Pretty Won’t Pay the Bills — Here’s What Your Website Really Needs
By Janine Staunton | Website Strategist | Lemon Crush
When Looks Aren’t Enough
Your website might look beautiful, but if it’s not bringing in customers, leads, or sales, it’s not doing its job.
Too many small business owners settle for a site that looks good but doesn’t actually work for their business. They invest thousands in design and then wonder why the phone doesn’t ring, the inbox stays empty, or the bookings don’t come through.
Design matters. But it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
The Real Missing Ingredient: Strategy
Most websites are built backwards. Designers focus on fonts, colours, and layouts first. Strategy, goals, and customer journeys come later. Or not at all.
A pretty website won’t pay the bills. A strategic website will.
When your website is built with a clear plan that speaks directly to your ideal customer and guides them to take action, everything changes. You stop wondering if it’s working, and start watching it work for you.
Why So Many Small Business Websites Don’t Perform
I’ve seen this pattern countless times:
Business owners launch websites full of hope, but a year or two later, they’re quietly looking for someone new.
Designers deliver beautiful sites that are missing the core things that actually grow a business.
Business owners don’t know what questions to ask or what to expect, so they settle for “nice” instead of “necessary.”
It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s just how the industry works.
How I Help Small Businesses Bridge the Gap
After 20 years in marketing and years spent frustrated by this cycle, I shifted my focus from web design to website strategy.
Now, I help women-led businesses uncover what their websites truly need to do, and how to make it happen. No tech overwhelm. No fancy jargon. Just clear, practical strategy that turns your website into your hardest-working asset.
What You’ll Get From Ripple Festival
At Ripple, I’ll show you why strategy always beats style when it comes to websites, the key fixes that can breathe life into an underperforming site, how to stop relying solely on social media and get your website pulling its weight, and practical steps you can take right away without a complete rebuild.
If you’ve ever felt your website isn’t pulling its weight, this session will give you hope and clarity.
Your Website Can Do More
You don’t need to settle for pretty. You deserve a website that’s powerful, purposeful, and profitable.
Let’s unlock that potential together at Ripple Festival 2025.
Author:
Janine Staunton is a Website Strategist and founder of Lemon Crush. She helps women-led businesses turn underperforming websites into powerful marketing tools. Catch her session at Ripple Festival 2025 or find her online at lemoncrush.com.au.
