1. Regular content updates

Did you know that websites with regularly updated content can generate up to 9 times more leads than those with static content? Fresh content not only attracts more visitors but also keeps existing ones coming back for more. Make it a habit to update your blog, product pages, and other sections with relevant information and engaging articles.

2. Check for broken links

Approximately 88% of online visitors are less likely to return to a site after encountering a bad user experience. Broken links can frustrate your users and negatively impact your search engine rankings. Use tools like Google Search Console to identify broken links and fix them promptly.

3. Optimize website loading speed

Did you know that 47% of users expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less? Slow-loading websites can result in higher bounce rates and reduced user satisfaction. Regularly optimize your images, leverage browser caching, and consider using a content delivery network (CDN) to boost your website’s loading speed.

4. Backup your website regularly

A startling 60% of small businesses that suffer a cyberattack shut down within six months. Don’t be a part of this statistic! Regularly back up your website to secure your valuable data and content. Use automated backup solutions to ensure you never lose important information.

5. test your website on different devices

In today’s mobile-driven world, mobile devices account for approximately 53% of all website traffic. Ensure your website is responsive and looks great on various devices like smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Regularly conduct tests to guarantee a seamless user experience across all platforms.

6. check for security vulnerabilities

Cyberattacks are a real threat, with over 330 million new malware samples discovered each year. Stay ahead of hackers by regularly scanning your website for security vulnerabilities. Install SSL certificates, use secure plugins, and implement strong password policies to safeguard your website and your visitors’ data.

7. monitor website analytics

Website analytics provide valuable insights into your site’s performance, user behavior, and traffic sources. Utilize tools like Google Analytics to track key metrics, such as bounce rate, time on page, and conversion rates. This data can help you identify areas for improvement and optimize your website accordingly.

8. Review contact information and forms

Outdated contact information can lead to missed opportunities. Regularly review and update your contact details, including email addresses, phone numbers, and physical addresses. Also, test your contact forms to ensure they are functioning correctly, and inquiries are reaching you.

In conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve now armed yourself with a powerful website maintenance checklist to keep your online presence fresh, secure, and user-friendly. 

By following these practices, you’ll not only enhance your users’ experience but also improve your search engine rankings and, ultimately, grow your business. So, take action today, and let your website shine as a true digital asset for your brand!

1. Create an INTRIGUING headline

Your headline is one of the most important part of your blog, without catching the attention of possible readers you won’t have anyone reading your blog! One of the main ways to create a magnetic title is to use words that appeal to readers emotions. People are made to react to their emotions, making them more likely to  click on a headline that appeals to them. Another popular strategy is using a list title. List titles get right to the point of what your blog is about and makes it come across as an easy read. Some examples are:

• “How to _____ in just X steps,”
• “Top X ways to _____” 
• “X Secrets you Didn’t know about _____”
• “X Things we Learned from_____”

These types of titles are intriguing to readers and make them more likely to click and read more!

2.  Useful subheads

Subheads serve multiple purposes that can lead to readers spending a longer on your blog. First, subheads break up otherwise long and overwhelming text. Readers who are looking at a blog post are usually looking for quick, efficient answers to their questions. So when they are confronted with a huge block of text with seemingly no organization, they are more likely to leave and find another site that is easier to follow and navigate to the sections they are looking for.

In addition, subheads make the page more visually appealing. Similar to the reasons above, seeing a giant block of continuous text is unattractive and underwhelming. Adding in subheads creates spacing that is easier on the eyes and allows for better organization.

Lastly, subheads can help boost your search engine optimization (SEO). Subheads, when used correctly, can boost keywords that are relevant to your topic. Google and other search engines use headlines and subheadlines to grab key words from to help organize what sites go where with a given search result. So always be sure your subheads contain some key words you’re hoping to be associated with.

3. relevant internal links

We all like free advertising, right? This is why you should always include links to other articles, pages, and forms you have on your website in every blog post you write. The goal is to make people stay on your website, so why not direct them to information or posts that might interest them and get the to further interact with your site?

Internal linking also benefits your SEO. Linking increases the number of pages per visit and time visitors are active on your site. The link itself doesn’t cause boosts in SEO, it is people interacting and clicking it, so make sure any internal links you use are relevant and interesting.

4. appealing images and graphics

Similar to the importance of subheads creating an appealing look for your blog, images and graphics are key in making your blog stand out. Images help readers to visualize or conceptualize what you are talking about easier, making your whole blog post more appealing. In addition, Google measures the the time that people spend on your pages so additional elements such as graphics and unique typography can make reader linger on your page longer.

An additional plus to including appealing images on your blog is you can use these same images to promote your posts on social media!

5. Have a clear call to action (CTA)

Blogs are successful just by having people spend time on your site, but if you have a clear call to action within your post you can achieve more substantial success. Whether your goal is to get emails to sign up for a newsletter, sell a product, use a promotion code, or something else, your call to action needs to be clear.

Make sure your call to action is direct and related to the rest of the blog post. No one wants to buy a custom hat at the end of a blog about hiking trails. Be sure to include relevant links and instructions if readers need to take additional steps to achieve your call to action.

1. brand consistency

We all know that every social media platform reaches a different type of audience and therefore requires slightly different approaches. However, keeping your brand’s content consistent is key to enable viewers to recognize your brand no matter where they see it.

Think about a few characteristics you want your brand to represent and incorporate those into your posts as a sense of consistency. These characteristics could be as broad as keeping all posts minimalist and simple, or it can be more narrowed down like keeping a consistent color scheme. No matter what it is, having something that is unique to your brand and is present throughout various platforms creates an opportunity for easy brand recognition.

2. know your platforms

While consistency is key for getting your brand recognized through multiple platforms, in order to stand out from the hundreds of posts people see every day, you need to make adjustments based on audience. Various social media platforms are tailored for different audiences, knowing your audience allows you to tailor your content to that specific platform and increase views and engagement.

For example, you can post the same picture on both Instagram and Facebook, but knowing the different audiences you may decide to write a short, simple caption for the instagram post but include a lengthier more descriptive caption for the facebook post. Taking time to research social media platforms and who the primary audiences are made up of allows you to account for that and get more positive engagement.

3. view your insights regularly

Knowing what your audience likes and dislikes is a huge way to be able to increase traffic on your pages. Look at the insights on your page and analyze why some posts do better than others. Is there a pattern with the posts that lack engagement? What kinds of things are people liking and commenting on?

Take a look at various post traits such as the time of day you post, length of captions, hashtags used, people tagged, and post content. By consistently looking at what people like and dislike you can make future decisions that will increase brand recognizability and post engagement.

4. don’t be afraid to experiment!

If you don’t try out new things, you will never know if you could be utilizing better social media strategies. Every once in a while switch it up a bit, post a video instead of a picture, use a new color scheme, post twice in one day instead of every other day, try something new. 

Even if it does not work out in your favor,  you know for future posts what to avoid. Best case scenario you have reached an audience you wouldn’t have otherwise. People can get bored with seeing the same thing everyday so changing it up every once in a while can be very beneficial.

You’re ready to go! Using these tips and tricks you’re well on your way to making your brand stand out on any platform!

Still need some guidance or advice on getting your social platforms going? Talk to one of our experts to discuss some of our social media plans!