Is Your Website Showcasing Your Business at Its Best? Key Elements to Regularly Update for Lasting Success

Websites are more than just a digital presence—they are the very face of your business, the virtual shop front that reflects who you are and what you stand for. Whether your business thrives on referrals or attracts clients through online searches, your website plays a pivotal role in shaping first impressions. Even your most loyal referees will check out your site before recommending you to others, so it's crucial that your website lives up to the expectations.

A website is not a "set it and forget it" asset; it’s a living, breathing extension of your business that requires regular attention and care. Just as you wouldn't let your physical shopfront gather dust, your website too needs consistent upkeep to ensure it remains fresh, relevant, and aligned with your business goals. By dedicating time each month to maintaining and enhancing your website, you not only keep it up-to-date and engaging but also ensure it continues to make a positive impact on your prospective clients.

In this blog, we'll explore essential practices to keep your website fresh, up-to-date, Google-friendly, and engaging. From content updates to technical checks, we've covered everything you need to keep your online presence in top shape.

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• Match Your Business’s Growth Plan: Regularly review your website's content and pages to ensure they align with your business growth goals. Consider whether your website reflects the niche markets you want to focus on, the products/services you want to sell more of, and your updated service offerings. Ensure it showcases your strengths over competitors.
• Blog Posts: Regularly publish fresh, relevant content that addresses your audience's needs and interests. This keeps your site dynamic and improves SEO.  Remember to put teasers in your newsletters, socials and Google Business Profiles back to the full blog post on your website to engage users drive traffic to your website (promote the great content you create) and massively help with your search engine rankings.
• Product/Service Updates: Ensure all product and service offerings are current. Update descriptions, pricing, and availability as needed. Extend your pages with relevant content—FAQs are a great way to achieve this. Consider using tools that expand content for easier scanning and help users find answers to their questions.
• Add Greater Value to Your Website: Include case studies to help prospective clients see the range of work you do. Provide helpful guides and advice to not only showcase your expertise but also add value to your existing clients.
• News & Events: Post updates about your business, such as upcoming events, promotions, or new partnerships.
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• Keyword Research: Regularly review and update your target keywords to ensure they align with current trends and search behaviours. Monitor your monthly rankings to track your SEO efforts and identify areas needing improvement.
• Internal Linking: Strengthen your site’s SEO by adding internal links to both new and existing content.
• Competitor Analysis: Check how you compare to your competitors and identify strategies for improvement to surpass them.
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SEO Audit: Consider having your web company perform an SEO audit. Whether your business is local or national, they can provide a personalised report to track your progress and identify areas for improvement.

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• Navigation: Ensure your website is easy to navigate with a clear structure and intuitive menus. Over time, as more content is added, the navigation/menu might lose its intuitiveness, so regular reviews are essential.
• Speed Optimisation: Regularly test your site’s loading speed and optimise images, reduce server response times, and leverage browser caching. Consult with your web company about services they can offer to help with this. Note that Google frequently updates its speed-related ranking factors, so periodic adjustments may be necessary.
• Broken Links: Use tools to identify and fix broken links that could frustrate users and negatively impact your SEO.
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• Fresh Visuals: Update images, banners, and graphics to keep the visual appeal modern and relevant. Consider refreshing your website’s look at least every 2-3 years. Most website providers can assist with redesigns without affecting your SEO rankings.
• Interactive Elements: Add or update interactive elements like videos, slideshows, or customer testimonials to increase engagement.
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• Google Business Profile: Regularly update your Google Business profile with new posts, reviews, and accurate business information.
• Google Analytics Review: Monitor your site’s performance using Google Analytics to understand visitor behaviour and make data-driven decisions.
• Search Console Checks: Regularly review Google Search Console for any crawl errors or issues affecting your site’s visibility.
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• Contact Forms & AI Chatbots: Test and update contact forms and chatbots to ensure they function correctly and provide a seamless user experience.
• Customer Reviews: Encourage and display customer reviews on your site, regularly updating them to build trust and credibility.
• Email Sign-Ups: Ensure that sign-up forms for newsletters or updates are working properly and are easy to find. Remember, email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to maintain contact with past and current customers, fostering loyalty, repeat business, and referrals.
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• Privacy Policy & Terms: Regularly review and update your privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie notices to comply with current regulations.
• Accessibility Compliance: Make sure your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities, by following WCAG guidelines.
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• User Testing: Periodically test your website's usability with real users to identify areas for improvement.
• Feedback Loop: Collect and implement feedback from clients and website visitors to continuously improve the user experience.
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• Benchmarking: Regularly review competitor websites to see what they are doing well and identify opportunities to differentiate your site.
• New Trends: Stay updated with the latest web design, content, and SEO trends to keep your website competitive.
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• Browser Compatibility: Regularly test your website on all major browsers (e.g., Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) to ensure it displays and functions correctly across different platforms.
• Operating System Compatibility: Ensure your website performs well on various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, to cater to all user bases.
• Device Responsiveness: Continuously test your website on various devices (smartphones, tablets, desktops) to ensure it is fully responsive and user-friendly, regardless of screen size.
• Software Updates: If your website uses plugins, themes, or third-party tools, regularly update them to avoid security vulnerabilities and maintain smooth operation.
• SaaS Advantage: If your website is hosted with a SaaS (Software as a Service) provider, take advantage of their backend technology updates. This can save you hundreds of dollars each month, as the SaaS provider often handles essential updates and maintenance tasks, keeping your website running smoothly without extra cost to you.
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• Review and Evaluation: Schedule at least one annual strategy session with your web company. During this session, allow them to review and evaluate your website's performance, functionality, and alignment with your business goals.
• Industry Insights: Your web company operates in the digital space daily and has insights into the latest strategies and trends that are yielding great results for other clients. Leverage their expertise to refine your digital strategy and implement new tactics that could benefit your business.
• Goal Alignment: Use this session to ensure your website continues to match your business’s direction. Whether you’re looking to scale, pivot, or enhance specific areas, your web company can provide tailored advice and updates to help you achieve these goals.
• New Opportunities: Discuss upcoming trends or technological advancements that could be integrated into your website, keeping it competitive and effective in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
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By systematically addressing these areas, you’ll keep your website fresh, engaging, and in line with the latest digital best practices, ultimately attracting more prospective clients and improving your online presence.

Ready to take the next step? Contact your Bloomtools consultant now!