable for GEO.

Part 3: Your Budget-Friendly GEO Toolkit

You don't need to spend a ton of money on fancy software. Here are our favorite (and mostly free!) tools to get the job done.

Note: Of these tools, we spend most of our time in Google Search Console and SurferSEO. We didn’t list ChatGPT as a tool, but it has become an invaluable part of our workflow and we often use it to generate ideas, revisions, crunch data (like keyword research), and optimize posts.

Another tool we didn’t mention is Ubersuggest because it’s a more traditional SEO tool. But we still use Ubersuggest for keyword research (and to run SEO audits on our sites). Expect to see traditional SEO tools continue to add features geared towards GEO.

Part 4: How Do I Know If This Is Working? (And How Long Does It Take?)

Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Tools like SurferSEO are rolling out features that will make it easy to track your progress in AI search. But you don’t need to pay for a tool to track your progress…

A Simple Tracking Method:

1. Create a spreadsheet. In one column, list your 15-20 most important customer questions.
2. In the next columns, list the AI tools you want to check (Google, ChatGPT, etc.).
3. Once a week, ask those questions to the AI tools and see what they say.
4. Log the results. Did they mention you? A competitor? Nothing at all? Use a simple code (like ‘M' for Mentioned, ‘C' for Competitor) to track it. Over time, you'll see your ‘M's start to go up!

A Realistic Timeline:

• Months 1-3: This is foundation-building time. You're creating and structuring content. You probably won't see many results yet, and that's okay!
• Months 4-6: You might start to see your first mentions for very specific, less competitive questions. This is a sign it's working!
• Months 6-12+: As you continue to publish helpful content and build authority, you'll start to see more consistent mentions for more important topics. Patience and consistency are everything.

The Bottom Line

This shift in search isn’t something to be afraid of. It’s actually an amazing opportunity for small businesses like ours.

For years, SEO has felt like a game of trying to please a mysterious algorithm. Now, the path to success is being more human. It’s about sharing your expertise generously, answering people’s real questions, and building a brand that people—and now AI—can genuinely trust.

You’re already doing the hard work. You just need to package it in a way that these new conversational search tools can find and share. You’ve got this!

Part 5: Your Questions, Answered

It’s totally normal to have a bunch of questions about this! This stuff is new and can feel a little overwhelming. Let’s tackle some of the most common questions we see people searching for.

“Is SEO dead in 2025?”

We see this question everywhere, and we get why it’s on your mind! The short answer is: No, SEO is not dead, but it is definitely evolving. As long as people are searching for information, there will be a need to optimize for those searches. The big change is that we're moving from just traditional SEO to also include Generative Engine Optimization (SEO), which is all about becoming a trusted source for AI-powered answers.  

“What's the difference between traditional SEO vs. generative engine optimization?”

This is such a great question! Think of it this way:

• Traditional SEO was about getting your website to rank high in a list of links. The main goal was to get someone to click over to your site.  
• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is about being so helpful and authoritative that your business gets mentioned or cited directly within the AI-generated summary at the top of the search results. Your old SEO work is the perfect foundation for this new approach. It’s not wasted—it’s your launchpad!  

“How to rank in AI search results if I'm a small business?”

This is where you can really shine! You don't need a massive budget; you just need to be smart and focus on what matters most. The “80/20” for ranking in AI search is to focus on three things: proving your E-E-A-T (your real-world experience and expertise), writing conversational content that answers specific questions, and making sure your site has a clear structure with proper on-page formatting (think HTML tags and headings) and structured data (as applicable). If you do nothing else, start by creating content that directly answers the questions your customers ask you every day.  

“How to implement schema markup for a small business?”

“Schema markup” sounds so technical and scary, but we promise it's easier than it seems! It's just a way of labeling your content so AI can understand it perfectly.  

• For WordPress Users: An SEO plugin like RankMath or AIOSEO makes this incredibly simple. They have built-in tools where you can just fill out a form for your business info or create an FAQ section, and the plugin handles all the code for you.  
• For Other Platforms: You can use a free online Schema Markup Generator. You just type your information into a form, and it gives you a small snippet of code to copy and paste into your website's settings. No coding from scratch needed!  

“How long to see results from generative engine optimization?”

This is a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s important to set realistic expectations. Because this is a new and evolving field, there's no definitive data yet, but we can make a good forecast based on how traditional SEO works. You likely won't see much change in the first three months. But around months 4-6, you might start to see your first mentions for very specific, less competitive questions. By months 6-12, as your authority grows, you should see more consistent results for more important topics. The key is to be patient and consistent!

“How to write an author bio for E-A-T?”

This is such an important piece of proving you're a real expert! Keep it simple. Your author bio should be short (50-100 words) and written in the third person (e.g., “Krista Jones is a brand strategist…”). Be sure to include your job title, years of experience, and any special credentials you have. Adding a professional photo and a link to your LinkedIn or professional social media profile is the perfect finishing touch to build trust.  

“Do online reviews really help with SEO?”

Yes, absolutely! Think of reviews as SEO gold. They provide a constant stream of fresh, keyword-rich content from your actual customers. More importantly, they are a huge signal of trust and real-world experience to search engines. Make it a habit to ask happy clients for reviews, and be sure to display those reviews directly on your own website so Google can see them and connect that trust directly to your brand.  

“What are some examples of conversational content?”

Great question! It's all about writing like you talk. Instead of stuffy corporate-speak, you're having a friendly, helpful chat.

• Before: “Our firm provides dynamic, synergistic solutions for modern enterprises.”
• After: “We help you stop wasting time on administrative tasks so you can focus on what you do best.” Another great example is using a simple chatbot on your site to ask visitors what they need help with, or creating an interactive quiz to help them find the right service or product. 

“What are the best free SEO tools for a small business?”

You don't need to break the bank on tools! You can get so much done with a few amazing free resources. Our must-haves are:

• Google Search Console: To see what questions people are already using to find you.  
• Google Business Profile: Essential for any business that serves a local area.  
• AnswerThePublic: The free version is fantastic for finding content ideas based on what people are asking.  
• A Free Schema Markup Generator: To easily create that special code that helps AI understand your site. 

“How do I track my brand mentions in AI search results?”

You don't need fancy software for this! The best way to start is with a simple spreadsheet. List out 15-20 of the most important questions a customer might ask about your services. Once a week, pop those questions into Google, ChatGPT, or another AI tool. In your spreadsheet, just log whether you were mentioned, a competitor was mentioned, or if the answer wasn't relevant. Over time, you'll get a clear picture of how your visibility is growing.

People decide whether to keep reading your website or blog post in about 3 seconds. 

And that decision is based almost entirely on your headline.

After helping thousands of creative entrepreneurs build successful websites, we've seen firsthand that your headline is the most valuable real estate on your entire site.

You know it’s true, too. You’ve probably been guilty of X-ing out or not clicking on something that doesn’t instantly grab your attention. 

What's the point of spending hours creating incredible website content if your headline doesn't convince anyone to actually read it?

The headline is where the battle for attention is won or lost.

But here's where things get tricky…

Sometimes the headlines that perform best for SEO aren't the same ones that get the most clicks or conversions. And the super-catchy, click-worthy headlines? They might not help your SEO one bit.

So what's a business owner to do?! Let's dive into exactly how to create headlines that serve BOTH masters – search engines AND human readers.

The Great Headline Balancing Act: SEO vs. Conversion

There's often a tug-of-war when crafting headlines:

SEO-optimized headlines focus on:

• Including exact-match keywords
• Being descriptive of the content
• Being specific and clear
• Following a standard structure

Conversion-focused headlines prioritize:

• Emotional impact
• Curiosity
• Benefits to the reader
• Personality and brand voice

GOOD THING you don't have to choose just one approach! The best headlines actually blend both strategies.

But before we get into exactly how to do that, let's take a step back and consider…

Know Your Goal Before Writing a Single Headline

Different pages on your website serve different purposes, and their headlines should reflect that:

Homepage Headlines

The primary headline on your homepage isn't typically trying to rank for a specific keyword. Instead, it should:

• Clearly communicate what you do
• Speak directly to your ideal client's desires or pain points
• Differentiate you from competitors
• Set the tone for your brand voice

For example, rather than “Professional Photography Services in Denver” (yawn), you might use “Capture Your Family's Most Magical Moments Before They're Gone” (emotional connection) or “Denver's Most Sought-After Family Photographer for Busy Parents” (clear value proposition).

