8 Short steps to update your outdated website without using a developer!

It takes a lot of focus and time to be an entrepreneur. You may feel tempted to set it and forget it when it comes to your website since you have so many other responsibilities. Potential clients and customers will quickly lose interest if you do this. 

Your website is your digital business card. This is the first stop for someone interested in the services or products you offer. A well-maintained and up-to-date website is preferred by search engines. That means you’re likely to appear higher in search results for keywords that pertain to your business.

If you’re in a highly competitive industry (think real estate or sales), it’s essential to put your best foot forward. The more clicks you get, the more likely you are to drum up new business. Ready to get to work? Here are eight quick ways to improve your website today. 

1. Update Your Design to Reflect Current Trends

The web changes on average, something like every 20 minutes. It can be really difficult to stay on top of trends, but you should ensure that your website looks modern and up-to-date. A pleasant user experience is paramount. A digital portfolio that demonstrates your expertise is also helpful to have.  

While an eye-catching color palette or custom graphics are beneficial, the most significant part of website design is having clean and concise formatting. 

2. Start a Blog

One of the most effective forms of digital marketing is publishing a high-quality blog with information that is relevant to your industry. Having a blog on your website significantly boosts your chances of ranking higher.

Have no idea how to begin your blog? Don’t just ponder how to begin by staring at that blinking cursor. In less than an hour, you can start a blog so don’t hesitate to get started.

3. Take Advantage of SEO Practices

SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” Although the term focuses on website traffic, SEO is customer-centric. It enables us to better understand what people are searching for and the types of content they prefer to engage with. 

Although you can hire an SEO professional to assist with keyword research and analytics, there are several free and low-cost tools available. Keywords are phrases that people search for if they’re browsing businesses like yours. Using the right keywords thoughtfully will help your website rank higher in a search. 

Be sure to end each blog post with a powerful CTA (call-to-action). This is a short phrase that encourages your audience to take a certain step. Whether this is making an appointment or a purchase, it typically includes a clickable link. Most marketing professionals also encourage making your CTA easy to find with bold fonts, contrast colors, or a button. 

4. Include Visual Multimedia and Tools

Gone are the days of long blocks of text and a simple stock photo. Websites have come a long way, and today, they’re interactive and highly dependent on multimedia. 

Whether your industry lends itself to video or other forms of imagery, look for opportunities to create an engaging experience for your website visitors. 

For example, a real estate agent may choose to incorporate a user-friendly commission calculator. A retailer may use interactive shopping cart buttons to engage customers browsing for items.

5. Check for Responsiveness and Speed 

Slow websites can instantly distract even the greatest content. If users find it difficult to move across the various sections of your website, they’re more likely to close the browser. Click through your pages and ensure they’re responsive and loading in a timely manner.

In addition to engaging people instantly, a faster website will appear higher in search engines. Again, modern technology makes it imperative to keep up with trends and usefulness.

6. Make It Mobile-Friendly

We all spend more time on our phones than ever before. When people visit your website from a mobile device, can they navigate with ease? If not, you risk losing their attention before they even find the information they need. 

A professional web designer can work with you to create a website that has the right formatting across the board, regardless of device type. If you’re looking to do it on your own, there are templates available through providers such as WordPress, Weebly, and Wix. 

7. Capture Visitor Information 

Who are your visitors? What are they looking for? How can you help them? 

These are the key questions to answer because they will impact your business, let alone the content you provide.

Give your website visitors a way to stay in touch. For example, request an email address with the promise of special offers or business updates. This can be in the form of a pop-up or a designated box at the bottom of the page. 

Don’t forget to add links to your various social media pages. This is another effective way to stay in touch with your customers or clients. 

8. Monitor Your Competitors 

Keep an eye on the competition to ensure you’re offering the best experience for your customers (both on and off your website). 

Identify which companies are like yours and visit their websites from time to time to uncover any updated tactics or features. Although you want to stand out, it’s critical to know that you’re keeping up with other businesses in your industry. 

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Maintaining your website is essential after you’ve revamped it. Set a date to review it once per month. This can be a simple run-through to ensure all of your links are working and loading times are optimal. Create a plan for blog posts and other additions to your website and schedule an annual review.

Don’t want to do it yourself? We can help!

Check out our web design packages to see how our wealth of experience can help you gain insight into how to make a successful business online! Book a discovery call for free and tell us all about your idea!