As 2016 comes to a close, a lot of business owners will be looking back on a frantic year and asking themselves: Is my website ready for the next set of challenges, competitors, and search engine algorithm updates to come?
If you’re one of the millions who doesn’t know the answer to that question, we are here to help. While it’s best to review any website on a case-by-case basis to see what changes are recommended, today we want to share four tips and ideas you should definitely consider when deciding whether it’s time to upgrade your pages or not.
In particular, here are four questions you can ask yourself that will point to an easy answer:
#1 Am I Sure My Website is Fully Mobile Compatible?
Not only do mobile web users now make up the majority on the Internet, but Google has updated it’s search algorithm a number of different steps to prioritize mobile-friendly websites. That means that if your pages don’t load cleanly and correctly on smaller screens, then they aren’t likely to be seen by very many users at all. Why turn away more than half of your buyers, and disappear from Google search rankings, when it’s so easy to upgrade to responsive web layout?
#2 Are We Using Premium Hosting With an SSL Connection?
Premium web hosting makes your pages load faster, gives you access to more security tools, and includes things like automatic backups for your content. Plus, stronger web hosting packages allow you to take advantage of SSL connections which make transactions and form submissions safer, all while boosting your visibility on Google and the other search engines. Best of all, upgrading your web hosting packages is one of the most affordable ways to improve your website.
#3 Have We Rid Our Website of Known Performance Issues?
Broken links, missing images, and copied content are the kinds of things that drive a web design team crazy. But, we know that business owners get busy and don’t always have time to look after their pages or make the minor improvements needed to keep their web presences up-to-date. If you have these kinds of problems in your site, or haven’t updated your pages in a while, now is a good time to schedule a website audit and see where things can be cleaned up. Your customers will appreciate a better user experience, and you’ll be able stay in Google’s good graces.
#4 Do We Have a Social and Content Plan in Place for 2017?
It’s easy to start a brand-new year with lots of good intentions. But, if you don’t have a defined content and social media marketing plan in place, then it’s likely you’ll get “too busy” to update your website after a few weeks. The solution to this problem is to put an editorial calendar in place early on so you know which themes and ideas you’ll be promoting during the year. That way, you’ll never have to stare at a blank screen and wonder what you should post on.
These aren’t the only four reasons to make upgrades to your website, of course, but they do point at the need to make some improvements right away. So, if you don’t know the answer to these questions, or fear your web presence is coming up a little short, take a few minutes to call us today to schedule a free consultation and see how we can help.