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Web Presence

Website clean-up, Content Management, Branding and more

Web Presence

Most people will look online for a business before they look in a phone book. Your website needs to be attractive and up-to-date, even if it’s just a brochure site showing your location and what you do.

Website Cleanup

The keys to a successful website are layout, ease of navigation, and maintenance. Broken links, improper branding, old content, too busy, not responsive (mobile-friendly) … websites need regular attention even if they are basic brochure sites.

Maintenance

All websites need maintenance, but WordPress sites need regular monitoring. Your web host may offer some tools for updates, plugins, etc. but it’s better to have someone check it manually at least once each month.

Websites Held Hostage

By Websites

I’ve helped a number of business owners who hired someone to develop a website for them only to learn they were unable to make even the most minor edits without again engaging the developer.

Whether it’s intentional or by accident, it’s a problem. You, or a knowledgeable person on your team, need to be able to access your own website or your site can be down or have incorrect information listed for days, weeks or longer. Even if you’re not web savvy, a responsible developer can train you to make simple changes. If not, they picked the wrong tool for your web presence.

For example, a client hired a web developer and paid them a tremendous amount of money. Months later, no website. When the client pushed, the developer posted something that did not match the concept they discussed and was not created using an accessible tool like WordPress. Changes were discussed and the client waited again. And this client was a retailer with a lot of events and changing product lines, so it was very important that they be able to make changes quickly.

Needless to say it was not a good experience. To top it all off, the developer wouldn’t turn over the login or password to the domain and web tool so my client could start over.

If you don’t have access to your site I may be able to help you get that access. Then we can talk about how to set it up so you can make your own minor edits, or I can train someone in your company to do it for you.

Website Clean Up and Refresh

By Websites

A client had several websites created using several different tools and wanted them all merged into one. The website required a secure portal and unique URL’s for easy access to separate sections of the site. It was a very complicated process, but I was able to migrate all of their websites into one site with a secure portal with several levels of access.

Prior to migration I cleaned all of the site content to remove old and redundant information, updated graphics and created a relationship with a developer for their ongoing hosting, support and service.

Don’t Panic!

By Websites

Because I spend so much time working on email campaigns, blogs and websites for other businesses, I set my own WordPress site to auto-update. Normally that isn’t a problem, but this time it was. Apparently, the theme that I was using (and coming to dislike more every day) was not compatible with the latest version of WordPress. My site was a mess. So I took my own advice – I updated everything! New theme, new plugins, etc. I’ve always used my site as a testing ground, so I’m going with a minimalist approach for now.

Should you make a fresh start with your website? If it’s been more than five years, it’s time. Your site may not be mobile-compatible/responsive. If you are using WordPress, is your theme regularly updated to match with WordPress upgrades?

If you think it’s time to change, check with your web host. They may offer a staging site, so you can create your new site offline and go live when you’re ready. And make sure you are using the best web hosting package you can afford – it’s worth it! Many include stock photos, SSL, and other features you would otherwise purchase separately. As always, if you need help – let me know. I’m ready to help.