In today’s never-ending digital world, now more than ever, our websites are THE first point of contact with potential customers, readers, or followers. So neglecting your website is like forgetting to stay in contact with a dear friend; it can lead to unhappy consequences.

To prevent your online presence from feeling left out, keep these quick little tidbits nearby to maintain your website’s relevance and performance for your audience.

Keep your content updated

I’ll go ahead and admit that this is one that I, an expert web designer, can forget from time to time for my own website. 🤦🏾‍♀️

But as your brand evolves, so does your core content. You know, things like your services/product details, your about page content, contact information, etc.

Remember, one of the biggest things that your website must do is to let your visitors know exactly what to expect from your brand as soon as they’ve scanned your site’s content.

Regularly updating your site’s core information not only keeps your audience engaged but also improves your SEO ranking. So, set aside some time each week (once a month at the minimum) to update your core page content, add new blog posts, or adjust product details. The more frequently you refresh your content, the more likely visitors will return for more.

Think mobile-ready FIRST

Most website visitors come from mobile. It’s been like this for some time now and if your website isn’t hitting the mark with this one then you’re likely to alienate a vast chunk of your audience.

It’s critical to create a seamless website user experience on not only desktop and laptop but more importantly, smartphones and tablets. Make sure your website’s design is responsive and that all the elements adapt to various screen sizes. Google prefers mobile-friendly sites, so it will also boost your search engine ranking.

Security + backups are your besties

Just as you wouldn’t leave your house unlocked, you shouldn’t leave your website vulnerable to cyber threats.

The internet is still a bit of a dark and scary world with things like bots, brute force attacks, spam comments, and malware attacks being a thing on neglected websites. Regularly updating your website’s technologies (aka plugins, add-ons, apps, etc) is a fairly easy way to help protect your site against emerging threats. Additionally, don’t forget to set up a daily backup system so you can quickly restore your site in case of an unexpected disaster.

Lastly, changing your site’s login password for both you and any other administrative users of your site is a surefire way to keep your website’s login area happy and secure. Be sure to go with a password that is complex enough that no one can guess.

A slow and steady website DOES NOT win the race…

Let’s face it; website visitors are impatient. If your site is slow to load, they’ll bounce away faster than you can say “neglect.” To prevent this, regularly check in on your website’s speed to make any needed improvements to it. Things like compressing images, using content delivery networks (CDNs), and minimizing the use of heavy plugins will keep your site fast and zippy. Which means happier website visitors and better SEO for you.

Your website is the hub of your business online, the digital face of your brand or passion project.

It’s an extremely valuable asset that has the potential to bring you joy, revenue, and an engaged audience. By following these four ways to keep your website happy and healthy, you can ensure it continues to thrive and serve its purpose.

Remember, a well-cared-for website is a magnet for success in our vast online world.

So, go ahead and give your site the love that it deserves – it’ll pay you back in spades!