Ask any business owner and they\u2019ll tell you that hard work and consistency are the keys to success. The same goes for your website! Although building a successful website isn\u2019t a one-off task, you can save time if you do a little maintenance and optimize your content regularly.<\/p>\n
If you run your own business, you know all about writing to-do lists and juggling all the tasks that need your attention. So finding the time to evaluate and fine-tune your website can be a challenge. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve put together this handy website checklist, so you can do your own website audits and make improvements in super-quick time.<\/p>\n
Website audits give you a chance to check that everything on your site is working as it should. Carrying out an audit will also give you a baseline to work from if you\u2019re considering major changes\u2014like a redesign or brand overhaul. But they\u2019re just as useful for regular maintenance.<\/p>\n
Most audits include a technical component but because Jimdo handles all of that for you, we\u2019ll focus on the performance of your website\u2019s design, content, and user experience.<\/p>\n
Your aim is to make sure you\u2019re giving visitors the best possible experience on your site. So they\u2019ll be more likely to convert into customers.<\/p>\n
While the words \u201cwebsite maintenance\u201d might not have you on the edge of your seat\u2014virtual housekeeping is easier than you think. And just like a tidy shopfront or a well-prepped pitch, maintaining your website brings a host of benefits for your business.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you need to maintain your website throughout the year:<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll cover all of these below. Let\u2019s dive right in!<\/p>\n
Even if you\u2019re a total beginner, it won\u2019t take long to audit your website. Just an hour each month is plenty of time to fix any issues and spot areas where you could improve your site.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how to carry out your monthly website audit.<\/p>\n
A website without visitors is like a restaurant with no diners! Keep an eye on your website\u2019s traffic and you\u2019ll be able to monitor any changes in their behavior (good or bad) and tweak your content to maximize conversions. You can use Google Analytics <\/a>or the Statistics on your Jimdo Dashboard to check your visitor data.<\/p>\n It\u2019s normal to see small changes in your visitor numbers. What you\u2019re looking for are any significant differences compared to last month. If you do spot any major changes, ask yourself these two questions:<\/p>\n And a lot of the time, change is good! You might notice a surge in website traffic around the time you promoted a new product or tried out a new Facebook ad. So your visitor numbers can help you decide how to split your time and resources, to get the best bang for your digital marketing buck.<\/p>\n Visitor numbers only tell part of the story. Your website itself holds important clues. When carrying our your audit, check that the content on your site still matches your goals.<\/p>\n Normally, the answer would be \u201cyes.\u201d But when you have a Jimdo website, we\u2019ve already done the hard work for you. Because broken links are pretty much impossible to avoid completely, we\u2019ve primed the Assistant to help you find and fix them easily<\/a>. For example, if you\u2019ve linked to a page that no longer exists on your website, the Assistant will let you know so you can remove or change the broken link right away. No more searching for broken links (or worse, getting an awkward heads-up from one of your visitors!).<\/p>\n If you have a meatier website, you might prefer to audit a certain number of pages each month. Another option is to check all your entire website for one thing at a time, like making sure every image has an alt text<\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n By spreading the workload, you only have to invest a little time each month to keep your website up to date. During busy spells, you can prioritize the most important pages on your site and leave the rest until next month.<\/p>\n You can fix small things right away. But taking new photos or rewriting a text can take a bit more time. Remember, your monthly check is there to show you how your site is doing and you don\u2019t have to make your changes all at once. Make a note of any bigger changes you\u2019d like to make and schedule them in your content calendar.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re serious about growing your business, it\u2019s good practice to take a step back and look at the bigger picture about once a year. Although you can call on data from individual pages, your focus should be on evaluating your website as a whole.<\/p>\n You can use Google Analytics<\/a>, Google Search Console<\/a>, Jimdo\u2019s Statistics, or a combination of all three to evaluate your website data. Use the numbers to get an overview of what\u2019s working well on your website and you what might need to change.<\/p>\n Notice any seasonal peaks? Use them as inspiration for next year\u2019s content calendar. If you schedule new content for when website traffic is at its highest, you\u2019ll get more views and clicks!<\/p>\n Your website is a part your brand and your marketing strategy. During your annual check, remember to consider any changes you\u2019ve gone through over the last year. Does your website still reflect your business and your goals? Is your content aligned with your marketing plan? If not, it\u2019s time to plan your changes for the upcoming year.<\/p>\n Your annual website check is a good time to get back to basics. Who is your website aimed at? And what actions do you want them to take on your site?<\/p>\n Ask yourself these questions for the yearly check of your website:<\/p>\n During your annual check, you\u2019ll often notice just how much your business has changed in the last 12 months. If you want to make changes to your strategy, it\u2019s best to plan a bit of time.<\/p>\n For example, if you have a designer who takes care of your corporate identity, ask them to go through your website too. Designers always find a way to freshen up your look and often it only takes a few small tweaks.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve audited your website, found out where you can improve performance, and now you\u2019re ready for the fun bit!<\/p>\n With so much going on in your company every day, planning is essential. You don\u2019t need to spend ages planning your website content but it definitely helps to set some time aside. You\u2019ll thank yourself later!<\/p>\n Make time to prepare your updates.<\/strong> There are lots of ways to do this, so it\u2019s worth experimenting to find a system that works for you. For example, you can create new updates and upload them to your website straight away, or prep all of your content in one go then publish it bit by bit.<\/p>\n Plan your publishing schedule.<\/strong> There\u2019s no secret recipe for how often a site needs to be updated. The basic rule is: make sure visitors can find all the info they need on your website. But it does help to set a schedule for yourself. I recommend you start with a monthly update and see how you get on. If you\u2019re not sure what to write, try putting together some useful tips inspired by the questions your customers have asked that month.<\/p>\n Make sure your changes add value.<\/strong> Every update to your website should make it easier to use, more interesting, or more informative for your visitors. Don\u2019t make tweaks just for the sake of it. You could make more work for yourself in the long run.<\/p>\n Here are a few content ideas for your monthly update:<\/p>\n The more you can plan, the easier it gets. Over time, you\u2019ll develop an eye for what makes interesting website content and you\u2019ll find it easier to plan ahead.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re ready to add something to your website, just log in, make your changes, and hit Publish. Your website will look fresh and you\u2019ll know you\u2019re giving visitors the best impression of your company. That\u2019s a good feeling!<\/p>\n Maintenance will always be a part of any area of your business. Your website is no exception. By doing regular website audits, you can build a really useful resource for your customers and still have plenty of time to run your business.<\/p>\n One last thing: open your calendar and schedule an hour for your first monthly check. If you want to make maintaining your website a habit, there\u2019s no better time to start than right now!<\/p>\n Want to build your own website? Here’s how you create your <\/span>free page<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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2. Assess your website content<\/h3>\n
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3. Do you need a separate website check for broken links?<\/h3>\n
4. Stick to a schedule that works for you<\/h3>\n
5. Create action items and put them in your calendar<\/h3>\n
Review your website strategy with an annual check<\/h2>\n
Look at the numbers to see what works<\/h3>\n
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Evaluate your overall marketing strategy<\/h3>\n
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Plan any changes<\/h3>\n
How to optimize your content after a website audit<\/h2>\n
Plan regular updates in your content calendar<\/h3>\n
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\nBring your business online with Jimdo.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n