Service Page Headlines

Service page headlines need to balance SEO with clarity about your offerings. They should:

• Include your primary service keyword
• Communicate the unique value your service provides
• Be specific about who the service is for
• Highlight what makes your approach different

Instead of “Website Design Services” (too generic), try “Custom Showit Website Design for Photographers Who Want to Book More Clients” (specific audience, clear benefit, includes keywords).

Blog Post Headlines

Blog headlines often have the most flexibility and can lean more heavily into curiosity and emotion while still incorporating keywords. Great blog headlines:

• Target a specific keyword or question
• Promise a clear benefit or solution to a problem
• Create curiosity or emotional response
• Set clear expectations about the content format (list, guide, case study, etc.)

Rather than “How to Take Better Photos” (too broad), you could use “7 Composition Techniques That Will Instantly Improve Your Photography” (specific, actionable, implies quick results).

About Page Headlines

About page headlines should focus more on connection than SEO, as they're rarely a primary landing page from search. Effective About page headlines:

• Create an emotional connection
• Hint at your story or journey
• Reflect your personality
• Bridge the gap between you and your ideal clients

Instead of “About Our Company” (please never use this!), try “From Kitchen Table Side-Hustle to Award-Winning Design Studio: Our Journey” or “We Help Heart-Centered Entrepreneurs Build Websites That Feel Like Home.”

How to Write Headlines That Satisfy BOTH SEO and Readers

Now for the magic formula that helps you create headlines that rank AND convert:

Step 1: Start with Keyword Research

Before writing any headline, know what terms people are actually searching for. Use tools like:

• Google Keyword Planner
• Ubersuggest
• Answerthepublic.com
• Even Google's autocomplete suggestions

Look for keywords that have:

• Decent search volume
• Manageable competition
• Clear search intent that matches your content

Step 2: Understand Search Intent

Google has gotten scary-good at understanding what people actually want when they search for something. Your headline needs to match that intent:

Informational intent (looking for answers): “How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Photographer for Your Style”

Navigational intent (looking for a specific site/brand): “Showit Website Templates: The Complete Collection for 2023”

Commercial intent (researching before buying): “Showit vs. Squarespace: Which Platform Is Right for Photographers?”

Transactional intent (ready to buy): “Book Your Custom Showit Website Design: Packages & Process”

Step 3: Craft the SEO-Friendly Base Version

Create a clear, specific headline that includes your target keyword in a natural way. This becomes your foundation.

For example: “How to Write Email Newsletters That Subscribers Actually Open”

Step 4: Add Emotional Triggers or Curiosity Elements

Now enhance your headline with elements that trigger emotional responses:

• Numbers: “17 Email Subject Lines That Doubled Our Open Rates”
• Power words: “Irresistible,” “Essential,” “Proven,” “Unexpected”
• Curiosity gaps: “The Counterintuitive Reason Your Newsletters Are Being Ignored”
• Specificity: “How I Grew My Email Open Rates from 22% to 67% in 30 Days”
• Personal pronouns: “Why Your Subscribers Are Ignoring Your Newsletters”

So our example might become: “How to Write Irresistible Email Newsletters Your Subscribers Will Actually Open (Even if You're Not a Writer)”

Step 5: Optimize Length for Different Platforms

Different platforms have different ideal headline lengths:

• Website pages: Keep it under 60 characters so it doesn't get cut off in search results
• Blog posts: Can be longer, but aim for 50-70 characters for SEO titles
• Email subject lines: 30-50 characters perform best
• Social media: Varies by platform (Twitter/X: 55-70 characters, Facebook: 40-80 characters)

If your headline is too long for SEO purposes, create a shorter version specifically for your meta title tag while keeping the longer, more conversational version on the actual page.

6 Headline Formulas That Always Deliver

When you're stuck (or just need to write something quickly), these proven formulas can help you create headlines that work:

1. The “How-To” Headline

Formula: How to [Achieve Desired Outcome] Without [Pain Point] Examples:

• “How to Build a Beautiful Website Without Hiring a Designer”
• “How to Book High-Paying Clients Without Working More Hours”

2. The List Headline

Formula: [Number] [Desirable Things] That Will [Positive Outcome] Examples:

• “7 Website Tweaks That Will Double Your Inquiry Rate This Month”
• “21 Photography Poses That Will Make Anyone Look Like a Model”

3. The Question Headline

Formula: Is Your [Thing] [Negative Situation]? Here's How to Fix It Examples:

• “Is Your About Page Secretly Driving Clients Away? Here's How to Fix It”
• “Are You Making These 5 Fatal Email Marketing Mistakes?”

4. The Secret-Revealing Headline

Formula: The Secret to [Achieving Desired Outcome] Examples:

• “The Secret to Writing Website Copy Clients Can't Resist”
• “The Little-Known Formula Behind Every Successful Wedding Photography Business”

5. The “What Everybody Ought to Know” Headline

Formula: What Every [Type of Person] Ought to Know About [Topic] Examples:

• “What Every Photographer Ought to Know About Website Conversion”
• “What Every Small Business Owner Needs to Know About Email Marketing”

6. The Case Study Headline

Formula: How [Person/Brand] [Achieved Result] in [Timeframe] Examples:

• “How This Wedding Photographer Booked 35 Weddings in 30 Days With One Email”
• “How I Doubled My Website Conversion Rate By Changing Just 3 Things”

A/B Testing: The Secret Weapon of Headline Masters

Want to know what the real pros do when they can't decide between two headline options?

They don't choose. They test both.

A/B testing your headlines is the single most effective way to improve your conversion rates over time. You can test headlines for:

• Email subject lines
• Blog post titles (using social media to test variations)
• Landing page headlines
• Call-to-action buttons

When testing headlines, only change ONE element at a time:

• Test numbers against each other (7 vs. 21 tips)
• Test different power words (“Essential” vs. “Critical”)
• Test question headlines against statement headlines
• Test including vs. excluding your target keyword

Many email platforms have built-in A/B testing. For website pages, you can use tools like Google Optimize or Hotjar to test headline variations.

Headlines That Google Loves (But People Might Scroll Past)

There's a certain type of headline that performs really well in search results but might not grab attention in other contexts:

The ultra-specific, comprehensive guide headline: “The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Content Calendar for Your Photography Business (With Templates)”

These headlines:

• Are very long and detailed
• Include exact-match keywords
• Often contain parenthetical additions
• Sound more like academic paper titles than marketing

While they might not win creativity awards, they often rank extremely well because they very clearly tell Google exactly what the content is about.

For blog posts in particular, you might want to use a more SEO-friendly headline in your meta title tag (what shows up in search results) and a more compelling, curiosity-driven headline on the actual page.

Headlines That People Love (But Google Might Ignore)

On the flip side, some of the most clickable headlines don't help your SEO at all:

The pure curiosity headline: “I Tried This Weird Trick on My Website and You Won't Believe What Happened Next”

These headlines:

• Create intense curiosity
• Often use vague language
• May include personal pronouns
• Don't typically include keywords
• Can sometimes feel clickbaity

These perform extremely well on social media or in emails where the context is already established, but they provide very little information to search engines about your content.

The Headline Secret Nobody Talks About: It's Not Just the Words

Here's something that doesn't get discussed enough: the visual presentation of your headline matters almost as much as the words themselves.

On your website, consider:

Font Choice

Your headline font should be:

• Easily readable (priority #1)
• Reflective of your brand personality
• Appropriately sized (typically 2-3x larger than body text)
• High contrast against the background

Headlines should be:

Headlines should be:

• Above the fold whenever possible
• Aligned with accompanying visuals
• Properly spaced (with room to breathe)
• Consistent across similar pages

Supporting Elements

Consider adding:

• A small subheadline that expands on your main headline
• Visual cues that draw attention to the headline (arrows, underlines, etc.)
• A high-quality image that reinforces the headline message
• Design elements that frame the headline

With Showit's design flexibility, you can create visually stunning headlines that grab attention through both words AND design elements! Our drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to experiment with different headline presentations until you find the perfect combination for your brand.

Want To See Great Headlines In Action? Stalk These Before & After Examples

Nothing illustrates the power of great headlines like seeing real transformations. Here are some actual before-and-after examples that show the difference between a meh headline and a money-making headline.

