I worked on a website for one of my clients. The last time it was updated was several years ago, when small businesses and solo professionals were just turning toward having “responsive” websites. I decided to hold off back then, but these days it’s a necessity.
If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, when a responsive website responds: It adjusts depending on the device it’s being displayed on, whether that is a desktop, phone or tablet. Responsive makes it easily viewed on any device.
Although the text and images on my site mostly stayed the same during this process, I took the opportunity to review every single page – including all my past blog posts. I enjoy reviewing websites, so you can imagine how happy I was to give myself the gift of doing it for my own!
It was a good reminder of things that can go wrong and/or need updating on a website over time.
Here are some things to watch for on your site:
- Check Your Links. You may be surprised by the number of links that can get broken over time. But it makes sense – since some of them were put there several years ago when it was first launched. By the way, make sure that when a link takes somebody off your site (e.g., to a book you mention), that it “opens a new tab” in the browser.
That way your website visitor can easily click back to your site and keep looking around. Making this happen is just a simple setting when creating the link.
- Read Every Page. Yes, read every single page on your site. Does it represent you? Is your message clear? Could someone reading your site understand why they would want to work with you? Is your phone number on your contact page (I saw this missing on a website recently)? When I launched my website I read everything.
I checked for spacing issues, font discrepancies, and made sure that links were all the same colors as my website palette. It took some time, but it was worth it to be confident that every page looked consistent and great.
- Get Great Graphics. Take a close look (with your reading glasses on if necessary) at the graphics on your website. Is your logo pixelated (fuzzy)? Do you have images with a white background instead of transparent on pages that have a colored background? How old is your head shot? Are you using bland stock photography? Time to upgrade if any of this is you.
- Check Your Phone. More than half of the visitors to your site will do so on a phone – make sure your site looks good and is easily readable.
- Review Your Dashboard. Take peek at the back-end of your website (or get a qualified professional to do it with you). Are there plug-ins that you aren’t using that might be slowing things down?
- Is your website running on the latest version of WordPress (or whatever platform you use)? Keep your website running smoothly by paying attention to these important details.
Remember that for many people, your website is the first place where they will form an impression of you and your business. Take steps now to make sure the impression is a good one! 👍🏽
Things I Can’t Live Without: Indoor Plants
Pollen does not like me. She makes me cry and always find a variety of ways to remind me that she’s not going anywhere. She occasionally gives me a fat eye or lip, argh! I like plants in general but since I live in an apartment indoor plants are fantastic! 👍🏽
To avoid the risk, I go with green no-pollen plants, and I have several around the apartment (there are some low risk pollen plants). Two of them are in my bedroom and I enjoy looking at them at any point of time in a day, especially during my morning devotional. The occasional chit chat lets them know I’ve got them. I think that’s not weird.😁 They are placed strategically in front of one window near the foot of my bed looking healthy and happy.
But, sometimes it teaches me a thing or two (yeah, I know what you’re thinking 🤣). I put myself in its place and I see how I need to take care of myself. Water, food, a little pruning here and there. We all need those things to help us grow and flourish (overall wellbeing). Whether by ourselves and/or with the assistance of others, we can learn a thing or two from our surroundings.
Do you have indoor plants, do you talk to them? 🤔 Hit reply and let me know.
