by Lisa Bacon of MOXIEpear
With Spring right around the corner, most people are starting to open windows and clean out closets…why not use that Spring cleaning fever for your website as well? After all, it is the “store front” in which you sell your products and you don’t want it to get stale and dusty do you?
Here is a list of 5 simple things that you can do to spruce up your website this Spring:
1. Do a little rearranging.
Take a look at your layout. Your website should be easy for your customers to navigate. Are your contact links visible? Are your catalogs organized so that a customer is able to get to a product in less than 3 clicks of the mouse? Do you have your social networking sites listed so customers can get to know you away from your business?
2. A coat of paint can do wonders!
Take a look at your color palette. While trendy colors are sometimes good for certain businesses you really want to stand out from the crowd. For example, pink and brown is extremely overused and so a lot of sites start to blend in and look the same. Pick a color palette that is unique to your business and that can stand the test of time.
3. Change out the window display.
Take a look at your home page…is it the same as it was 6 months ago? If so, spruce it up for each season by changing out photos or announcing specials. It is also great to update your content. This not only breathes life back into your site but also can help with search engine ranking. Search engines love to crawl for new content so don’t be afraid to edit that stale copy.
4. It’s all about the products.
The whole point of having a website is to sell your products but a lot of small business owners tend to skimp on showing their products in the best light possible. Take this time to revisit your product photography. Make sure to include several bright and clear photos of each product. Have different angles and up close shots as well.
Do your product descriptions entice people to buy your products or do they put people to sleep? Take this time to go through your descriptions. I know it is difficult (I have the hardest time with this) but a good description can pay off big in the end. Remember, while you know how it looks and feels…someone looking at your website has no clue. Use as many descriptive words as possible. Explain all of the features and benefits as well as the size and specs of each product.
5. Testing, testing…1, 2
You want to make sure that your website is functioning like a well oiled machine. Check your site periodically and go through everything like you are a customer. Make sure there are no broken links or missing pages.
While, Spring is really a great opportunity to spruce up your website I invite you to take time out every few months to go back through the check list above. Your website (just like your business) should be an ever evolving thing. Remember to keep your content fresh and your photos sparkling.
Here’s to a successful and productive Spring!
