From time to time you need to evaluate your website for content, inventory and marketing flair. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of making sure the content of your site is up-to-date, that all the links are working properly and everything is as it should be.
Other times the reason could be that traffic is slowing and your sales are slumping and you’re looking for the cause. What ever the case may be, it must be done to remain competitive.
A general purpose review of your site for keeping content current and links fully functional should be routine and scheduled. This will ensure that nothing slips through the cracks and becomes a major issue down the road.
Set a reminder for yourself to check your website out at least once a month so that you stay on top of your game.
If you start to notice that your sales are slowing down and you’re just not seeing the traffic that you’re accustomed to you may want to take a long, hard look at your website in comparison to the sites of your competition and other successful websites.
Perhaps your site is not as attractive and engaging as others. Or maybe you’re lacking some of the interactive tools that today’s customers really want.
So how do you evaluate your site and make the necessary revisions? Here are a few tips.
First, take a good look at your site. Jot down notes on what your site offers, how engaging you feel it is and what interactive features it has.
When doing this be sure to look at it from the perspective of a customer, this will allow you to provide a better critique of your site.
You’ll also want to click through your site to test the amount of time it takes to navigate through it and note any slow-loading pages, broken links or difficulty in navigation in general.
Next you’ll need to take a little web field trip. Search for the sites of some of your best competitors and then one or two sites that are not competition but are simply successful sites.
Spend your time taking notes on the same topics you noted on your own site as well as anything that you feel is particularly attractive to their customers and visitors.
When you’re finished compare your site to the sites you’ve visited and see what you need to do.
