A new year is right around the corner! Do you have some ideas for how you would like this new year to look? After the craziness of 2020, personally, I’d settle for a “normal” year. The new year gives all of us an opportunity to reevaluate and think about what we would like to accomplish in the coming year. Usually, we make goals and think about how we can get into shape and workout in the gym more and eat healthier. Just like we need a refresh for our bodies, your business needs one too! And the new year is the perfect time to do it! Perhaps you would like to refresh your website for the New Year. If so, here are some great ways you can refresh your website as we enter into 2021.
Check for Outdated Content
Adding new content takes time and you probably are focusing on that. But what about your old content? If you take a look back throughout the year (or the past few years, depending) you can probably find some outdated or irrelevant information and replace it with some updated content. This is really good for SEO too (Search Engine Optimization).
Check Your Keyword Strategy
Just because your keywords worked great several years ago doesn’t mean they will work as well now. SEO is constantly evolving so check to see what your target audience is searching for and use a tool like Google Keyword Planner so that you can get the most out of your keywords. Review which words are working well for you right now and if they are still relevant, keep using them.
Analytics Data
Your Google Analytics Data can be your best friend. It does so much more then show you if there are any 404 error codes on your site. It can show you how long people stay on your site, how many pages they are visiting, and which pages are getting the most conversions.
What is a Conversion?
A conversion refers to any action you want someone to take. So if you want someone to click a certain link or buy a product or sign up on your mailing list. The Conversion Rate is the number of times that action took place divided by the total number of visitors. So if you got 200 visitors in a month and had 50 sales - 50 divided by 200 is 25%. A good conversion rate is anything above 10%.
If you notice that there is a high bounce rate when people get to a certain page or ad, then that is definitely something to fix. BUT If you see a page where the bounce rate is low and a high conversion rate, then you must be doing something right! Figure out how to translate that to some of your other pages.
Application maintenance
This refers to all the stuff that happens behind the scenes. Are your security updates and patches to your website up to date with the latest versions so that your site stays safe and secure and in peak performance?
is it responsive?
In other words, does your site look great on all devices? Just because it looks good on your desktop while you’re updating it, doesn’t mean that it looks great on a tablet or a phone. Google and Bing are constantly changing their algorithms as well and they are coming down hard on sites that are not responsive, so it is really important. Another thing to consider is that what browser you use, isn’t necessarily the same browser that everyone else is using. And sometimes even though your site works great in Google Chrome, it doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to in Firefox. Remember that flash content isn’t mobile friendly or good for search engines. The best thing to do is find a way to get rid of flash all together.
offer something new
Do you have a new e-book, product, or catalog? A great refresh for your website can be launching something new to go along with the New Year.
call to action
This goes with the last point, but make sure that your Call to Action is visible and goes along with that new thing you’re offering. Make sure they are eye catching and positioned well so that people will see them.
Update banners, sliders, and header images
Graphics are one of those things that can get outdated real quick and they influence the feel of your site so much! The first impression of your website is the first impression of your business as a whole. If you invest some time updating your graphics, it will be worth it. If you are selling products, make sure to review your product images and videos as well. It’s easy to forget this if you have a lot of inventory.
Copyright date
This is an easy one, but one so many overlook! Update the copyright date on your website.
Navigation and website flow
What actions would you like every person who comes to your site to take? You want someone who isn’t very familiar with technology to be able to navigate your site with ease. Imagine you’re a client and come to your site with a specific item in mind. Then count how many clicks it took to get there. Or better yet, ask a friend to take a look at your site so you can get some fresh eyes on it.
- Do you have a lot of menus? (Simplify them)
- Do you have to click several times to find something you’re looking for? (Create a shorter path)
Double check your links
It’s very easy to do, especially if you just did the last step and you fixed your navigation and flow. Now you have broken links. Check all your links before you go live with all these changes!
Update your company information
If it’s been a while since you last updated your website, then there may have been some important changes in your business. Maybe you added or changed a staff person, or your address and contact information has changed. It’s a good idea to take a look and update any outdated info. Also be sure to update if you have won any awards or achievements that have happened recently! You may want to consider adding a testimonials section to your page as well so that potential clients can see what others have to say about you.
Following these tips will give your website the perfect refresh for the new year. If you need any assistance click here and we would be happy to help you plan out a refresh strategy for your website.
This is Part 1 of a series about Refreshing Your Business for 2021. Click here for Part 2.