Good website maintenance
Did you know it takes a user a tenth of a second to form their initial opinion of your business from their first visit to your website? That’s less time than it takes to blink! First impressions really matter, and it can be very hard to change them. We cannot overstate the importance of great design and proper website maintenance.
Your site is a fantastic way for new customers find your business and with so much competition out there, it needs to impress. If it’s slow to load, full of spelling errors and features outdated content, any user is likely to return to their search and connect with one of your competitors instead.
But don’t worry, we’re going to show you the basics of great website maintenance to help you delight website visitors and give you the edge on your competition.
Content still rules
Your website content needs to be relevant, well written and engaging. You have to keep it topical, show off your expertise and hold your user’s hands through to a successful conversion. It’s important to keep on top of your blog, change your welcome message to something seasonal, and update your images regularly. Get someone to proof your copy for you – it’s so hard to edit for yourself, especially as you know what you mean to say!
Check for user experience
Make sure your site absolutely delivers everything is promises to. If you click a link, does it load the page you’re expecting it to? Does your contact form or call button actually come through to an inbox or phone number that’s regularly monitored?
User experience is an increasingly important ranking factor for SEO. So, if you’re not able to match expectations and provide smooth movement through your pages, your website will suffer the consequences in results listings.
Device and browser testing
How does your website look on the new Apple Mac or Google Pixel? Are things loading properly in Chrome as well as Firefox? Have you checked how the site works on a tablet?
These are of course things that a professional web developer will have designed for, but if the site is getting on a bit, new technologies might be testing your website’s responsiveness. Check in every quarter with the devices and browsers your users are most regularly using to see if things are all looking as they should.
Site speed
Fast sites outperform their slower competitors. We all want information instantly, and if a website isn’t loading quickly, we click off and head somewhere else. Test for your site speed and resolve any issues (or ask your web developer to sort it as part of your maintenance package).
Manage user accounts
We see so many websites (social media accounts Google Analytics properties, Ad Words accounts…the list goes on) with so many outdated points of access. If someone leaves the company, or if you change service provider, make sure they don’t still have access to your data after they leave.
Domain renewal
You will need to renew your domain each year to prevent your site from expiring and you losing all your hard work and brand credibility. We’ve seen it happen when a business owner thinks an auto renewal will take care of it for them, but the payment card has expired, needs a verification, or failed to process.
Most domain providers offer a little grace period after a domain has lapsed to allow the original owner to pay and get things back up and running. But, from experience, we know how stressful that is for business owners, so it’s vital if you’re managing the domain yourself that you renew well in advance of the end date.
Legal compliance
We don’t need to tell you how important it is for your business to be legally compliant. Occasionally, updates to regulations mean big changes for business owners and it’s important your website reflects these. For example, recent changes to cookie control and data processing regulations required work to be done on sites to ensure users are giving consent for their data to be collected. Good web maintenance ensures you stay on the right side of the law.
Software and plug-in updates
Making sure you have the latest updates for any software and plug-ins that you’re using on your site is vital for maintaining security and functionality. Updates fix bugs, allow you to access new features, and deliver the most up-to-date security technologies.
Most applications will have an in-built feature that will allow you to update quickly and hassle free. But, before you do, check that the upgrade is compatible with your operating system and other programs. We recommend taking a back up of your system and crucial data before any updates so you can revert back easily if you need to.
Website maintenance services
We know just how busy you are delivering fantastic goods and services to your customers. There isn’t always time left at the end of the day to deal with the immediate jobs at hand, let alone time to site with your website checking for broken links and writing engaging content updates. So, we offer complete website maintenance services, allowing you to focus on the day to day while keep your digital presence on point!
From software and plug-in updates and search engine optimisation in the back end, to content creation and social media management that will grab attention for all the right reasons, we are here to help.
Contact Richard today about our outstanding website maintenance services.