It’s easy to feel like your site is a little dull or not quite you. If we’re honest, I think most of us feel that way every few months. And I know that hiring a web designer is a BIG investment. But just because you don’t have the budget for a complete redesign doesn’t mean you can’t give your site a few easy updates without hiring a designer.

1. Update Your Headshot

Updating the images on your site is one of the easiest ways to give your site a new look. If your headshots could use a re-fresh, set up a headshot swap with a friend. Look for ways to add visual interest to your pages without just displaying several versions of the same headshot. Maybe it’s your hands holding your camera, a close-up shot, a pulled back shot or even a landscape shot from your hometown. We recommend keeping your outfit and location in line with the look and feel of your brand.

2. Update Your Galleries

During wedding season, updating galleries is usually last on the to-do list. I know mine typically only get updated a few times a year! Whether your galleries are just on the homepage or you have several on your site, keeping them updated is a great way to refresh your site’s look without hiring a designer.

Be sure to choose only your best work for these portfolios or galleries, and try to organize things in a way that makes sense. For instance, galleries organized by event look more editorial and feel high-end.

3. Add an Instagram Feed

Embedding an Instagram feed on your Showit website can be a good idea—especially since Instagram acts as a sorta portfolio for many creative entrepreneurs. In this video, we demonstrate how to embed and format your Instagram feed on your Showit website so that it’s both responsive and looks great.

4. Add an FAQ section or a client reviews section

Adding frequently asked questions to a page or client reviews is as easy as updating a blog post.

It doesn’t matter how expensive or inexpensive the product. One of the first things I’m checking on Amazon are the reviews. For inexpensive products, I might only check the aggregate score instead of reading individual reviews. But the reviews will likely be important in my purchasing decision.

Many websites we look at have reviews and a press section on a separate page, but these should be spread throughout the entire website, and the best ones reserved for the Services and Home pages.

Don’t underestimate the power of social proof. People trust other peoples’ recommendations, and word-of-mouth referrals are often the highest converting referrals.

Have any other tips for updates you can make to your website without hiring a designer? I would love for you to share them below!