When was the last time you reviewed, updated or otherwise refreshed your website? Well, Spring is in the air, so now is the perfect time to give it a good Spring clean!
As the home of your brand, and the hub for everything you do, your website has look good, be easy to use, and provide all the information that people need in a way that is easy to process, understand and share. It also needs to be dynamic. As people’s browsing, shopping, and sharing habits change, so your website has to adapt to continue to attract and retain the attention of your audience.
So, what does your website need?
To be findable
The things people are searching for, and the language and format they use to search, change. For you to stay at the top of their searches, you need to be up to speed with your keywords. If you haven’t reviewed these in a while (or ever!) then this should definitely be at the top of your list. Understand directly from your audience what they search for, the language they use, the people they trust/follow, the topics they are interested in and the concerns they have.
To be attractive
You might still be top of the searches, but is your website appealing to your target audience once they come across it? People need to like what they see, in order for them to click on it and read more. Is the design still appealing or is it a little out of date? Do the colours, fonts or pictures need refreshing? Make sure that any updates from your site host have not affected the template and layout.
To be clean
Once people click on the site, you don’t have their attention for long, and first impressions are vitally important. You need to front-load your messages, getting them in right in front of people’s eyes, without any clutter or distraction, and without requiring them to scroll or click. Don’t let your prime real estate at the top of the page be filled by images, without any wording or direction. Keep your words limited and directed so that text is easy to scan, and the messages make an impact. Make sure there is lots of white space,
To be an accurate reflection
Your site should reflect you and your brand, which may also have evolved and changed slightly over time. Most people amend brochures, social media profile information and images, even business cards, before they even think about updating their websites. Does your website reflect where your brand is right now? Are your testimonials, biographies, client lists, links, images, still up to date? Have you run a spell check?
To be connected
Both inbound and outbound links are critical for SEO – your searchability. This is one of the main benefits of PR now, to provide those reputable, quality inbound links. How often do you review the outbound links on your website? You need to check that these still work and are not broken or removed. You also need to keep adding fresh new, up to date links. Are all of your social media accounts linked and accurate?
To be regularly updated
Do you have the facility to update your site, as search engines will check that a site is fresh and regularly updated when determining credibility. Ideally, you should have a blog or insights page – whatever you choose to call it, it’s a space where you can upload fresh content on a regular basis. Do you have the space, is it still fit for purpose, and is the right content being published regularly.
To be measurable
Do you have Google Analytics set up? It’s impossible to know if your website is effective and working correctly – or to work out what you need to change – without tracking and measuring activity from visitors. Make sure you set this up and get yourself familiar with the results and how to use it.
So there you are, seven key areas to look at when reviewing your website. As part of your week’s workload, try to set aside five minutes to look at yours and assess the strengths and weaknesses across these areas. It may seem like another job to add to the list, but you would be amazed at how much of a difference the smallest tweaks can make.
If you’d like any more information, or a second set of eyes to have a scan, please do get in touch: sam@footstepcommunications.com
