It’s become more and more apparent these past few years that if you have a business, you need a website. What’s not so apparent for many business owners though, is that a website isn’t just something you can ‘set and forget’. Once your website is live, you need to take care of it and ensure it stays updated. That’s because a broken or unprofessional website will negatively impact business and lose the trust of potential customers instantly! A scary thought for any business owner.
So today we’re going to run through some tips on the aspects of your website you should be regularly updating and keeping an eye on. The longer you wait and let your website decline, the harder the maintenance will be! Try to stay on top of it.
1. Check your Website’s Responsiveness
What we mean by responsiveness is how your website displays on different screen sizes. The latest stats show that over half of internet browsing now happens on a mobile device, and there are devices with screens of all different sizes. You want to make sure anyone visiting your site will have a good experience.
Try viewing your site on different devices and if you’re on a computer, try resizing the browser window into all different shapes to see how your website responds. Chrome and Firefox both have inbuilt tools (device toolbar and responsive design mode, respectively) if you are wanting to go even deeper into testing.
You want to try and make sure nothing gets too out of place, and all the important information gets displayed regardless of how someone is viewing your site.
2. Ensure your Important Functions are Working
If you have an online storefront, an email signup or a contact form, when was the last time you actually tested it? Going through the process yourself every now and then is important. Not only to ensure it’s actually working, but also so you can get a clear idea of the customer’s experience.
Go through the motions of what a typical visitor to your site would do, all the way to the end goal (purchasing, making an enquiry, etc) of your website. Check if there are any steps that are particularly annoying or add friction to the process.
Change things up and remove any unnecessary steps. If it’s confusing or annoying for you, it will be even moreso for your customers. Get it fixed!
3. Research your Competitor’s Websites
You should already know who your competition is, and be aware of other businesses that are in your field. Browse the websites of the competition around you, as well as any industry giants or big brands related to your business. Don’t just ‘look’ at the website, really take the time to go through it, and think about what works well and what doesn’t. Compare similarities to your website and what you are doing better or worse.
This can go beyond just websites as well, it can be an insight into how other businesses near you are being run. Check out any promotions, events, or marketing they are using that could benefit your business as well.
4. Test your Web Performance
Having a website that loads slowly can majorly impact your business. Many people will simply leave a website if it takes more than a few seconds to load. Luckily there are comprehensive tools out there to help test your website’s performance, and even point out exactly what the problems are.
Google has their own performance tester called PageSpeed Insights which is extremely useful. Simply input your website URL and it will analyse the site, then give you a grade (for both mobile and desktop views). You’ll receive a diagnostic detailing specific aspects of the site that are blocking things up or causing it to load slower.
If your website is loading slowly then this is a great way to find out why, and see how you can fix it.
5. Gather User Feedback
Soliciting feedback from your users can be very beneficial, especially if you are planning on updating your website. Having a bank of feedback and notes will help in shaping your website to better suit your target audience.
Reach out to your customers and ask them some questions (both specific and general) about aspects of your website, what they like or dislike. Customers will also feel validated and heard if you take this feedback on board and make changes to suit. If you’re having trouble getting any responses, try having a giveaway or incentive for their honest opinions.
Keep It Up
Once you find a good routine for checking and updating your site, make sure you stick to it and keep everything running smoothly. Your customers will thank you for it! If you’d rather someone take care of the ongoing maintenance of your existing website or you get in touch and let our team take care of things for you. Contact michael@creativelittlesoul.com.au for more.