Website Homepage:

BEFORE: “Jane Smith Photography” (Generic, says nothing about value or differentiation)

AFTER: “Capturing Your Family's Authentic Joy in Portland's Natural Landscapes” (Clear specialization, location, and emotional benefit)

Service Page:

BEFORE: “Website Design Services” (Generic, highly competitive, no unique value)

AFTER: “Custom Showit Websites for Photographers Who Want to Stand Out & Book More Clients” (Specific platform, target audience, and clear benefits)

Blog Post:

BEFORE: “Email Marketing Tips” (Too broad, competitive, and doesn't promise specific value)

AFTER: “7 Email Templates That Convert Inquiries to Clients (Copy, Paste & Customize)” (Specific number, clear benefit, actionable promise)

About Page:

BEFORE: “About Me” (Please never use this on your website!)

AFTER: “From Corporate Burnout to Booked-Out Designer: How Helping One Friend Led to My Dream Business” (Tells a story, creates intrigue, shows transformation)

When to Write Your Headlines (Hint: Not When You Think)

Most people write their headlines first. But here's a pro tip from our experience working with thousands of successful websites:

Try this approach instead:

1. Write your content first
2. Draft 10-15 possible headlines
3. Let them sit overnight if possible
4. Come back and choose the strongest options
5. Test the best 2-3 versions if possible

By writing your content first, you'll have a much clearer understanding of:

• The specific value your content delivers
• The main points and takeaways
• The tone and voice of the piece
• The keywords that naturally emerge

This approach often leads to more authentic, accurate headlines that truly reflect what makes your content valuable.

Headlines Your Competition Isn't Using (But Should Be)

Want to stand out from all the generic headlines in your industry? We've seen these less common approaches work wonders for our Showit users:

The Contrarian Headline

Challenge conventional wisdom in your field:

• “Why Most Photography Pricing Advice Is Actually Hurting Your Business”
• “The Popular Website ‘Rule' That's Actually Driving Away Your Visitors”

The Specificity Headline

Get ultra-specific about results or methods:

• “How This 15-Minute Homepage Tweak Increased Inquiries by 317% in Just One Week”
• “The Exact 5-Email Sequence That Converted 82% of My Consult Calls Into Clients”

The Personal Story Headline

Use your own experience to create a connection:

• “How I Went From Zero Bookings to Waitlist in 90 Days (Without Paid Ads)”
• “I Almost Quit My Business Last Year—Here's What Saved It”

The “What Nobody Tells You” Headline

Reveal insider information:

• “What Nobody Tells You About Running a Photography Business (Until It's Too Late)”
• “The Hidden Costs of DIY Websites: What Template Sellers Don't Want You to Know”

The Future-Prediction Headline

Position yourself as a trendsetter:

• “5 Website Trends That Will Dominate 2024 (And 3 That Will Vanish)”
• “Why Voice Search Will Change Everything About SEO (And How to Prepare Now)”

Headlines That Convert on Your Showit Website

As you're crafting headlines for your Showit website, remember that conversion happens when the right message meets the right audience at the right time.

Your headlines should:

• Speak directly to your ideal client's current situation
• Address their deepest desires or most pressing pain points
• Differentiate you from competitors they've already seen
• Promise a specific, valuable outcome

One thing we love about Showit is how easy it makes creating visually stunning headlines. You're not limited to basic text formatting – you can add design elements, animations, and perfect spacing to make your headlines truly pop.

We see it all the time with our users – when they combine powerful headline copy with Showit's design capabilities, their conversion rates skyrocket!

Headline Mistakes We See All The Time (Even From Pros)

After helping thousands of creative entrepreneurs build their websites, we've spotted some common headline mistakes that even experienced business owners make:

1. Being Too Clever

Sometimes headlines try so hard to be clever that they sacrifice clarity. Remember: if your reader doesn't immediately understand what you're offering, they'll move on.

2. Forgetting the Benefit

Your headline should answer the eternal question in your reader's mind: “What's in it for me?” Leading with features instead of benefits is a missed opportunity.

3. Writing for Everyone

The most powerful headlines speak directly to a specific audience. When you try to appeal to everyone, you often end up resonating with no one.

4. Ignoring Mobile Users

With more than half of web traffic coming from mobile devices, your headlines need to be concise enough to display properly on smaller screens.

5. The Bait-and-Switch

Your headline creates a promise that your content needs to fulfill. If there's a disconnect between what the headline promises and what the content delivers, you'll lose trust.

6. Headline Neglect

Many website owners spend hours on their content but only seconds on their headlines. Given the importance of headlines in getting people to actually read your content, this approach is backward!

7. Feature-Focused Headlines

“Professional Photography Services” focuses on what you do. “Preserving Your Family's Most Precious Moments” focuses on what your client gets. Always choose the latter.

Headlines That Work Across Different Industries

We've worked with thousands of creative entrepreneurs across countless industries, and we've seen what works. Here are some industry-specific headline examples that have driven real results:

For Photographers:

• “Capturing the Moments You Never Want to Forget (In a Way That's Actually Fun)”
• “Wedding Photography for Couples Who Want Art, Not Just Photos”
• “Family Sessions That Capture Your Kids Being Kids (Not Just Smiling at the Camera)”

For Coaches/Consultants:

• “Stop Hustling for Clients: The 3-Step Framework for Predictable $10K Months”
• “Business Strategy for Creative Entrepreneurs Who Hate ‘Business Strategy'”
• “From Overwhelmed to Organized: How to Finally Build Systems That Scale Your Business”

For Designers:

• “Custom Brand Design That Attracts Premium Clients (Even in a Crowded Market)”
• “Websites That Work as Hard as You Do: Design That Converts Visitors to Clients”
• “Strategic Design for Entrepreneurs Who Know Pretty Isn't Enough”

For Service Providers:

• “Virtual Assistant Services That Give You Back 20+ Hours Every Week”
• “Bookkeeping for Creative Entrepreneurs Who'd Rather Create Than Crunch Numbers”
• “SEO Services That Actually Lead to Client Inquiries (Not Just ‘Traffic')”

Start Crafting Better Headlines Today

Great headlines aren't born—they're made through practice, testing, and constant refinement.

Here's your action plan:

1. Audit your current website headlines using the principles in this post
2. Identify the 3 most important pages to optimize first
3. Draft at least 5-10 alternative headlines for each
4. Get feedback from people in your target audience
5. Implement the strongest options
6. Track changes in traffic, engagement, and conversion

Remember, your headline is a promise to your reader about the value they'll receive from your content. Make it compelling, make it clear, and above all, make sure you deliver on that promise!

The great thing about using Showit for your website is that you can update your headlines anytime, without needing a developer.

See a headline that's not performing? Just hop into our drag-and-drop editor and change it in seconds!

Ready to create a website with headlines that convert browsers into buyers? Try Showit free for 14 days and see why creative entrepreneurs love our platform!=

There’s one challenge nearly every business owner struggles with at some point, but no one seems to want to do the work to make it happen…

Getting more eyes on your website.

You've spent countless hours (and probably a fair amount of money!) creating a beautiful site that perfectly represents your brand. But if no one's seeing it? Well, that's kind of like having the world's most beautiful store in a ghost town.

The good news? There's a tried-and-true solution to this problem that's been working for years, continues to work today, and shows no signs of slowing down:

Blogging.

And we're not just saying this because we want you to read our blog (though we're thrilled you're here!). We're saying it because the data backs it up.

The Numbers Don't Lie: Blogging = More Traffic

If you're on the fence about whether blogging is worth your time, these statistics might convince you:

Companies with blogs produce an average of 67% more leads per month than companies that don't have active blogs. (That's according to DemandMetric!)

Websites with blogs have 434% more indexed pages than websites without blogs. More indexed pages = more chances to show up in search results.

Businesses that prioritize blogging are 13x more likely to see positive ROI from their marketing efforts.

75% of marketers believe that AI-enabled search engines will positively impact their blogs, making them even more valuable assets in the future.

These aren't small improvements we're talking about. These are game-changing numbers that could transform your business's online visibility.

How Blogging Increases Your Website Traffic

So how exactly does blogging work its traffic-building magic? Let's break it down:

1. More Pages = More Opportunities to Be Found

Every time you publish a blog post, you're creating a new page on your website.

