It’s the time of year for Spring Cleaning! Perhaps you have been going through your closets, junk drawers, or desk to reorganize and get rid of what you no longer need. But what about your website? Just like your car or home, your website must be maintained, too.
As we embrace warmer spring weather and the sunny summer months ahead, here are the top six items to review and update on your website to keep it in tip-top shape.
1. Site Content
Content is the foundation of your website, and it’s important to review and update it regularly to ensure it aligns with your current business goals, brand values, and ideal clients.
Regularly assess whether the information on your website is current and accurate. Be sure to update facts, figures, and dates as needed to maintain credibility.
Use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, to track which pages are performing well and which are lagging. This data will guide you in optimizing content for better engagement and conversion rates.
Check all links within your website to ensure they are functioning correctly, especially if you link offsite since third parties may change their URLs or delete content over time. Broken links will frustrate your web visitors and can harm your SEO rankings.
If you feature events or webinars on your website, make sure they’re frequently updated. The last thing you want is for someone to try and RSVP for an event that happened months ago but was never removed from your website.
2. Update Images
Refreshing the images on your website is a simple yet impactful way to enhance its appeal and effectiveness, giving it a crisp and modern feel.
Ensure that the images you select are high-resolution and professionally taken. These images should be directly relevant to the content they accompany, whether they depict your products, services, or team. For instance, place a picture of your team next to the “about us” section of your home page, rather than using a generic stock photo.
High-quality images not only improve aesthetics but also convey professionalism and credibility.
In this example, Appalachian Mountain Club does a great job of linking images to relevant content. By showcasing happy, active people in their images, you can quickly identify what they do and who they cater to.
In addition to aesthetics, optimizing images for the web is important for maintaining your website’s performance. This involves compressing images to reduce file size without compromising quality, which helps in faster page loading times.
Adding alt text to each image and closed captions on video and audio content are things you can do to make your website more accessible.
If your business changes seasonally, consider updates or rotating images that highlight current promotions or events, keeping the visual experience dynamic and engaging for repeat visitors.
3. Up-to-Date Team Members
Your site visitors want to understand who you are, what you do, and what kind of experience your team has. To make this as easy as possible, confirm that your team page is up to date with all team members and that all links to bios, email addresses, and social media profiles work properly.
For a more personalized touch, consider writing bios that feature each team member’s experience and share something personal to help visitors understand your team and culture. This addition will make it easier for them to decide if your practice is a good fit for them.
In this example, Entrepreneur Aligned does a great job of highlighting each team member using scrolling pop-up windows with bios that showcase experience, education, and hobbies.
4. Feature Latest Work
Whether you sell a product or service, featuring your latest work on your website is a valuable way to showcase your current capabilities and keep your content fresh.
Establish a specific area on your website where visitors can easily find and view your latest work. This could be a dynamic feature section on the homepage or a separate portfolio page that is regularly updated.
For each new project featured, describe the project’s scope, the challenges faced, and the solutions provided. This will inform visitors and demonstrate your problem-solving skills and expertise.
Regularly updating this section ensures that your website reflects the most accurate and current snapshot of your business offering and successes.
Using sliding animations, photos, and flip cards, J-Power USA highlights each of its projects with links to individual landing pages.
5. Updated Resources
Your website can serve as a hub for fresh and interesting content. Share blogs, podcasts, and other insights to provide your visitors with educational content that shows you are a thought leader who stays on top of industry trends and updates.
Keeping information current and relevant significantly enhances visitor engagement, and setting a regular schedule for updates can help maintain a steady flow of fresh content.
Retirement Podcast Network leverages a resources page that houses FAQs, podcast episodes, articles, videos, and other tools so visitors can easily gain knowledge and learn more about what the team offers.
Utilize content upgrades to add extra value to existing resources. For example, offer detailed guides or additional tips as downloadable content in exchange for email subscriptions.
Implement lead magnets like free trials, e-books, or exclusive videos to capture leads and generate interest. These resources should be aligned with your audience’s interests to maximize engagement and conversion rates.
By integrating these updates, your website will stay aligned with your audience’s evolving needs and serve as an active platform for growth and user interaction.
6. Calls to Action
Now that everything else is updated, you want to make sure you’re driving people toward taking the action you want, whether that be subscribing to a newsletter, scheduling a consultation call, or downloading an educational resource.
An effective call-to-action (CTA) is straightforward, telling visitors exactly what they will get by clicking. Use action-oriented words like “Download,” “Subscribe,” or “Get Started” to invoke a sense of urgency and specificity.
Place CTAs in locations where visitors naturally pause, such as at the end of a blog post or the bottom of your About or Service pages. The placement should feel intuitive rather than disruptive.
If you are not getting the conversion rates you want from your CTAs, try something new with them. Move the position of your form/lead magnet/calendar scheduler, change the color, shape, or visibility of the button itself, or change the language to see if a different approach is more effective at attracting your ideal clients.
Conclusion
We’ve explored various facets of revitalizing your online presence, from the initial audit and updating of content to the importance of refreshing visual elements and showcasing your team and work. These strategies enhance your website’s aesthetic appeal and functionality and align it more closely with your current business objectives and audience needs.
By regularly updating content, images, and resources and incorporating effective calls to action, you create a dynamic, engaging platform that accurately reflects your brand and encourages visitor interaction.
If your current site is difficult to update and manage and/or looks terribly outdated, you might want to consider a complete website redesign.
Remember, your website is not just a digital business card but a dynamic, evolving entity in the digital landscape. Keeping pace with the ever-changing trends and technologies is vital to maintain relevance and competitiveness.
By implementing these suggestions, you’re taking a comprehensive approach to website refreshment and are on the path to keeping your site current and optimized.
Stay proactive and be open to exploring new ideas and technologies that can further enhance your website’s effectiveness and customer engagement. If you need an extra hand, our team is here to help.
