Websites are the windows of your business. In order to maximize online business, you need to have a constantly updated and functional website.
You might think websites don’t need any attention in the realm of maintenance and that once you have it up and running you are good to go. You just need to get it right the first time and its smooth sailing from that point onwards.
Well, wrong!
Websites do need attention and care for them to be beneficial. While you might be spot on with the latest web design trends be sure to go over some of these maintenance tips.
Keep the Website Updated
The relevance of a website highly depends on its content besides applying the best web design trends. To keep your website relevant and relatable, you need to keep up with what is happening in your industry. Your website needs to reflect the same.
The content on your website cannot be the same for months on end. Regularly updating and improving the content on your site gives your visitors something new to look forward to. So take time and come up with a content plan for your site. Decide on the frequency of updates and the general theme of each update.
Remember there is a huge difference between content for posting sake and content for the purpose of engaging and interacting with your audience. Tailor your content in such a way that it speaks to your target audience directly. Steer clear of content that might sound stiff and overly structured. Instead, create content that is engaging and almost conversational yet insightful. Just don’t lose track of the purpose of the content in the first place.
Make your Landing Page an Experience
Landing pages not only play the role of offering information, but they can also be used to give your newbies an experience to remember on your website. Think of it as giving a map to a treasure hunt. That is what ‘start here’ functions on a landing page do.
The beauty of these types of pages is that you are in control of the actions your visitors take. Instead of bombarding them with a myriad of directions and calls to action, why not take them one step at a time? Gradually introduce them to relevant content and the right sections of the website. After this initial tour, they are free to explore the website. More on this below.
Keep the Navigation Simple and Quick
This is rather self-explanatory. However, let’s explain. Have you ever visited a website that had a pretty interesting post and you wanted to look through the rest of the posts? How easy was it for you to access a post from say two years ago? How much navigating did you need to do on the website?
Subjecting your visitors to the laborious task of having to search through your archives in order to find the content they are interested in will definitely cause them to leave. You can simply solve this by ensuring that every piece of content has its own landing page. This makes it easier to find and keep your visitor engaged for longer.
Renovations Might Be in Order
Content is not the only thing that needs constant updating. The overall design of your website might be in need of some sprucing up. We are living in a time where technology and creativity run the world. That said, you want to ensure that your website is up to par.
A change in design will go a long way in ensuring that the user experience is improved. For instance, having a user-friendly and mobile-friendly interface may be the missing link to the functionality of your website.
Enhance Your Site’s Visibility
Search Engine Optimization is all the fuss in this day and age. SEO basically means that your website is tailored in such a way that it is easy to find when one searches certain keywords in the major search engines. There is no point in attempting to make all these improvements to your website if people cannot find it. Your web developer or online marketing expert should be in a position to advise on the right SEO strategies to use.
Another way to improve the visibility of your website is to link it to other platforms. Integrating your website to social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter helps to direct traffic to your website. The more traffic that comes your way, the more relevant you get and the more visible you are. An added benefit to sharing your website on these social platforms is you allow the audience on these platforms to spread the gospel of your site to their circles.
The art of web design entails much more than fancy artwork. The relationship with your web designer often transcends into a long term one because your website needs constant attention.