Each of these pages can be indexed by search engines, which means each post gives you another opportunity to show up in search results. The more posts you have, the more inbound links you create for someone to reach your website.

It's simple math: if you have 5 pages on your website, you have 5 chances to rank in search engines. If you have 50 pages (thanks to a consistent blogging strategy), you have 50 chances!

And who wouldn’t want more chances for their ideal clients and customers to find them on Google?

2. Fresh Content Signals an Active Site

Search engines LOVE fresh content.

And when you regularly update your blog, you're sending a clear signal to Google that your site is alive and well — signaling to the search engine that “hey, there’s some FRESH new content over here.” 

Google prioritizes active websites in search results because they're more likely to provide relevant, up-to-date information to searchers.

Think about it this way: 

If you were Google, would you send people to a website that hasn't been updated since 2019, or one that published new content last week? The answer is obvious! 

Of course you wouldn’t; it’s your job to give people the best answer to their question — so naturally, if you’re Google, you’re sending them to the page with the best information, which more often than not is the most current page.

3. Blogging Gives People a Reason to Stay Longer

When visitors find valuable blog content on your site, they stick around longer to consume it. This increased “dwell time” is another positive signal to search engines that your site is providing value.

Plus, the longer someone stays on your site, the more likely they are to explore other pages, learn about your services, and eventually convert from a visitor to a client.

4. Each Blog Post Is a Long-Term Traffic Asset

Unlike social media posts that disappear from feeds within hours, blog posts can continue driving traffic to your site for years. We have blog posts from several years ago that still bring in consistent traffic every single month!

This is what we call “compounding returns” on your content investment. 

The traffic potential of your blog grows over time as you add more posts, creating a snowball effect that can significantly increase your overall traffic.

5. Blogs Create Shareable Content

A great blog post is something people want to share. 

When readers share your content on social media or link to it from their own websites, you gain:

• Exposure to new audiences
• Social proof that your content is valuable
• Backlinks that boost your SEO
• Additional traffic sources beyond search engines

All of these factors combine to create a powerful traffic-generating machine for your business.

How to Start Blogging for Traffic Growth

Now that you understand WHY blogging works so well for increasing website traffic, let's talk about HOW to implement a successful blogging strategy:

1. Focus on Quality Over Quantity

While posting consistently is important, quality always trumps quantity. One exceptional, in-depth post that truly helps your audience will generate more traffic than five rushed, surface-level posts.

Take the time to create content that's:

• Genuinely helpful to your ideal audience
• Well-researched and accurate
• Thoughtfully organized and easy to read
• Written in your authentic voice

Remember: you're not just trying to attract any traffic—you want to attract the RIGHT traffic that consists of your ideal clients and customers.

2. Choose Topics Your Audience Actually Cares About

The most successful blog posts address the questions, challenges, and interests of your target audience. Before you start writing, ask yourself:

• What questions do my clients frequently ask me?
• What problems keep my ideal customer up at night?
• What topics would help my audience achieve their goals?
• What information would make their lives or businesses better?

These questions will help you develop blog topics that resonate with your audience and attract the right kind of traffic to your site.

3. Optimize Your Content for Search Engines

While you should always write for humans first, incorporating SEO best practices will help your blog posts rank higher in search results:

• Include relevant keywords in your titles, headers, and throughout your content (without keyword stuffing!)
• Write compelling meta descriptions that encourage clicks
• Use descriptive URLs that include your target keywords
• Add alt text to images
• Incorporate internal links to other relevant pages on your site

These SEO fundamentals will help search engines understand what your content is about and when to show it to searchers.

4. Be Consistent (But Realistic)

Consistency builds momentum, but be realistic about what you can maintain. It's better to publish one high-quality post per month without fail than to publish four posts one month and then disappear for the next three months.

Create a content calendar that works with your schedule, not against it. Then stick to it!

5. Promote Your Blog Posts

Don't just hit publish and hope for the best. Actively promote your blog posts to help them gain traction:

• Share them on your social media channels
• Include them in your email newsletter
• Repurpose content into different formats (videos, infographics, carousel posts)
• Consider boosting popular posts with a small ad budget

The initial promotion helps your posts gain momentum, which can lead to more shares and links—ultimately increasing your traffic even further.

The Blogging Success Timeline

Here's the thing about blogging for traffic: it's not an overnight strategy. If you're looking for immediate results, paid advertising might be a better fit.

But if you're in it for the long haul (and you should be!), blogging is one of the most cost-effective ways to build sustainable, ongoing traffic to your website.

Here's a realistic timeline of what to expect:

First 3 months: You're laying the foundation. Traffic growth might be minimal, but you're building your content library.

Months 3-6: You start seeing some momentum. Search engines are indexing more of your content, and you might notice increased traffic from long-tail keywords.

Months 6-12: The snowball effect begins. You have enough content that visitors are starting to explore multiple posts, and your overall traffic shows consistent growth.

Beyond 12 months: This is where the magic happens. With a solid body of content that's ranking well, your traffic grows more significantly, and older posts continue to bring in visitors month after month.

Patience and persistence are key. The businesses that stick with blogging consistently are the ones that see the most impressive traffic results.

The 7-Step Process For Blogging Your Way To More Website Traffic

The evidence is clear: blogging works for increasing website traffic. 

But like any effective strategy, it requires commitment, quality execution, and a focus on providing real value to your audience.

If you're ready to start your blogging journey (or recommit to a consistent blogging practice), here's your action plan:

1. Choose 3-5 topics your audience would love
2. Create a realistic publishing schedule
3. Write your first post (or plan your next one if you already have a blog)
4. Optimize it for search engines
5. Publish and promote it
6. Track your results
7. Repeat!

And the best part? If you're using Showit for your website, adding a blog is super simple with our WordPress integration. 

You get all the design flexibility of Showit with the powerful blogging capabilities of WordPress—the perfect combination for building a traffic-generating website.

Give your brand the traffic boost it deserves + start growing your online presence with consistent blogging on your Showit site. Try Showit free for 14 days!

Resources to help you get started:

• Business Blogging: Strategies That'll Get Results
• The Ultimate Guide to Keyword Research for your Showit Website
• How to Blog Consistently: Tips & Tricks When You’re Super Busy

So, you’ve decided to start building your website with Showit. Great choice, if we may say so.

Maybe one of the deciding factors for you was the way Showit seamlessly integrates with WordPress for all your blogging needs.

Or wait… maybe you haven’t decided just yet. You’re still thinking about going with a WordPress website and using one of the platform’s themes instead of building a site with a builder like Showit.

Okay, we’ll entertain that option.

Now it’s a question of figuring out which way to go. After all, whether you choose one of the best WordPress themes or you choose a Showit + WordPress combo, you want to find something that gives you ease of use, great performance, and high-ranking SEO.

Spoiler: you don’t have to choose Showit OR WordPress. You can use them both together!

Before we get into WordPress themes and how they compare, let’s go over how Showit integrates with WordPress to give you the best of both worlds.

How WordPress and Showit Work Together

When you build a website with Showit, you use its web-building tool to control all aspects of the design.

By that we mean things like colors, fonts, and graphics. 

WordPress, on the other hand, manages all of the blog content.

You'll write blog posts with WordPress, but you'll visually design them with all the tools available to you in Showit.

That means you don’t have to worry about coding, HTML, or trying to rig WordPress.

This is a great option for creative professionals like photographers and designers who want a visually-heavy site but without a lot of stress.

Similarly, if you’re a blogger who simply wants your blog to look great, Showit and WordPress are the perfect pair.

Top 5 WordPress Themes for Designers & Creatives

When we talk about a WordPress theme, we’re referring to a collection of templates and stylesheets that give your WordPress site its distinct visual appearance and layout. 

A theme controls how your content is displayed, including things like your colors, fonts, page structure, and widget locations.

A theme lets you change the look and feel of your website without altering the core functionality or content management system of WordPress itself.

While there are thousands of WordPress themes available to choose from (yeah, really), you also have the option of customizing them to fit your specific needs and preferences.

Here are our top five picks for our favorite WordPress themes for designers and creatives.

1. Elementor (Hello Theme + Elementor Pro)

Elementor combines the minimalist WordPress theme Hello with Elementor Pro, the premium version of the page builder plugin.

