2018 is finally here! Beginning of the year is a good time for reflections. Looking back at 2017 and what we were able to accomplish, what happened and what we could have done better… It is a time of changes, resolutions and hopes for the new year. It is also a good time to look at your website and make few changes and updates. So you may be excited for 2018, but is your website ready for new year?
Steps to keep your website ready for new year
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Update copyright year in a footer section
Many websites are designed were the footer will automatically display a current year. But not all of the websites are set up that way. So it is good to do that as it is a disclosure that protects the content of your website. So you want to make sure that any content uploaded in 2018 is also protected by your copyright disclosure. -
Review who has access to your website
Throughout the year you might have given access to somebody to fix a problem, work on an update. Or maybe one of your previous employees had access to your admin panel? It’s always good to review your website access periodically. Just click “Users” from your WordPress admin panel and review the list. If there is anybody who should no longer have access to your site- you can just delete them.
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Review your team/ about us page
As you review your website users, check your Team page as well. Make sure that the list of your team mates is current and up to date. Did anybody get married and changed their name? Or maybe their pictures are really outdated? It’s time to freshen up your Team Page.
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Update your business contact information, hours and other applicable information
Review your business contact information, especially if you are changing anything for thew new year. Look at things like: business locations, business hours, phone/fax/email contact information.
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Update any applicable website content
Review your website content and make sure that everything is current. Check things like:
– website slider- especially if you put up any Holiday or end of year deals or promotions
– calendar- if you have a calendar of events on your website, make sure it is current, and that you put in upcoming events for January 2018
– services, products or menus- if you listed and of those on your website, review the list and make sure it is current. Remove any discontinued products or services, check the pricing and description and any other applicable information
– promotions- check your website for any existing deals and promotions you might have had in the past. If they still apply for 2018- great. Otherwise- time to take them off. Also if you have any new deals for a new year- now would be a good time to publish it. -
Look at your traffic or SEO reports and come up with a good strategy on how to make your website more successful in 2018
If you have an SEO consultant or a person who manages your website- ask them for a meeting with them to discuss your website progress and also to uncover any opportunities. It may be a good time to make more changes to your website content to bring you more traffic. Discuss a good action plan for your website and come up with an actionable plan.
Summary
Your website should alway be maintained and kept up to date. But beginning of the year is a good time to do a through review of your website and also your marketing plan. If you need assistance with any of the steps above or to make your website ready for 2018, we would be happy to help you! Contact us today!
