Setting Your Website Up for Success in 2024

Your website: a dynamic platform that reflects the current state of your business and industry.

A portfolio, business card and customer guide all rolled into one. 

Here’s a guide to set your website up for success this year, focusing on ease of editing, impactful content, search engine optimisation (SEO), and the power of consistent blogging.

Make your site easy to edit and improve

The digital world is never going to be a static place, and neither should your website. 

With trends, technologies, and customer preferences constantly changing, it's crucial to have a website that can be easily updated and improved. 

Flexibility allows you to develop and change with the times without the need for a whole new overhaul or redesign. 

Reduce the amount of time you need to spend making alterations in the future by following these tips: 

• Use a Content Management System (CMS): Platforms like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal offer user-friendly interfaces for quick updates, easy collaborations and more design control whenever you need it. 
• Modular Design: Implement a design that allows you to add, remove, or change elements without overhauling the entire site. Using dynamic sections that can change the design, content or purpose of any page is a great way to save time whilst modernising your website. 
• Regular Audits: Schedule monthly or quarterly audits to identify areas for improvement. Its so much more efficient to get a load of changes done at once and ensure your brading and message stays consistent, then it is to update things as and when you think of them. 

Great content that does the right job 

Learning from or contacting you and finding our information about your business is the reason people visit your website in the first place. 

It's not just about what you say, but how you say it, how it makes them feel, and wether or not it answers their questions.

There are three key elements of great content:

• Value and Relevance: Your content should answer the right questions, solve problems in an obvious way, or provide valuable information that people are actually searching for. .
• Engagement: It’s important to use a tone and style that resonates with your audience. Incorporate visuals and interactive elements to add some exciting elements throughout the page that your customers will appreciate. 
• Consistency: Regularly update your content to keep it fresh and give your audience a reason to keep coming back. 

Master SEO so you can be found

In 2024, with the saturation of digital content, being easily found on search engines is a critical visibility factor. 

The only SEO strategy you need to get started:

• Keyword Research: Understand what your audience is searching for and incorporate those terms into your content as naturally as possible.
• Mobile Optimisation: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as more users are browsing on their devices primarily. Also, Google prioritises sites that are well designed across all screen sizes. 
• On/Off Page Optimisation: Search engines look closely at your titles, meta descriptions, alt tags on images, as well as backlinks and use of specific keywords. There are plenty of plugins to guid you through this process. 

Showcase your company in the best light

First impressions count, and when your website is often the first point of contact with potential customers, It should reflect the best of what your company has to offer.

How can you do this?

• Clear Branding: Ensure your website reflects your brand identity by consistently using the same colours, logos, and messaging, honing in on your offer or message and refraining from sharing anything irrelevant or pointless. 
• User Experience (UX): Design for a seamless and enjoyable user experience, with easy navigation and fast load times for your customers, so they happily stay on your site and continue to come back to it. 
• Testimonials and Case Studies: Display your successes and customer satisfaction throughout your website to build trust and credibility, even if you only have one or two pieces of feedback to reference.

Harness the power of consistent blogging

Blogging is a powerful tool for driving traffic, improving SEO, and establishing your company as an industry leader. 

Benefits of Consistent Blogging:

• Enhanced visibility: Regular blog posts keep your website fresh and makes you more likely to be ranked higher in search results, thus more easily found by your target customers. 
• Establishing authority: Sharing your expertise, personal stories and insights will build trust and credibility between you and your audience in an organic way. 
• Engagement and sharing: Create content encouraging interaction and sharing, so when somebody finds your article helpful, they will pass it on so others can learn from it, expanding your reach with no extra effort on your side. 
• Customer queries: Having a library of tips and information readily available on your website gives your clients and customers a host of helpful information, answering their questions and leaving them satisfied.

Prepare for the year ahead!

1. Choose a website design that is easy to edit 
2. Focus on great content that sends a clear message 
3. Get your basic SEO done - at least!
4. Consistent, relevant, memorable branding 
5. Aim to publish a blog article at least once a month

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