You’ve got a great new website and you’re happy with the design. However, it’s not enough to sit back and leave it at that. Websites need to be updated regularly. This means checking everything works on mobile, fixing any issues, and ensuring the content is relevant to your business. We’ve made a checklist you can download to make updating your website quick and easy.
Why do I need to update my website?
You can make updating your website easy by keeping on top of it. Even small updates can make a difference. The question is, why?
1. To be found by Google: Google will rank websites that are updated regularly higher in the search results.
2. To maintain a professional website design: Make sure your content is as good as your design to keep your website professional.
3. To share useful content: Share your knowledge about your business and industry to gain the trust of your customers.
4. To show changes in your business goals: Your website content should accurately reflect who you are and what you offer.
5. To keep your website interesting: Ensure your website remains engaging to visitors so new and current customers continue to visit you online.
Where do I start?
To keep your website up to date, just follow these 5 steps. A checklist will help you stay organised and get used to updating your content regularly.
1. Decide when you’ll be updating your website. We recommend setting a monthly reminder to review all of the pages. Update your blog/portfolio more often and when you have new content.
2. Review your full website. Take a look at any content that could be made more engaging, relevant or current to your business. For example, has your team expanded or do you offer any new services?
3. Update your contact details. If your opening hours have changed or your phone number has even one wrong digit, you could be losing business.
4. Quality check your images. Your images should be crystal clear quality and accurately reflect the page content. You can create a lasting impression with professional, personal images.
5. Check in with your blog or portfolio. These pages should be updated on a regular basis to show you are active and to keep your website content interesting.
My website is difficult to update. Now what?
If editing your website is difficult and time consuming, it could be for a few reasons.
Your website is built on an old platform
Upgrading to a new platform can make it look better and easier to update. We build websites using a user-friendly platform, knowing our customers are likely to make their own updates in the future. It’s so easy to update, we compare it to using Microsoft Word.
You haven’t got enough time
If you’re too busy and aren’t updating your website regularly, it could feel like you are going back to square one every time. We offer monthly support contracts where we can update things like plugins, blog posts, text, and images. We can even add new pages or redesign your site, depending on your package.
You don’t know where to start
Hopefully this blog post has solved this problem! Don’t forget to update your website monthly, check everything is working and make sure all your content is relevant and engaging. You can start by downloading our checklist below.
Top Tips
Use stock libraries
If you have gaps in your content, stock libraries could be the solution. When selecting images, check they fit your brand style and the rest of your website.
You can’t use images from the internet (for example, a Google Image search) without the owners permission. This is where a stock library comes in, just be aware of any licensing terms and associated costs. Take a look at our 5 Free Resources blog post for some recommendations.
Image file types
Google recommends using a newer image format called “webp” instead of the commonly used “png” or “jpeg.”
Webp images are smaller and higher quality, which helps websites load faster. However, many software programs may not be able to create webp images.
You can use a free website to convert your images to webp. We recommend a website call Pixelied, which allows you to convert multiple images at once.
Include keywords in your content
When writing content for your website, make sure you include plenty of keywords relevant to your business. It will help Google find your website and you’ll appear higher in those search results.
For example, if you are a business providing bespoke packaging based in London you could consider the following keywords.
Bespoke packaging manufacturer, eco friendly packaging, london packaging manufacturer.
