How to Spring Clean Your Website

I’m one of those weird people who actually likes spring cleaning.

Not the cleaning itself, really (though that can admittedly be a pretty zen experience for me). But the result — I love the feeling that I pushed a rest button on my life and my living space, sweeping out one season and welcoming a new one. Plus, it’s pretty nice to finally say goodbye to those dust bunnies in the corners.

I’m less enamored, though, with spring cleaning my website. Those dusty corners of my blog that I haven’t looked at in years? The product page that could use a little spit and polish? I’d rather keep avoiding them. But just like no one wants to hang out in a dirty house, no one wants to spend time on a dirty website.

This spring, join me in cleaning up your online home. It may take a little time, but in the end you’ll have a welcoming, friendly place for new customers and visitors to find you.

1. Fix your links.

Go through the pages on your site and test the links there. Are any of them broken? Do they link to pages you no longer have, or to nothing at all? Make sure every link work. (And if you can’t stand the idea of spending the time, hire a VA to do it for you.) Broken links make you look unprofessional and turn people off your website, so make sure your work.

2. Spruce up old blog posts.

Did you write a killer blog post about picking a wedding photographer 3 years ago, back when no one read your business blog? Go back and give it a face life. Add in an eye-catching image, edit the text to include some good keywords, make sure the content is as awesome as possible, and start promoting it on your social media accounts.

3. Start offering a sign-up incentive

Do you give visitors a anything when they sign up for your email list? A free ebook? A consultation? Awesome recipes delivered weekly? Make sure the sign-up form is in a prominent place and add in some text letting visitors know what they get when they sign up — you’ll see a lot more email captures come in.

4. Edit your ebooks and free products

Lookin’ at myself here. Ebooks are fancier than ever these days, so if you have products with outdated designs, spend a little time updating them. If your design skills haven’t kept up with customer expectations, hire a designer to give things a little overhaul.

5. Add a best-of sidebar

Do you have some seriously popular posts? Great ideas that you don’t want visitors to miss? Let people know — add images and links into your sidebar to let them know what they should check out.

6. Re-write old pages

Old blog posts and ebooks aren’t the only things that need attention. When was the last time you updates your About page? Does your services page still match the services you actually offer? Make sure your pages are as up to date as possible. If your writing skills aren’t up to the challenge, hire a copywriter and ask them to make sure everything is editorially optimized for SEO.