5 Important Things to Update on your Website Every Year

Real talk - Sometimes we get so busy running our businesses that we forget or simply don't have the time to update our websites! I get it. But having an updated website is so important for our Businesses. It's where potential clients and customers are visiting to learn more about us or what we offer. That's one of the reasons I love being able to take care of things like this for you if you choose, so that you can focus on your business! As many of us know, maintaining a website goes beyond just creating it; it's about keeping it relevant and functional. Each year, certain aspects require your attention to ensure your site remains appealing and effective.

This post outlines five essential updates every website owner should prioritize annually.

1. Refresh Your Content

Content is central to your website's success. As time passes, some information can become outdated, and trends may shift in your industry.

Every year, evaluate your existing content. For example, if you run a travel agency, ensure that destination information and travel guidelines are current. Update statistics, remove outdated facts, and include trending topics. Or if you're a Real Estate Agency, be sure to update your links and pages when a listing is sold or no longer on the market.

Make updates whenever you change your business hours, any mention of how long you've been in business, if you've changed any products or services, pricing changes, project or product photos and/or when you get new client or customer testimonials.

Websites with fresh content see up to a 30% increase in organic traffic on average. This effort not only captures your audience's interest but also boosts your site’s Search Engine Optimization, known as SEO, enhancing your visibility across search engines.

2. Check Your Website's Performance

A website that performs well offers a better user experience and ranks higher in SEO. Issues like slow loading speeds or broken links can push visitors away.

Conduct an annual performance audit to evaluate your website’s speed and responsiveness. For example, if your site takes longer than 3 seconds to load, studies show that you could lose 40% of your visitors immediately.

Lewis Clark Website Services can do this for you if you're not sure how or what to do, so please don't hesitate to contact us!

3. Review and Strengthen Security Measures

Ensuring the security of your website is critical. Cyber threats evolve, making it vital to stay updated with security practices.

Start by checking if your website has an SSL certificate, which protects data during transfers. It's also essential to update your website's software, including the content management system (CMS), plugins, and themes regularly. Additionally, review user access privileges to guarantee that only essential users have admin rights. Data breaches can lead to an average cost of $3.86 million for businesses, making robust security measures crucial for both data protection and user trust.

4. Analyze User Analytics and Feedback

Understanding visitor behavior is key to improving your website. By analyzing user data annually, you gain insights into preferences and interactions.

Use tools like Google Analytics to evaluate page views, bounce rates, and average session durations. For instance, a high bounce rate could indicate that visitors are not finding what they expect. Also, gather user feedback through surveys or social media.

Lewis Clark Website Services has many SEO, Marketing, Search Engine Reporting, Website Traffic and Google Analytics plans if you don't want to do this yourself, so please don't hesitate to contact us!

5. Update Your Branding and Design Elements

Design trends and branding can significantly influence user perception. A dated design may turn potential customers away.

Take time each year to review your website’s design elements, such as colors, fonts, and images. This not only applies to colors and fonts, but also website features, such as crucial "Call to Action" buttons, links and features. If your website feels outdated, consider updating these elements to reflect modern design trends. For example, if your competitors have fresh, engaging visuals, a redesign might be necessary to keep pace. According to studies, a well-designed website can lead to a 200% increase in conversion rates, underscoring the importance of visual appeal.

Being in business for over 25 years, I have seen the need for this in action!

A website designed 10 years ago may be in need of a redesign, revamp, and/or at least imperative updates.

Wrap It Up!

In summary, the responsibility of maintaining your website is continuous. By embracing these five annual practices—refreshing content, checking performance, enhancing security, analyzing user data, and updating design elements—you ensure your website remains secure, user-friendly, and relevant. These updates not only optimize your site for better performance, but also improve user experiences, fostering engagement and growth for your business.

What other suggestions do you have? Drop a comment and share it with us!

Have questions or need help? Lewis Clark Website Services would love to hear from you!