When In Doubt, Update Your Website
There is no better or more cost-effective way to refresh your business than on your own website. The trick, though, isn’t just having a website, it’s developing the right website. You may simply need to ensure that everything is up-to-date and functioning correctly, or you might want to make major alterations – like changing the primary keywords that your site targets.
Before going in to make changes, make sure you check your insights. Find out what your existing audience thinks of your site. When you’ve spent a lot of time working behind the scenes, you can forget what it feels like on the other side. Therefore, it’s a good idea to solicit direct feedback from your regular visitors to help you update your website.
Even if you regularly make changes to your website, it’s important to take time to ensure that your site is working as effectively as possible. This means reviewing your site thoroughly, conducting research, and trying out a few alterations.
Here are a few easy alterations that can make all the difference:
1. Replace stocky images
Stock photography is not a bad thing. Many entrepreneurs and startups depend on stock photography to get their story told. However, if your website starts to look too stiff or static, you could be losing business because its too stuffy.
2. Remove ambiguous text
When communication is key, having vague or ambiguous copy can be more detrimental than you think. Remember what it looks like for your consumers rather than only what you think they want to hear.
3. Add more calls-to-action
Most people do not include enough calls-to-action. Comb through your site and check to make sure that every page has different ways to get in contact with you. Email sign up, contact forms, social media, buy now... Provide options for your audience.
4. Don't be afraid of white space
Empty space, white space, solid colored space on your site allows for the human eye to rest and reset as you scroll through a site. Don’t forget to give your website, and ultimately your client/customer, some room to breathe.
5. Double check you’re mobile-friendly
I’ve seen so many websites that push updates but forget to double check their mobile experience. It takes only a minute to check and then you can fix, or not, as needed.
