When’s the last time you checked out your own website? I recommend taking a look more than once a year, but if it’s only once in a while, take a look at this handy list of things to check out.
You should look at your site occasionally for a few reasons. First, it’s good to make sure big changes haven’t affected your website. It’s also a great idea to check out your website’s performance and fix anything broken or needing updating.
Review your website:
Update the copyright date.
People want your services and the information you are sharing on your website. Many use the copyright date to see whether what they find on your site is relevant or not.
Your copyright date should be a year span. The first date should reflect the year the first piece of content was placed on your site and the last is the current year.
Does your contact page work?
Take a minute today to visit your contact page and do 2 things:
- Make sure the info on this page is correct
- Fill out your contact form and make sure it works and the next steps happen as they should.
Schedule a few minutes to fix anything that needs fixing! (Or reach out to your designer/developer to help!)
Review Links
Make sure things happen the way your site visitors expect them to!
- Check the links on your website. Both internal (links going somewhere else on your website) and external (those leading to an external website.) Do they work? It’s important to take time to occasionally visit your external links, because you have no control over those since they lead off your site and they may break.
- When a visitor clicks on that button to check out your services, does it work?
- When someone clicks on that social icon does it take them where they expect to go?
Review Your Services / Offers
Are your service/offer details up to date on your website?
This could just be a tweak, or maybe it’s a full-blown change in what you provide. Either way perhaps a description change is in order?
Review your service descriptions. Make sure visitors can clearly understand the services you provide!
Content / Copy Review
Review your copy (the words) on your website. Are there changes to copy based on what you’ve learned over the past year that would make a visitor say “how do they know I’m thinking about that?!”
In general, is your content still relevant and up-to-date? Consider adding new content or updating old content to keep it fresh. Also, consider working with a copywriter who can help you work towards accomplishing your website goals. Visitors and search engines will like this and may come back for more!
Check for updates
Your website only works for you if the functionality is kept up to date.
By functionality I mean the plugins, theme and WordPress itself. Updates are released throughout the year and should be acted on by whoever is in charge of keeping your website safe, secure and maintained so your site continues to work for you.
Think of this like your iPhone. When updates are released for all the different apps you have installed and for the phone itself, you make updates so it continues to be a useful tool.
Same for your website.
If you have a website on WordPress .org, take a few minutes to log in to the backend. Look under Dashboard –> Updates and next to the word ‘Plugins’. Do you see a red circle with a number in it? If yes, you have some updates to be made! (Reach out to your web designer/developer and ask for next steps.)
If your website is on another platform, it’s still a good idea to look over your website to make sure its acting like it should. Revisit those links and forms. Follow the process through to make sure everything is working well.
Your website isn’t “build it and forget it.” Think of it like a living entity that works for your business and take care of it! Schedule time quarterly to check in on your website to make sure everything is ok, just like you would a valued employee (Well, actually, I’d hope you’d be checking in on your employees more often than this!)
Check Profiles / Traffic Sources
In order for your website to do the heavy lifting in your business, you need traffic!
Many consultants tell me they get most of their clients from word of mouth. Their websites serve mostly as a source of credibility and legitimacy for when people hear about them.
Their sites are that source that confirms what they’ve heard. But what if a website could do more?
You’re already spending some time on LinkedIn and other social platforms commenting and posting. Why not make sure what you do there points back to your website?
So, take action and review your social profiles.
Is your website listed? When you make that comment on a post that makes someone want to learn more about you, can they find their way to your website? Is your website set up to only prove credibility or to capture an email so you can keep in touch with that potential prospect? When you keep in touch they become a potential client.
Your website isn’t a ‘built it and forget it’ thing.
How are you remembering to use your website?
Bonus:
Review your website’s goals and objectives.
Make sure your website is aligned with your business goals and is effectively meeting the needs of your target audience. (offer the focus)
I can almost bet that keeping your website updated isn’t at the top of your priority list. I mean, you’re running a successful business! Who has time for that?!
But if it’s not, I highly recommend you add it!
Your website is just as important as your business social media accounts. It’s your number one source to generate leads and capture emails. You may be missing out on potential income and clients due to ignoring things mentioned in this post. Schedule time before month’s end to go through this short list of things to review to keep your website working great. If you don’t want to tackle the tech side of things, reach out for help! (You aren’t alone!)
