How To Improve Your Website

Establishing Goals

Have you thought about your site for this new year ahead? Do you have any goals established? Do you have some new ideas? Last January I reviewed some things to consider for the coming year, and they still apply:

Things to Consider:

• Where would you like to see your Web site by the end of the year?

• Learn what needs to be done to accomplish the above.

• Set up realistic time frames to accomplish your goals.

• Follow through.

Things to Do:

• Keep your content fresh and alive.

• Make sure your site works well with the latest browsers and with older versions (based on your stats and specific needs).

• Promote your site online and off.

In figuring out your goals for the coming year, it's also important to evaluate where your site is right now, which we'll talk about next.

How's Your Site?

Is your site in good shape right now? Here are some items to consider.

Content:

• How's your content?

• Especially on the main page, is your content current and fresh?

• Do you have a good copywriter who writes compelling content?

Site traffic:

• How are your search engine rankings?

• Are you pleased with your traffic from search engines?

• What about your other marketing and the overall picture of bringing in visitors to your site?

Visual appeal?

• How does your site look?

• Is it fresh and alive?

• Does it maintain interest and bring return visitors?

• Some sites don't look out of date even if they were designed two or more years ago. Other sites look worn and tired in less than a year, they look horrible in certain browsers, or may not even work in other browsers.

• Does it give a great first impression?

• What kind of impression does your site give overall?

Feedback?

• How's the feedback about your site?

• Do people complain about getting lost at your site or not finding what they're
looking for?

• Do they complain about broken links or wrong information?

• Do you get rave reviews and lots of praise?

Site maintenance?

• Does your site have any broken links?

• Stale content?

• Do you have new information that hasn't been added to your site?

• Outdated HTML markup with lots of hacks that won't be forward compatible?

Goals Met?

• Has your site accomplished what you'd hoped during the past year?

• If so, is there anything to be done to make it even better?

• And if not, do you know why not and what can be done about it?

So, how does your site fare?

Is it in good shape?

Do you have some rust and dust to remove?

Is your site meeting its goals?

Perhaps your site is in great shape, perhaps you need some updating, or perhaps you're due for an overhaul. If you're wondering whether you need a redesign or if you just need some updating, feel free to read my article about why WEBSTHAN was recently redesigned, When is it Time for a Redesign?

For some sites I've recommended redesigns starting from scratch, while other sites I've recommended just small updates. So each site truly needs to be evaluated on its own merits, needs, goals, and budget.

I wish you all the best of success with your Web sites, plans, and goals for this new year, and a memorable year ahead.