If there’s one thing I am sure that has popped up on your screen on several occasions, it is “Get a website for your business”. But contradictorily, it’s barely mentioned that there are things that ought to be done even after the website is up and those to be avoided like a plague to ensure that the purpose of the website is accomplished. And that’s the matter on ground.
Website Maintenance.
Much more than just getting a business website and having your brand visible on the web, there are things that you should know about maintaining your business website, as it is actually what makes your brand visible on the web and give you the result you desire.
So follow me through as I give you details of the things you should do so as your website can serve the purpose it ought to, and the things that you should avoid to ensure that it is effective.
DO’S
1. You Should Update the Website Regularly
The more you want the website to be reached, the more energy you should put in constantly updating its contents. This is because to prevent the contents from losing relevance, it’s important that the website continually meets the perceived needs of the audience.
Constantly updating has also been identified as one of the fundamental strategies of search engine optimization. So things like about us, services and other grey areas should not be left static but updated in intervals.
2. Ensure you Review your Web Analytics at Intervals
Having a glimpse that indicates the performance of your site every week, every fortnight or every month is greatly imperative. Knowing the number of visitors, the average time spent on the site and the most visited page(s) on the website give insights that help you know what is working and what isn’t. Knowledge of that can help you know what you should improve on and that which you shouldn’t do anymore.
3. Make Sure there is a Blog Section in the Website and Contents are Posted on it Regularly
The majority of the visitors are likely to visit your website through a self-help post that appeared on their screens as search result in search engines while they seek solution to whatever they need information for. It is necessary to keep in mind that there is no way that it can be possible if you don’t have blog with meaningful contents that is solution-driving and informative as related to your brand.
4. Have your Plugins and CMS Updated Regularly
The plugins and content management system in your website helps in not only building it but also in adding new features over time. Therefore, to remain stable and secure, it has to be updated regularly. Nonetheless, having to replace old plugins entirely with new ones isn’t the best thing to do as it may likely affect the speed of the site. Rather, updating them is the key.
5. Utilize SEO Best Practices As Much As Possible
Search engine optimization is one of the basic things that should be carried out and done regularly to ensure that the number of visitors on the site is on a continual increase. Basic SEO practices include posting long-form content, optimizing title tags and Meta descriptions, utilizing Google search consoles, among other necessities that aid in driving traffic to the site.
Knowing all of these is fine but putting them into practice is greater because that is the only way you can get the result you desire.
DON’TS
Aside from the things that are meant to be done in maintaining a business website, another aspect that is worthy of note is the don’ts in maintaining a business website. That is, the things that should be avoided, as putting them into practice can wreak havoc to the website and the business entirely. They include:
1. Having Unclear Contents
The first grasp of contents on your website should give an average visitor knowledge about the message(s) being relayed. So whether it is that the font styles, sizes used that seem awkward or that they are unnecessarily italicised, or the fact that the words are not easily understood due to the complexity of the terms used, cases as such should be avoided. You should ensure that the contents on the website are properly written, fonts sizes and styles are suitable to enable visitors to easily comprehend the messages.
2. Absence of Contact Information and Contact Form
Irrespective of how convinced visitors are to do business with you, there may be a second guess if they are having a strenuous time trying to reach you for enquiries or to give you a breakdown of what they want. However, it is very uncommon for business owners to omit the contact information, but you should also know that it is not enough, and helping prospects find it easy to reach you is advantageous to your brand. Hence, a working contact form that is connected to a monitored inbox should be available in the services or products page of the website.
3. Your Information Isn’t Organized
I know that a single-page website is cheaper than one with multiple pages and layouts. But in as much as there is a gap in the price difference between both, it’s safer to invest in a more professional-looking and organized website than the other, because if there isn’t a demarcation between your homepage, blog, contact page, portfolio and video journal, the website would have a haphazard look. Thus, try as much as possible that they look clean and are streamlined.
And contacting us to get a professional website for your business is a way out.
4. Not Having a Sign-up List
Lead generations is a broad topic and take much more than putting up content on your business site. Nonetheless, it is unwise to not have a comprehensive list of subscribers and their email addresses; those to who you send newsletters once in a while. Several researches have brought to our notice that email is a very effective marketing tool, and not having your audience get more informed about the products you sell or the services you offer in their mails hampers the growth of your brand.
5. Not Offering Any Value
Mere visiting your site should offer value to prospects as it is a great way to keep them glued and make them anticipate the information you share. It is a hack that makes visitors convert to clients/customers without additional persuasion. But when the information contained in your business website is all about your brand and offer no value to visitors, it becomes difficult for the audience to increase and the conversion rate to improve as well. To do this effectively, always keep in mind that it is not about you and your business but them.
Conclusion
Knowing the do’s and don’ts in maintaining a business website as you have read through this article won’t automatically give you the results you desire. It wouldn’t change anything except that it has enlightened you. But to make a difference and make your website more effective, check your site thoroughly to make sure you’re doing the right things and correct the ones that aren’t meant to be, then you’re on your way to increasing your website’s conversion rate and thus increasing your profit tremendously.