Is ‘update your website’ at the top of your to-do list? Do you feel un-excited when you send someone your website link?

Taking the time to really review and update your website can often fall to the bottom of our priority list in busy seasons (I myself have felt this many times) and when you finally sit down to do it…

Your brain goes blank. Not sure where to even start.

Websites are a wonderful tool to share your brand, attract right-fit clients, and grow your business. But in the process of keeping your site up to date and truly working for you, many of us run into a ‘where do I start’ roadblock.

I’ve created, and updated, websites for all kinds of businesses (from coaches to construction to fitness studios) so I assembled some of the simple website strategies that apply to all industries to create a checklist for you!

Work through the update your website checklist below next time you’re ready to refresh your website!

If you want more 1:1 support creating or updating your website, you can always connect with me directly.

Review each point below and assess your current website: 

Does your site accomplish this area? Is there something you can add, adjust, or edit for each of the points to check it off your list?

Strong Above The Fold Statements

When your potential client lands on your website, you want them to know right away what you do and whether or not they want to keep scrolling down the page.

The area you see when you first land on a website is called ‘above the fold’ and this is a great space to make a strong first impression on each page of your website.

For example, on my homepage above the fold, I clearly state what I do and who I do it for: Website Design + Copywriting Studio for Passionate People and Cool Brands.

Review each of your above-the-fold areas and make sure you are kicking off each page with a good first impression in both your copy (the words) and your design.

Updated Photos, Videos, and Services

This is a pretty basic step in the checklist but I’m including it to ‘check all my boxes’ hehe. As you review your website, take the time to update your photos, videos, services, pricing… All the things that can change over time in your business!

Head to this blog post for cool stock photo sources if you need some new images! It’s truly amazing what fresh photos can do for updating your website and breathing new life into your brand.

Clear Description of What Pain Point(s) You Solve

As your reader scrolls down your homepage, they’ll be looking to understand how you can help them in whatever you do!

Review your homepage and add (or edit) a section where you address the pain points your perfect-fit clients are going through and how you help them with a solution!

This is also a great way to build trust with your future clients. 

You want to help them and by sharing (or even relating to) the challenges they’re experiencing, you create a stronger connection.

A Free Download to Grow Your Email List

Having a list of people who are interested in your brand and having a way to contact them directly (via email) is powerful. The trick is using your website to help you build that email list. 

We’re all wary of giving out our email addresses, so it’s going to take a lot more than just saying you will send them company updates to build your list!

You want to provide value in exchange for their email, and grow an email list full of people who are genuinely interested in your brand and story!

Different examples of providing value includes:

• Offering a small discount
• Sending a free downloadable resource
• Sharing a trial or demo of your service
• Creating a group for them to join

Once you know what you’ll be sharing, you can link to this on your website footer, on each page of your website, in a pop-up, on your social media, etc.

This is a great ‘update your website’ step that helps your website work harder for your business!

Up-to-date Contact Information

This may seem obvious, but make sure your phone, email, links, and address are all up-to-date so your potential clients can connect with you easily!

Can we all agree it is the WORST when you try emailing a business and it bounces??! 

One way to stay on top of this consistently is to set yourself monthly or quarterly reminders to go through your website and confirm links and contact information.

Language That Speaks Directly to Your Perfect-Fit Clients

You want your DREAM client to feel like you’re speaking directly to them. You want them to read the first few paragraphs on your website and just feel SEEN and heard in a way they haven’t before. 

To do this, you first need to know who your dream client is – what they are like, what bothers them, where they live, how much money they make, what their weekends look like, the list goes on…

Once you have a really clear picture of your dream client, the next step is to use words and examples that will resonate with those dream clients. Know the references, phrases, and pop culture that are popular with your dream clients and use those in your website copy!

Direct And Clear Calls to Action

Have calls to action that are direct and clear. Explain in simple words how to hire you, book a call, ask a question, etc. Don’t get too complex or cutesy.

A call to action is when you are telling someone on your website to do something directly. Often they are buttons with clear actions such as: sign up here, book a call, or buy now.

It also helps if all call-to-action buttons are the same color to create consistency. Sometimes I like to have all the direct ‘contact us’ or ‘book a call’ buttons one color, and the secondary buttons like ‘Learn More’ be a different color.

That’s the basic ‘update your website’ checklist! I use this as a starting point in my client website refresh projects and I hope you find it useful the next time you sit down to work on your site!