Most service professionals consider a website to be a necessary part of doing business these days. A 3-7 page brochure style website provides direct information to potential customers seeking information.
A brochure-type site typically includes pages like “Services,” “About,” and “Media Room” in addition to the home page.
My main site is a brochure type website. I want visitors to understand what I offer and learn enough about me to want more information.
Unfortunately, updating this type of site usually requires a person with web experience. Most of us are busy running our businesses and don’t have time to think about updating our sites unless there is some drastic problem.
The site is created and that’s the end of that. But as your business changes, your website needs to reflect those changes. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need a total makeover. It means that you need to review your site at least once a year.
This review should not take long. Delegate it to your assistant or another team member for a new perspective. I have listed 9 questions to ask while reviewing your site. This list isn’t all-inclusive, but it does touch on some of the key information that I often see out of date on websites.
1. Is the appearance of your site consistent with your business as it exists now? Does the design of the site look current or does it look like it’s from the early days of the web? Tastes and expectations of a site have changed as the web has matured.
2. Does the text on your home page reflect the benefits of your services as they exist today? Your core business may not have changed much, but you and your customers may have identified additional benefits of your services or may have added services that provide additional benefits that your visitor should know about.
3. Do the categories on your page still make sense or do you need to add or change them? For example, if Resources is one of the categories on your navigation bar but you don’t have time to keep the page fresh, perhaps you should consider using a different category.
4. Does your website text speak to readers about their concerns and minimize “we/us/our”? In the past, websites focused solely on telling their own story. Readers still want to know about you, but first they want to know what you can do for them.
5.Have you read your privacy policy recently to make sure it reflects the changes made to your site? For example, if you created your privacy policy before selling products, you’ll want to make sure your policy addresses the security and privacy of payment information.
6. If you have testimonials on your site, is the website information still accurate for them? Make sure the people who provided testimonials still have active sites. If they don’t, consider removing the testimonial or updating the information.
7. Is the contact information on your site accurate? Check phone numbers and addresses and confirm nothing has changed
8. Is your “About” page up to date? Can you add additional credentials that reflect your growing experience? Add any new organizations you’ve joined or recognition you’ve received.
9. Are all the links and forms on your site still working? Click on each link to make sure it still works. Please complete each form to ensure it still serves its purpose.
Reviewing your site annually will help maintain your professional reputation.