Spring Cleaning for Your Website
A website is one of those things we spend significant time, thought and energy building, but, once the site is live, we soon forget about it and neglect it. If you fall into this category, it is time for a spring cleaning of your website. Below are seven tips to help you clean things up a bit.
1. Update Information
Review all the information on your website for accuracy. Check to make sure the basics such as phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, social media sites and fax numbers are still correct and your staff bios are up to date. Also, review versions of documents you may have on your site such as your Form ADV or Business Continuity Plan. Finally, check that your disclosures are up to date and accurate in your website footer.
2. Review Text, Photos and Graphics
Reread your entire website to ensure the message on your site is the same one you want to communicate to clients and prospects. You may find that you have added new services or are working with a new niche market you would like to highlight. Also, be sure to review all images and graphics on your site. Remove any old or dated images that contradict your overall brand image or message.
3. Update News and Resources
When was the last time you added a press release, updated your events page, added a newsletter to the archive or posted a video to your website? If the last newsworthy item you posted was dated prior to 4th quarter 2010, it’s time to add new information. Your website will instantly look neglected if the most recent information was posted more than six months ago.
4. Check Links
If you provide links to third party sites, make sure they all work. Nothing is more frustrating for a visitor than clicking on a broken link to nowhere. Make a visit to your site enjoyable by ensuring that links on all your pages are active.
5. Remove “Under Construction” Pages
Having an “Under Construction” page on your website is worse than having no page at all. If you have one or more “Under Construction” pages on your website, it’s time to just accept the fact you are not going to get around to adding the content. Delete these pages immediately. You can always add them back once you have sufficient content to fill the page.
6. Update Your Copyright Notice
If you include a copyright notice in the footer of your site, make sure it now states “Copyright ®2011.” It’s not too embarrassing if it still shows 2010, but if it lists a year earlier than that, you are giving the impression that your site is rarely, if ever, updated.
7. Get Rid of the Clutter
Many firms make the mistake of trying to put too much information on their websites just for the sake of having content. If you have generic calculators, market snapshots, articles and web links on your site, you fall into this category. Remove all the content from your website that doesn’t communicate who you are, who you help, and how you help or doesn’t provide a valuable resource directly relevant to your target market. For example, a blog that specifically addresses the concerns of your target market is a resource; generic market snapshots that can be found anywhere is clutter. You don’t want to distract a visitor with information that isn’t pertinent to your business.
Most likely, no one will take the time to tell you that your website is inaccurate or outdated. It is your responsibility to review it on a periodic basis. This will help ensure your website is still a valuable marketing tool for your business.
About Kristen Luke
Kristen Luke is the Principal of Wealth Management Marketing, Inc., a firm dedicated to providing marketing strategies and support for Registered Investment Advisory firms. Her firm enables independent advisors the ability to market with the same quality and consistency as their larger competitors by providing the resources of an entire marketing department at a fraction of the cost of a single employee. For more information, visit www.wealthmanagementmarketing.net.
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