It’s Time for a Website Check-Up
Each year we head to the doctor’s office for an annual physical. We allow ourselves to be poked, prodded, and sometimes violated. Why do we do it? We know good health is important and regular check ups are a key component to staying healthy.
We give our bodies regular check ups, why not our website? Today we’re going to go through a few quick and easy steps to give your website a check up.
When developing your online presence, your website is the foundation on which everything else is built. It might not be as fun or interactive as social media, but it is yours. You own it and have complete control over what is there. Your website should give visitors a quick view of what you want them to know about you and your brand. Think of it as an online billboard of sorts.
What do I want visitors to know about me?
Before we audit your site, take a minute to jot down one or two sentences about what you want visitors to obtain from their visit to your website.
For example, I want visitors to know I am a cozy mystery author who writes the Puppy Dog Pound Mystery Series and I have a new book coming out in May.
I write historical mysteries aimed at women who are looking for a quick and easy book to read.
Now, let’s visit your site.
When you visit your homepage, what are your first impressions? Does your first impression accomplish what you just wrote down?
A few other things to check:
- Does my About Page still reflect who I am? Is anything outdated?
- Are all my books listed and up-to-date?
- Do all my links work and take the visitor to where I want them to go?
- Do my photos accurately represent me and my brand?
- Is it easy for people to stay in touch with me via my email list and social media links?
Keeping an up-to-date website is critical to maintaining your author brand.
Regular website check ups (also known as a website audit), will help ensure your content is current and that nothing falls through the cracks. Taking a few minutes to do this today will set you up for success in the future!
Sound like a lot of work?
Is life currently a little nuts and you’d like some help with this? I’ve got a couple options for you. Check them out and lets talk if you would like a little support.
How does your website look?
Are you caught up? Leave a comment below and let me know or head over to the Cozy Experience: Just for Authors Community and join in the conversation there.
I’ll admit I don’t pay too much attention to my website. I rarely check my email. When I do post it goes to Twitter, but not my f/b author page. I want to focus on promotion for my cozy mysteries over the next couple of months.
I really want to ditch what I have and start fresh. My current site is dark — the background pix, I mean — and I hate it. I spend more time posting on my FB author page, which also needs a lot of work!
I’ve just begun a revamp of my website. Original is seven years old, before I any books out. Lots of newbie mistakes and took ‘expert’ advice. Now I have one book out in 2018 and three more in 2019/2020 and I know who I am, who my readers are and what my brand is. So–this is great timing!
My website’s only a couple months old, so it’s still up to date. Tomorrow I’ll be updating it again with the cover of my cozy prequel and setting my new newsletter subscription box to pop onto the screen. Now to just keep at it!
It is always something. Keeping at it is key. Nice work!
Wonderful! Happy to help!
Maybe a different template, Pam? Depending on how your site is hosted, you can change templates / themes without having to start over on your content. Facebook is a good way to connect with readers too, sadly Facebook just changes what people see a lot so it’s easy for your readers to miss your content.
Great goal, Kathleen!