This combination gives you a drag-and-drop builder with extensive design flexibility, plus a large library of pre-made templates and widgets. It’s great because it’s beginner-friendly and lets you achieve high customization without any coding.

On the downside, it can slow your site speed if you don’t optimize it. And while many beginners find it user-friendly, you might still need time to learn some of the more advanced features.

2. Divi by Elegant Themes

The Divi theme is an all-in-one visual builder with advanced design capabilities that makes it easy for you to try A/B testing, along with other marketing tools.

It’s great for agencies and has a pricing option that lets you buy it for life, but this does set you up for potential lock-in with the Divi framework.

That can be a problem because your site will be heavily dependent on Divi’s shortcodes and layout structure, making it difficult to switch to a different page builder later on.

3. Simplice

Simplice is a portfolio-focused WordPress theme for designers that offers custom layout-building capabilities without pre-made templates.

This makes it great for anyone who wants high creative control and a sleek, modern design. However, it’s not exactly beginner friendly and could call for a more complex setup.

4. Astra

Astra is a lightweight, fast-loading WordPress theme that’s compatible with Elementor and Beaver Builder. On the plus side, it’s highly customizable and optimized for performance, but some features require you to sign up for the pro version.

5. GeneratePress

The last on our list of the best WordPress themes for designers is GeneratePress, which is focused on performance and speed.

It has a minimalist design, is SEO friendly, and can be easily customized. However, it does have some limited design flexibility without additional CSS. If you want advanced customization options, you’ll probably have to upgrade to the premium version.

 Showit + WordPress: The Best of Both Worlds

Before you choose a WordPress theme, stop and consider this: Using WordPress in conjunction with Showit actually combines the best of both platforms. 

You get the power of WordPress when it comes to content publishing, and the creative control that Showit offers — specifically, the drag-and-drop capability that lets you create your site to look exactly how you want it to.

So when you look at the benefits of our five picks for themes — Elementor, Divi, Simplice, Astra, and GeneratePress — Showit gives you pretty much everything you could want.

It has true ease of use with no restriction, so you have much more design freedom than you would have with most WordPress themes.

Now the question is: Which website builder should you use?

Which Website Builder Should You Choose?

We can’t make any one-size-fits-all recommendation when it comes to the choice between WordPress themes and using WordPress in conjunction with Showit (though you probably know our opinion!).

That said, we do have some thoughts to consider in specific situations. Here’s what we say is the best option for…

Best for Design Freedom → Showit

Why Choose Showit? Showit is the ideal choice for design freedom because you have 100% control without any coding required, and you still enjoy that seamless WordPress integration for powerful blogging and SEO.

It’s great when you’re setting up a portfolio for your service-based business, such as photography or graphic design.

Showit is geared toward visual-focused industries, such as designers or photographers, because of the way it simplifies setting up a portfolio and managing so many images.

It even gives you the benefit of creating separate mobile and desktop versions, so you show off your content in the best way possible for whatever device your visitors (aka potential customers) are using to look at it.

Things to Consider: Keep in mind that Showit has a monthly subscription cost, instead of a one-time purchase, and you’ll have limited e-commerce capabilities (so it’s not great if you’re running a huge store). It’s more focused on design than technical customization.

Best for WordPress Flexibility & Ease → Elementor

Why Choose Elementor? If you want that WordPress flexibility and ease (maybe you’re just a little overwhelmed by everything you can do with Showit), then your next best option is to use the Elementor website builder.

You'll find it works well with nearly any WordPress theme, and you can expand it with plugins and widgets for more functionality.

Things to Consider: You may slow down your site speed if too many elements are added.

You'll also find that some features require you to pay for Elementor Pro.

It’s worth keeping in mind that Elementor is about simplifying what you can do.

So you’re not going to have as much design freedom as you would have with Showit.

Best for Advanced Marketing & Agencies → Divi

Why Choose Divi? Marketing agencies should take a look at what Divi has to offer as a WordPress template.

Along with extensive design customization capabilities, Divi has built-in conversion optimization and marketing tools.

Unlike Elementor’s subscription model, it has a lifetime pricing option, so you don’t have to worry about ongoing payments. Plus, it makes it easy to manage many websites for all your individual clients.

Things to Consider: In some ways, Divi can feel “heavy” and slow if not optimized properly.

So be careful about how much you add to each page.

It’s less intuitive than Showit or Elementor if you’re a beginner; you should expect a bit of a learning curve based on the sheer number of features.

Best for Portfolio Sites → Simplice

Why Choose Simplice? When you’re creating a website to show off your portfolio, Simplice is an obvious answer. This theme is built specifically for designers with portfolios! It gives you fully customizable layouts, and its minimalistic design aesthetic puts the focus on your work. Plus, it’s a one-time purchase with no recurring fees.

Things to Consider: Simplice isn’t great for non-designers because it requires some technical skill to master.

There’s also limited support compared with a larger page builder.

If you aren’t focusing your site on a portfolio, it might not be a great fit for showing off what you have to offer.

Best for Performance-Focused Users → Astra or GeneratePress

Why Choose Astra or GeneratePress? If your biggest priority is performance, your best bet may be Astra or GeneratePress. Both are extremely lightweight and fast, so your website will work quickly and smoothly. They work well with page builders, yet also function without them if you prefer to go without. Astra and GeneratePress are highly customizable with a minimalist base design, so they make a good fit for a wide variety of uses, like bloggers, businesses, and developers.

Things to Consider: Although Astra and GeneratePress are built for performance, some of the customization takes a little extra effort (maybe even coding).

They also lack built-in page-building features. You’ll likely need to look at an upgrade to take advantage of some of their premium features.

The Final Verdict on Showit vs. WordPress

WordPress themes give you great options, particularly if you don’t think you’re ready for all the capabilities that using Showit in conjunction with WordPress would offer. 

There’s no perfect answer to the question of whether you should choose Showit vs. WordPress themes, or even if there’s a clear best website builder for creatives. Instead, you need to consider your needs, technical ability, and long-term site goals. With all of that in mind, you can choose the right platform for you.

If you’re curious about giving Showit a try (and who wouldn’t be?), you have a 14-day free trial with no strings attached. Consider getting started and seeing what you can do with full creative control!

Bigger isn’t always better, especially in the case of images you’re using online.

Take any photo or high-resolution graphic and you might notice that the size is a little bigger (or even a lot bigger) than your website can handle.

Using it as part of your web design means your website is likely to lag or just stop loading. So, what should you do?

Optimize that image!

Image optimization is simply shrinking the file size of an image without sacrificing its quality too much – so it still looks good but is going to help your website load MUCH faster.

And when you have a website that loads faster, you create a better user experience. Plus, it’s good for SEO, because search engines want to send people to websites that aren’t slow.

Consider the ways image optimization is crucial for your Core Web Vitals, the key performance metrics used by Google to assess user experience on a webpage:

•   Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): a measurement of how long it takes for the largest image on your website to load, which can be improved with optimized images
• · Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): a measurement of how much the elements of a page shift as they load, which can be improved when an image has the proper height and width attributes
•   First Delay Input (FDI): a measurement of the delay between when you take an action, such as clicking a link or typing in a form, and the browser starting the process of that action, which can be improved when you don’t have large images your browser doesn’t have to focus on

In short, if you want to improve the overall speed and functionality of your website (and let’s be real, who wants to sit around and wait for a website to load?), then you need to optimize your images for the web. That’s easy enough to do when you’re working with the right tools.

Why Image Optimization Matters for Websites

Tech power is like human power in some ways, when you’re asking a lot of it, you have to expect it to work a little harder and move a little more slowly. Makes sense, right?

So when you’re putting a large high-resolution image file on your website, it’s almost like asking your website to lug a 100-pound weight around. It’s going to take a while for your website to get stuff done!

That’s why a website with a lot of large images won’t load quickly. It’s almost as if your website is trying to set a bunch of 100-pound weights in place. And when your website loads slowly, search engines perceive it as less user-friendly.

Search engines don’t want to direct traffic to websites people don’t want to use, so your website’s slow loading time could end up affecting its SEO and Google rankings.

That’s not great, because essentially those big beautiful images you thought looked so great on your website are actually the reason you’re not showing up in search results.

Worth noting: Search engines are doing what’s known as mobile-first indexing.

That means they’re giving higher rank to websites built for mobile devices.

