At the centre of your digital world is your website, but so often we hear that websites are difficult to navigate and visitors leave all too quickly before any action is taken.
Ideally a website should be updated every 2-3 years. If not, you could be missing out on new customers and important technical updates.
If your website is not up to date you will lose out on people searching for your business online as your site is unlikely to be optimised for local search. Plus, it’s unlikely to look professional if it’s that old – websites like any other fashion trends have ebs and flows and what may have looked good a few years back is definitely in need of an update.
So, is it time for a website refresh?
Here’s our top tips for a review of your current website to understand what you need to consider for creating a quality website that will be found in search engine results pages.
1. Build your website with a good CMS
You need a good framework to build your website on. These days that means using Content Management Systems (CMS) such as WordPress. Once the website is designed and developed, a CMS website enables simple upload of information so that content updates can be easy to manage.
2. Simple and engaging content
Review all your marketing collateral and decide what you’ll use on the website and what needs to be left out. For an accountancy firm, think about the services you offer and provide clear, precise information about each. If you think of who your target client is, then write content that speaks to them.
3. Easy website navigation
When you design the menu and site map, think about the layout and whether it’s relevant and easy to navigate. You want visitors to find things quickly to help reduce the bounce rate and to keep them looking through your website for longer.
4. Call to action
It’s not just about a clear menu, but it’s also about adding clear call to action buttons. These are often used for inbound marketing campaigns to drive visitors to take action such as download a form or ebook or sign up to a newsletter while collecting a contact email address to build your database.
5. Imagery and video
This forms part of your content too. It makes the website more engaging and easier on the eye. But don’t forget to use the right size as too large and this could impact on the speed of your website loading. Does your current website have good imagery that reflects your brand well? Is it time to invest in video content?
6. Blog
Does your website have a place to add news and articles? Generally known as a blog, this section of your website is important for a business website to help improve its position in organic search such as Google.
This enables you to upload fresh and regular content which keeps the website up to date and engaging for prospects, current clients and also search engines.
7. Website optimisation
When it comes to digital marketing, Search Engine Optimisation or SEO is probably something you often hear about, but why is it so important for your website? Optimising your site can help your website be found in search engine results pages (SERPs) such as Google or Bing. Any agency you work with will tell you about Meta Descriptions, Alt Tags and H1/H2 headings. A web designer can provide you with simple training on this once your website has been developed. Or you can engage a digital marketing agency to manage this for you moving forward.
8. Back up your website!
If you’ve not already been regularly backing up your website, add this to your new year’s resolutions. If you’ve worked thorugh this list of considerations for your website and feel that you need to create a new site then make sure that your web designer incorporates regular back ups as part of their process and ongoing management fee.
9. Mobile responsive
If you’re website is a number of year’s old then it’s important to review your website on a mobile phone. Technology has advanced and ensuring that your site is easy to access and navigate pages is vital as so many people search for what’s nearby. If your website is not up to scratch then people will quickly move on to a competitor.
Web design Croydon
Ultimately, no matter what the one thing you take away from this article should be is to keep your website up-to-date. After all, it is the centre of your digital world and could be missing out on the latest opportunities if left too long without maintenance.
If you need help with your website design and development book a consultation with us.