Your Website Evaluation Checklist

This year has flown by, I can’t wait for 2012 and looking forward for the London Olympics staged in my home town.

It has come to that time of the year when you reflect on all aspects of your business and marketing and that includes your website. Every site can perform better. Every effective website is a work in progress.

Your website evaluation can help you find the weaknesses in your site and outline ways to improve your site’s effectiveness. The  points below is not designed to be a “be all end all” solution for your evaluation bu – merely a guide.

• Review your web statistics and SEO. Take the time to perform an annual review of your website statistics What steps can you take to increase your website traffic? How well does your website come up in search engines? Are you utilising basic SEO techniques on your website to help increase relevant traffic?

• Does your website clearly state what visitors can do on your site?

• Review Your Website Layout / Design:
  •  Imagine yourself visiting your website for the very first time (you can get others to do this for you as well)
  • What is the first thing you notice?
  • Are there any obvious distractions?
  • Is it easy to find the information and navigate through the website?
  • Is it clear what you should do on each page of the website (ex. what links to follow, which call-to-action to consider)?
•  Is your website cluttered and untidy? Your website is your shopfront and if it’s cluttered with clumps
  of text, gadgets and images, it gives the perception that your business is unorganised as well as amateurish. Maintain your high standards of professionalism by having a truly professional-looking website that is neat and organised

• Analyse the content on your website. Remove outdated or incorrect content and replace with up to date and correct information. Make goals for how you can improve your website and make it an even more valuable communication tool for your customers. If you are not yet utilising social media, begin to plan how your company can utilise new marketing and communication websites and social media in the new year.

• Are you updating your social media marketing? If you establish a social media presence then ensure they  remain updated.

• Check the links (both internal and external) on your website. Broken links are a sure sign of a neglected and out of date website. They can also be a tremendous source of frustration to your visitors and make a (very!) bad impression. Check and double check all links, both on and off your website, to ensure all are working and up to date.
• Review your autoresponder messages and make sure they are still timely and effective. Does your free gift need updating.

• Does Your Website Brand You? Marketing is all about effectively communicating who you are, what you do, and why you do it better than the competition. Marketing is about image building, positioning and branding. Branding is the foundation for all successful marketing.