It makes sense because most people are looking at websites on their phones these days.

But many websites are built for computer screens, not for phone screens. Part of image optimization means making your images responsive, so they adjust to the type of screen they’re being viewed on.

Features to Look for in Image Optimization Tools

You might be sitting here and reading all this with the thought, “Great! So, what am I supposed to do with all these high-res images?” Before you go overloading your website design, you can quickly and efficiently optimize all your images for the web with one of several of the optimization tools in 2025.

When you’re choosing a web optimization tool, look for one with the following features:

• Compression quality: You want a tool that is going to compress (i.e. shrink) your images via lossless compression, which reduces the file sizes without losing image data or quality, instead of lossy compression, in which some image data will be lost and the quality potentially diminished.
• Bulk processing capabilities: You don’t have the time to go through and compress each image individually, especially if you’re somebody who is working with lots of photos—we’re looking at you, photographers and your extensive galleries. You want a tool that lets you optimize images in bulk to save you some time.
• Support for modern image formats: When you’re choosing a tool, you should select one that’s able to handle image formats like WebP, AVIF, and JPEG XL.
• Integration with CMS platforms: Once you optimize your images, you’re going to need to upload them to your site, so choose an optimization tool that will work with platforms like WordPress and Shopify.
• Automation and AI-powered optimization: Remember how we talked about bulk optimization? Not every image needs to be optimized in the same way, so you want to find a tool that uses AI to determine specifically what needs to be done with each image and automates the task without your having to change any settings.

 Top Image Optimization Tools of 2025

Ready to optimize?

Great! You’ve got options when it comes to optimization—lots of options.

Alongside thinking about what features you need from an image optimization tool, think about what type of access you want to have.

Do you want something to simply use online via your internet browser? Or do you want something you can access through your website platform, or even from your computer desktop?

Consider these options:

Online Image Optimizers

These are the optimizers you can access directly through your internet browser by going to the website. They’re pretty straightforward, but they get the job done well enough.

You’ve got TinyPNG, which is a simple, effective tool for PNG and JPEG compression.

If you want to do advanced compression with various formats, try Compressor.io. And then for high-quality bulk images, there’s Kraken.io.

WordPress Plugins for Image Optimization

If you’re looking for the best WordPress image optimizer, consider a plug-in like ShortPixel or Smush for automated AI-powered optimization. Imagify is also a WordPress plug-in and it offers WebP conversion and fast compression.

Desktop & Developer Tools

For anyone working directly from their desktop, RIOT (Radical Image Optimization Tool) could be a great option—it’s free Windows software that lets you compress images quickly and efficiently.

Mac users can try ImageOptim, an open-source tool for lossless compression. Finally, there’s Squoosh by Google, a Browser-based tool with detailed compression controls.

AI & Next-Gen Optimization Tools

When it comes to AI and next-gen options, consider working with VanceAI Image Compressor for AI-powered image enhancement and compression or Cloudinary for Cloud-based image management with automation.

Best Practices for Image Optimization in 2025

Before you move full-steam ahead on optimizing your images, there's some best practices you should keep in mind.

First, be sure to choose the right file format for your images.

WebP offers better compression than JPEG while maintaining high quality and supports transparency, making it ideal for web performance.

AVIF provides even higher compression efficiency and better quality at lower file sizes than WebP but has slightly less browser support, whereas JPEG is widely compatible but results in larger files with lower efficiency compared to both WebP and AVIF.

Second, take advantage of lazy loading.

This is a technique that delays the loading of non-essential images until they are needed, improving page speed and performance. Instead of loading all images immediately when a page loads, it loads only the ones visible in the viewport and fetches others as the user scrolls.

Be sure you leverage CDNs, aka Content Delivery Networks, for faster global delivery. These improve website speed by distributing your images and other assets across multiple global servers, ensuring faster delivery to users regardless of their location.

Finally, be sure to maintain a balance between quality and compression.

Yes, you want your images to be smaller in size, but not so much that they compromise the quality of the image.

If the picture loses too much data, it becomes grainy and pixelated. Be sure to use an optimization tool that is going to give you compressed images that still look great and reflect your professionalism. Otherwise, what’s the point, right?

Main Takeaway

Optimizing your images for your website is a crucial step that improves your website speed (good for SEO), but it’s important to take the care you need so you don’t end up with reduced quality.

The best approach? Experiment with different tools based on your website’s needs and find the one that feels the most user-friendly while giving you the best results.

If you want to see how those optimized images look on a beautifully designed Showit website? Don’t forget that you have a 14-day free trial waiting for you with no commitment necessary. Sign up and get started!

One of the main things I've seen small business owners try to figure out when they're hoping to grow organic traffic is how to blog consistently.

But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's not just important to know how to blog consistently. You need to know WHY YOU SHOULD blog consistently as well.

Why You Should Blog Consistently

It turns out that developing good SEO for your website is a lot more about the content you're creating than anything else.

Sure, making sure your on page SEO is important. And, getting good backlinks is a worthy cause. But, if I had to pick just one thing that would help to show up on top of search engine results it would be writing good blogs…a lot.

And, not like just a one off every few months kind of rhythm. We're talking about AT LEAST once a week.

How do you keep up that pace? Turns out I've got a little bit of experience with this very topic.

My Blogging Crednetials

Back in 2019, I started a blog/podcast/youtube channel (all the things) called Self-Made Web Designer.

The goal was to help people learn how to build web design businesses without having any background in the field. So, I started blogging…a lot. At first it was about 3 small articles every week.

Then I learned that longer blog posts tend to rank higher than shorter ones. So, I started writing at least one 2,000 word plus blog every single week.

I did that non-stop up until 2022 when I decided to take a break.

Fast forward to 2024 and I decided it was time to start writing again. Inspired by Anne Lamot's book “Bird by Bird,” I set a goal of writing 1,000 words a day.

Depending on who you are that might sound like a lot or a little. BUT, I learned quite a few things along the way that has helped me to write so much. It got to the point that I've since increased it to about 1,500 words a day.

But, because of the tips and tricks I learned, it doesn't feel like a big deal at all.

So, I decided it was time to take all of the things I've learned on how to blog consistently and share it with you here.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 1: Don't Edit While You Write

One of the biggest hurdles to get over with blogging every single day is learning how to write without editing yourself as you're writing.

Everyone does it. You type a little bit, and then you go back and read what you typed. Decide it doesn't make sense and then delete everything you just wrote and try again.

Here's the biggest tip on how to blog consistently I can give you. Creating and editing take two different types of brain power.

So, you should keep them separate. Give yourself permission to write a rough draft that's ACTUALLY rough.

Give it some time and come back later to start editing. But, don't do it WHILE you're writing.

Just write.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 2: Aim for Mediocre

If you really want to learn how to blog consistently, you've got to understand that not everything you write is going to be great.

In fact, most of it will be bad. And, that's okay.

Most people don't even get started because they're worried that their content won't live up to other super hero bloggers out there that know how to say all the right words that keep people hooked from the first sentence.

First, none of those people started out that way. They did a lot of bad blogging that lead to a lot of mediocre blogging. Eventually, they started occasionally producing some top notch blogs here and there.

But, there still not hitting a home run every time they get up to bat even now that they have years of experience.

So, don't aim to write the VERY BEST ARTICLE THAT HAS EVER BEEN WRITTEN about said topic. Instead, shoot for medioce.

Just something that's slightly above horrible. Publish before it's perfect! Do that enough and eventually you'll start to write better and better blogs.

But, don't let the fear of imperfection keep you from blogging at all.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 3: Find a Rhythm That Works for You

I hear so many people trying to push their preferred method of getting things done:

• Batching tasks
• Doing a little bit every day
• Putting it on your calendar

The list of ways to complete tasks is endless AND I have tried them all ad nauseam. Here's what I've found. What works for me might not work for you and vice versa.

I've personally found that trying to do a little bit every day is better than trying to do a lot all in just a few days. So, of all the things on my todo list, writing is one that shows up every single day.

And, when I get it done I feel like I've accomplished something.

I mean c'mon! We're taking a blank screen and turning it into something. A tangible thing that someone can consume and learn from.

The point is you don't have to do things the way I do things. Maybe you like to reserve a specific block of time on a specific day every week and just get a blog done. That's great.

