Websites for consultants and professional services

Why this matters

Professional services - consultants, legal, finance, accountancy - sell on trust and clarity. Your website is often the first place people check whether you are credible.

If your site feels slow, generic, or hard to follow, you lose opportunities before the first conversation.

1) Clear positioning

Visitors need to know who you are for and what you do. Generic copy that could apply to anyone does not help.

What to include

• Who it's for: "We help manufacturing businesses..." or "We work with charities and non-profits..." - specific, not "we help everyone".
• What you do: Clear service list. Not buzzwords - actual services with plain descriptions.
• Why you: What makes you different? Experience, approach, sector focus, outcomes.
• One clear headline per page: So people know what the page is about in seconds.

What to avoid

• Vague headlines: "Excellence in delivery", "Partnering for success".
• Copy that sounds like every other firm in your sector.
• Burying your main message below the fold.

For more on structure and clarity, see writing for the web: content that converts.

2) Structure people can scan

Professional service buyers scan before they read. Weak structure makes your content hard to use.

What to include

• Clear headings: H2 for main sections, H3 for subsections. Descriptive, not clever.
• Short paragraphs: One idea per paragraph. Three to four sentences max.
• Bullet lists for options or criteria: Easier to scan than long blocks of text.
• Logical flow: What you do → Who it's for → How it works → What happens next → Contact.

What to avoid

• Long walls of text with no headings.
• Jargon without explanation.
• Important information buried in the middle of long pages.

3) Proof and credibility

People choose professional services on evidence, not promises. Case studies, testimonials, and credentials build trust.

What to include

• Case studies or examples: What you did, for whom, what changed. Outcomes where you can share them.
• Testimonials: Real names, roles, and specific feedback where possible.
• Credentials and memberships: Professional bodies, accreditations, qualifications.
• Team or key people: Who will they work with? Brief, relevant bios.

What to avoid

• Generic testimonials ("Great service!") with no detail.
• Claiming credentials you do not have or that are out of date.
• Hiding proof on a single buried page.

4) Performance that signals competence

Slow sites undermine credibility. If your site takes 5 seconds to load, visitors may assume the same lack of care elsewhere [1]Source 1 .

• Fast load times: Under 3 seconds on mobile. See fast websites: what fast means.
• Stable layout: No content jumping around as the page loads.
• Clean, calm design: Not cluttered. Easy to focus on content.
• Accessible: Readable, navigable with keyboard, works with screen readers. See what accessibility means.

5) Clear path to contact

The goal of most professional service sites is to start a conversation. Make it obvious how to get in touch.

• Visible contact option: Button or link in the header, same on every page.
• Simple enquiry form: Name, email, brief message. Optional: service interest, company. Do not ask for too much upfront.
• Phone number: If you take calls, make it easy to find and tap on mobile.
• What happens next: "We'll respond within 24 hours" or similar. Sets expectations.

For more on getting enquiries, see why your website isn't getting enquiries.

Summary

Professional service sites that work have: clear positioning (who you're for, what you do), scannable structure with headings and short paragraphs, proof (case studies, testimonials, credentials), fast performance and accessible design, and an obvious path to contact.

If you need a site that does this properly, see websites for professional services or website build services. For content help, see content and SEO services. You can also get in touch to discuss your project.