Websites [unfortunately] aren’t things you set and forget; they require a bit of upkeep. However, this doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. It’s more of a “you get what you give” scenario. If you put a bit of time into making sure your website is operating as well as it could be, you will see more benefits in return.
How do you go about updating and checking your website? We’ve talked about tasks you should do regularly over here in this blog post, but in this one, we’re talking about things you should do every so often (or once) so that your website is top-notch. Let’s dive into it.
- Check all your links and buttons then ask a friend to review your website and tell you what is confusing to them
If you have links that aren’t working on your website, you’re increasing the chances of people getting frustrated and leaving your website, plus decreasing the professionalism of your site and therefore decreasing trust customers have with your brand. Click on every possible button on your website to make sure everything is working – this changes regularly as your website changes so I recommend doing this once every few months. Have your VA (virtual assistant) do it if you don’t have the time.
- Make sure everything shows up just as well on mobile.
Did you build your own website and design everything to look fabulous on desktop without checking how it looks on mobile? 67% of internet users visit the web on a mobile device, meaning over half of your potential customers could be seeing the mobile version of your site. If you didn’t build your website and it doesn’t look good on mobile, request the development agency improves it, or have someone else fix it.
- Add in more keywords
By adding in more keywords to your website, you’ll be more likely to show up in google and other search engines for prospective clients. If your website isn’t using the right keywords, you could be losing business and missing out on showing up for people who are actively trying to purchase them.
- Add in more photos
Photos of people do really well on websites as they are relatable and increase the trustworthiness of your website. I often have people ask what I would recommend they invest in first – and, if you have a decent website up, I recommend investing in professional photography. This doesn’t have to blow the bank but can increase your website professionalism, trustworthiness and (and therefore conversion rate) tenfold.
- Add an SSL certificate so your site is secure and isn’t blocking visitors.
An SSL certificate is what adds the little lock symbol to the top of a website:
Many of my clients who come to me looking for a new website have an old site with no security certificate. Since 2018, many mobile phones and computers have been blocking their users from visiting websites without SSL certificates. This means that when a customer visits your website, instead of seeing your services, they see a large “This site is not secure.” message blocking them from viewing your information. SSL certificates can be very inexpensive (as little as $15/year) but can be hard to install. I recommend having a web developer install one for you if you don’t have one already.
Have you fixed or completed all these things? If you need assistance, The Digital Wizardry is able to help with these and other website services. Contact us by clicking here or by sending an email to hello@thedigitalwizardry.com.