Try a lot of different ways out and don't get discouraged if one doesn't work for you the way you thought it would. There's all sorts of different things you can do to try to keep a steady rhythm.

Just find a rhythm that works.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 4: Have a Running List of Topics

One of the biggest lessons I've learned on how to blog consistently is that the main enemy of keeping your blog going is that gap between your last blog and your next.

You were in it. Things were flowing AND you got the blog done. High fives all around. But the next week rolls around and it's time to write something new! Now what?

It takes me much more effort just to pick out a topic I'm going to write about than it does to just start writing.

To help with that I keep a running list of blog topics I'm planning to cover.

That also helps me to be thinking about what I'm going to be writing for on those topics. It's kind of like going to bed with a math problem in your head and waking up having solved it.

Your subconscious just kind of works on the topics even when you're not thinking about it.

How to Come Up With Blog Ideas

Okay, but you might be thinking, “How do I even come up with ideas in the first place?”

Great question. I like to do a little bit of research in Google Keyword Planner. It's a free resource that will tell you how often a phrase is searched for on their search engine.

I talk a lot about keyword research on this big blog all about SEO. But, the basic run down is you start with a general phrase connected to your website's topic.

So, if I was a photographer it would be something like “photography.” Then you get back a list of ideas.

The phrases that you're looking for are ones that have a lot of volume but not a lot of competition.

From there you'll get a barrage of different ideas to start culling through.

Another great source is Chat GPT! I love asking it to brainstorm some topics and then building a list from there. Bottom line you've got a ton of options when it comes to coming up with ideas.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 5: Don't Worry About Repeating Yourself

Something I hear consistently from people wanting to learn how to blog consistently is that they're afraid they're going to start repeating themselves.

Like, there's only so much to say about a single topic, right?

Well, there's probably a lot. You just don't realize how much you know in relation to everyone else out there.

So, let's say on a scale of 1 to 10 of everything there is to know about a specific topic and you'd put yourself at like a 6 or 7.

You'd think that you need to bring down how your talking about that topic to like a 3 or 4 so everyone can understand. But, you'd be wrong.

You need to bring it down to like a 1 or 2.

It's okay to go basic, basic. In fact, that's going to reach most people, anyways.

Say It Again, Just Slightly Different

But, let's say you're right and you will run out of things to say. Just say it again. You'd be surprised how much people don't mind hearing something over and over.

Have you ever listened to the Dave Ramsey podcast? He's been doing it for forever. Even before it was a podcast it was a radio show.

But, here's the thing, he's basically saying the same thing over and over. People call in and tell him their financial troubles and he gives them the same advice he's been giving everyone for the last few decades.

Over and over. But, it's one of the most popular podcasts out there.

People don't get bored with it. And, people won't get bored with what you have to say. Plus, it's highly unlikely that everyone will read every single article you write from top to bottom.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 6: Let AI Help

I personally don't use AI to write out my blogs fully. I like writing and see it as a craft I'm trying to develop. BUT, I do use it to help.

If I'm having trouble getting started, I'll ask it how they'd intro a topic. If I need help with a general outline, I'll poke it for some ideas.

Almost always it will give me ideas that then lead to the ideas I actually use. But, that time between when I couldn't think of anything and when I started running with a topic gets cut down SIGNIFFICIANTLY with AI.

And, listen, I'm not opposed to having AI write your blog for you. I know people that do it and there are some great tools out there.

I'm just unfamiliar with the best approach. And, as much as people say that Google has a way of telling what was created by AI and what wasn't, I'm just not buying it.

At the very least, a secret weapon on how to blog consistently is to use AI to get ideas going and help you when you get stuck.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 7: Write How You Talk

The best thing to do when you're writing a blog is just write like you would talk. So, think of it like sitting down with a friend at a coffee shop and they're asking you questions about the topic you're blogging about.

What would you say to them? How would you say it? That's what you need to do in your articles and how to blog consistently.

Often the objection I get from this tip is something like, “But, I don't talk so good.” But, hear me out.

First, I think it's kind of important to differentiate yourself from AI. Even if you're having AI write your articles. You need to go back through and put some of yourself IN THAT ARTICLE.

What better way to differentiate your writing from a robot's with your unique tone and even your mistakes.

AI can do a lot of things. But, it can't steal you or your story. So, don't be afraid to put some of yourself in what you're writing.

The Best Reading Level to Write To

People Like to Read anywhere from a 3rd to 6th grade level. So, if you're worried you won't sound smart enough, then you're actually in a really good place!

There's actually a really great resource called The Hemingway App that helps you write concisely and will tell you when your verbiage is getting too complicated.

By the way, the phrase “your verbiage is getting too complicated” was graded at a 7th grade level.

The point is you don't have to have a masters degree to start blogging about something. People just want to hear your perspective.

How to Blog Consistently Tip 8: Overcoming Writers Block

Ahh, the biggest hurdle for how to blog consistently, the dreaded writers block. There's good news though. There are so many ways to overcome it. Here's a few that have helped me.

FIRST: Just staying consistent. I know that seems like circular logic. How do you blog consistently when you're faced with writers block? Well, you blog consistently.

But, here's the funny thing that happens when you start turning your blogging into a routine, it just becomes a part of you.

It'll start to feel the same as waking up and instantly brushing your teeth. It's just something you do.

It takes a bit of time to get some momentum but that's okay. It'll get easier as time goes on.

SECOND: If you start writing about anything it will prime the pump to help you write about something specific.

Sometimes I'll even just start copying other people's text verbatim when I'm trying to get the juices flowing. It's the “objects in motion tend to stay in motion” idea JUST for writing.

THIRD: Take a nap. When I really can't think of anything it's typically a sign that I'm just really tired. So, pause from it and come back later.

You'll have some other things that work for you as well. Someone I follow said she hates starting with a blank screen so she always starts her blogs by writing “something something something” over and over again until she's ready to start.

Final Thoughts on How to Blog Consistently

There is no perfect advice on how to blog consistently. The truth is it's messy. It takes time. You'll do good for a while and then start to fade.

And, that's all okay. The point is you wake up and you try again. Don't let fear or shame hold you back from just sitting down and writing something.

They don't have to be 3,000 word articles. They don't even have to be 1,000 word articles.

Sure, there is all sorts of advice about how “your blog should be minimum of 2,000 words” and there's some truth to that. BUT, think of it like going to the gym.

You don't do your very first session after being away for years and push yourself to the max. That's a surefire way of getting injured or at the very least being too soar to come back again for a few weeks.

Take it slow. Then gradually ramp up how much you're doing.

Over time you'll get into a rhythm and you'll be telling people how to blog consistently

Let's check out some of the most powerful Chrome extensions for brand and web designers.

On second thought, a lot of these are pretty helpful if you spend time working on anything on the online not just designing and branding.

These are all tools that will help most folks make their process more enjoyable and help cut back on headaches.

Check out the list below and bookmark this post so you can come back and see when we add new ones.

1. Dark Mode

The Dark Mode chrome extention flips the switch on blinding web pages with a global dark theme for the entire internet.

Need a break from the glare? Toggle it on or off with a single click, or customize chrome with over 50 theme options. Plus, its handy white-list feature lets you keep certain sites bright if you so choose.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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2. 1Password

Think of 1Password as a personal online bodyguard—minus the earpiece and sunglasses.

This extension that makes remembering dozens of passwords a thing of the past.

With just one master password, it handles the rest: generating, saving, and filling your passwords with a level of ease that’ll make you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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3. Pocket

The Pocket Chrome extension is your digital bookmarking assistant. With one click, you can save articles, videos, and links from across the web to revisit whenever you want.

Pocket creates a calm, distraction-free space for all the content you care about. It's a perfect fix for those of us who text our friends links just so we know where they are.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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4. Tab Manager

Tab Manager plus can help you take control of your browser chaos.

Whether you're juggling work projects or researching endlessly, this extension helps you organize, find, and manage your tabs with ease. No more judgment from your friends when they look at your screen.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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5. Scroll Capture

Scroll Capture is a great tool for designers and developers who want to create high quality screen captures for their portfolios.

This browser extension streamlines the process of showcasing your work, letting you create professional-grade recordings effortlessly.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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6. Grid Ruler

Grid Ruler is the essential Chrome extension for web developers and designers, bringing the precision of Photoshop-style grids right to your browser.

