Website care and feeding

Dedicate a little time today to a few things you may have forgotten about: making that dentist appointment and… oh, yeah — your website. If you’ve let your website slip your mind, don’t worry. It’s exactly where (and how) you left it. And chances are it could use a little TLC to make up for the neglect.

It may seem strange — being reminded about your website — but it’s not uncommon for a site to be built and never touched again. Unfortunately a website is not a one-shot, “fix-it-and-forget-it” deal. Like anything worth having, it requires periodic maintenance.

What should be up to date?

Start with your basic information. Is it still relevant? Are phone and fax numbers, email and physical addresses still correct? Do you have any new or departed staff to add or remove? Are there any new services that need mentioning or products you no longer offer? Has anything else about your company changed since you last checked in? Clients and prospects need this information if they’re going to understand who you are and how to connect with you.

How about the content as a whole? Could your website use a new blog post, updated team photo or informational video? Keep in mind that search engines love fresh content, so adding to or updating your page will help it rank higher in search results, allowing prospects to more easily find you.

If you’re using social media to promote your business, you need to link your accounts to your website so that it’s the hub of your online presence. Also, consider the appearance of your website. Is it up to date? Does your site still look like it’s stuck in the Internet of the ‘90s?

Why it’s important

Now that you’re in a contemplative mood, it’s important to go that one step further and remember why your website it so important. As time proceeds apace, so does technology. Mail has given way to the telephone and the telephone, in turn, to the Internet — which is why direct mail and cold calling aren’t as effective as they used to be. You want to make sure your website is a facilitator (and not a barrier) between you and your prospects and clients. A great looking website with continually fresh and quality content can be that facilitator.