Whether you’re aligning elements or measuring distances, Grid Ruler makes it easy to create and refine layouts with accuracy.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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7. Font Ninja

Font Ninja makes font exploration effortless and enjoyable, whether you’re a designer, developer, or just a font enthusiast.

All you need to do is hover over text to instantly identify fonts and view CSS properties, plus get a full summary of all fonts used on a site.

Dive deeper into font details like styles, foundries, and pricing, bookmark your favorites to share with others, find similar fonts for inspiration, and search with advanced filters to discover exactly what you need.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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8. Grammarly

Grammarly for Chrome is your personal writing coach, editor, and AI-powered brainstorming tool.

It catches typos, polishes grammar, and even helps you draft ideas on the fly—so your emails, posts, and messages sound polished every time. Maybe we should have paid more attention in school, but hey, at least we have Grammarly now.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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9. Site Palette (For Help With Colors and HEX Codes)

Site Palette makes it super easy to generate color schemes from any website. Whether you're brainstorming a new design or just stealing…ahem…BORROWING inspiration, this extension delivers.

Just one click, and you’ve got a ready-to-use palette to fuel your creativity. Perfect for designers, developers, and anyone who loves a good gradient.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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10. Colour Contrast Checker

This extension makes accessibility a breeze by checking color contrast against WCAG standards.

Whether you're tweaking your website's design or double-checking readability, it ensures your color combinations meet the mark. Compare HEX codes, pick colors straight from a webpage, and even save your favorites for later. It’s like having a watchdog for inclusive design right in your browser.

Download for Google Chrome Here

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11. Window Resizer

This is a wonderful extension that helps web designers and developers test layouts across different screen resolutions with ease.

Quickly resize your browser window to emulate various devices like phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.

Download for Google Chrome Here

What Are Some Other Powerful Chrome Extensions?

We hope you found this info helpful.

We also want to hear from you, what other powerful Chrome extensions are out there we forgot?

Let us know in the comments below.

Have you recently googled something? Maybe a recipe or to find the most recent celeb gossip? Most likely you have googled something about your business in the last week. Wait! Do you think someone has googled looking for YOUR business in the last week?? No doubt! The better question is, in all their search engine hustle, did they actually find you? If they haven't yet, they will after you put this SEO gold into action! With these five tips for optimizing your Showit website for search engines, you will have so many potential clients, you will wonder why you didn't hop on the SEO wagon sooner!

So, what does it take for people to find your website? Well, in many cases, you might have traffic that comes from your social media platforms or your email list. But one traffic source with high potential for sending quality commerce to your website is search engines—especially Google! Did you know Google facilitates billions of searches each day?

There is no Google Lottery you have to win to be placed at the top of the search engine's page. And it's no coincidence that certain websites get the best exposure via search engines! Those winning websites have worked hard on their online home's SEO. The small business owner behind that website strategically designed it to get a search engine’s attention. And guess what? You have a secret weapon – You have a Showit website! Now SEO is easy to master because your Showit site makes it simple to optimize. 

Here are the five steps you need

So let's dive into the five steps you need to take if you’re going to optimize your new Showit website for search engines.

No. 1 : Verify your Showit site for search engines with Google Search Console.

The first step you want to take is to do what’s known as verifying your site with Google Search Console. Essentially this means that you prove to Google that you own your website. This is important because you won’t be able to take such steps as viewing search analytics or submitting your sitemap (more on both of those steps in a little bit) unless you have demonstrated ownership of your virtual property to Google.

Showit makes this step easy for you by providing step-by-step instructions for several different domain providers. When you have a domain registered with hosts like GoDaddy and eNom, as well as a few others, you have the ability to register directly from the Search Console. If you don’t have that option through your host, you can add a DNS TXT record or a CNAME record, which will provide instructions.

Google actually provides a lot of data about how it “sees” your website. In the Google Search Console, you’ll find data around search performance, what pages have errors, and whether or not pages are mobile optimized. 

No. 2: Submit your sitemap to Google.

A sitemap is pretty much exactly what it sounds like—a map of your website. This provides a list of all the pages you have on your site It also shows how all of those pages are structured and linked together.

This sitemap is what gives Google the ability to access all the different parts of your site. For example, if you have a frequently updated blog, the sitemap uses to index all of those individual pages. A search would also use a sitemap if you have a recently transferred blog with archived posts from another domain.

The beauty of a Showit-designed website is that you get a sitemap of your pages automatically generated as soon as you go live with your site. You’re easily able to access your sitemap at yourdomain.com/siteinfo.xml and submit it to the Google Search Console and other search engines so they can access your site.

Have a WordPress blog with your Showit website? You’ll need to submit a second sitemap. Check out this article for more information on submitting sitemaps for your Showit website.

No. 3: Set up your Google Analytics to track your web traffic.

How do you know whether your website is receiving traffic, and what pages are receiving the most traffic? The easiest way is to track via Google Analytics, which gives you an idea of things like sales, lead generation, how many visitors viewed a specific page, how long they stayed on that page, who downloaded certain files, and on and on. This is such a valuable tool because it helps you understand your customers—you see what works and what doesn’t work.

While setting up Google Analytics doesn’t directly optimize your website for search engines, it helps you evaluate how things like your marketing, content, and products are doing so you can continue with what works and reevaluate what doesn’t. So if you are creating blog posts or landing pages that just aren’t attracting visitors (or aren’t holding their attention very long, or convincing them to make a purchase, etc.), you know you need to make some changes.

Showit makes it super easy to get started with Google Analytics! Just create an account, grab your tracking code, and paste it into the appropriate box in your Site Settings. For more detailed directions, check out this article on setting up Google Analytics on your Showit website. See? It's not as hard as you think to optimize your Showit site for search engines!

No. 4: Utilize all of Showit’s SEO Tools.

Showit has built-in SEO tools designed to help you optimize your website for search engines.

Optimize your page’s SEO Title and SEO Description:

When you create a page with Showit, there are straightforward fill-in-the-blank places where you can add an SEO title and description (also known as a meta-description). A page’s title and meta-description should contain the keywords your page is trying to target. Most importantly, this provides context about your page for website visitors, but it also indicates to search engines what your page is about.

Additionally, those titles and descriptions will be what show up on the Google search results page, so it’s important they clearly convey what content will be found on your site. Otherwise, users might not be as inclined to click on them. (Note: Google and other search engines might opt to show different text than what you specify as the meta-description).

Optimize the images on your website:

Similarly, whenever you load an image, you’re able to give the image an SEO title and description.

Adding an SEO description is the more important task, as it provides what’s known as alt-text. Alt-text not only provides context of what the image is about for those who are visually impaired, but it also helps search engines understand the image.

Beyond adding an SEO title, you’ll also want to make sure you optimize the image file size. Images that are too large can slow down the load speed of a page, making it more likely for a visitor to leave before the page is loaded. 

No. 5: Create high-quality content around targeted searches.

It doesn’t matter how much you’ve “optimized” your website if you haven’t created high-quality content that people are searching for. Optimizing your content should start with keyword research, which can be done with tools like SEMrush and Moz Keyword Explorer.

Keyword research can help you determine how many people are searching for a given keyword or phrase, related keywords, and who is currently ranking for those searches. All of this information can be helpful as you determine what kind of content to create.

What’s one of the best ways to create lots of high-quality content? With a blog! Showit makes blogging easy through WordPress, often considered the most powerful blogging platform available. Adding a WordPress blog to your site will let you create a greater amount of content related to your industry and your area of expertise, thus giving you more opportunities for search engines to find you.

You can optimize your Showit website for search engines

All it takes is a little bit of working with the Showit platform to really appreciate its power when it comes to creating stand-out websites with little to no frustration along the way. But no matter how impressive your finished website ends up being, it won’t reach its full potential unless the right people (i.e. your customers) can find it.

Remember, having a website optimized for search engines is a tricky game because it’s not perfectly clear how the algorithms of these search engines work. But by taking advantage of the resources Showit provides to create a website that’s easy to index and find, you’ll increase your chances of attracting (and, more importantly, converting) new customers from the moment you go live. For more specific information around optimizing your website for search engines, be sure to check out our help documentation.

If you are feeling pumped to optimize your Showit site, but realize you don't have one yet – let's fix that! Start your free 14 day trial TODAY!