Christmas; it’ll be here again before we know it, and it should be a time to take a well-deserved break, relax, and spend some quality time with family and friends.
So, worrying about your website and preparing for the new year is definitely not something you want to be dealing with in that strange week between Christmas and the new year when you don’t know what day it is.
Knowing that your website is safe and secure and working hard for you while you’re taking some time off is super important, so you can put your feet up and relax.
Now’s the perfect time to make sure your website’s performing at its best over the holiday season and also to start planning for business success in 2022.
So, here’s some helpful tips and advice to get you started.
1. Keep your website secure
Not updating your website can be catastrophic, especially over the Christmas break when it’s likely you won’t be checking it as often as you normally would.
So, what happens if you haven’t updated your site before the holiday period? Well, you’re increasing your exposure to potential security breaches and outdated plugins, both of which could have serious consequences for your site’s performance.
But updating your website themes and plugins regularly keeps your site performing like the day it was launched, and best of all, it makes sure it’s safe and secure. Your website is a major investment and is the heart of your business, so why take the risk of it being hacked?
And another great idea is to change your website’s login password, particularly if you haven’t done it in a while. Something we’re all guilty of.
Just remember to make sure your password’s strong, and if you’re worried about remembering what the new one is, save it in your web browser. Simple!
2. Create a lead magnet
What does your website have that would encourage visitors to leave their contact details?
Although you might already have some repeat customers, you still want to broaden your lead funnel. And the best way to get visitors to provide you with their contact details is to have some amazing content on your site. Think a step-by-step guide, an e-book, a video, or an online tool.
But whatever it is, it has to be compelling enough for your website visitor to cough up their contact details, knowing full well that you’ll probably be in touch shortly afterwards.
3. Calls to action
Okay, the golden rule of your website is never to leave your visitors at a dead-end. What do we mean? Well, on every page of your website, and at the end of every blog post on your site, tell your users exactly what you want them to do.
And it’s also super important that your call to action stands out from the rest of your page. A button in a different colour to the rest of your page is a great option. Also, the text should be action-focused, such as “download my free e-book” or “please, help my business”.
4. Understand your audience
So, the first question you want to ask yourself is, will your audience behaviour will be any different over the holiday period? If your research shows you can expect an increase in traffic, it’s super important that you’re ready for it.
Particularly for eCommerce businesses. With post-Christmas sales sending everyone into an online frenzy, the last thing you want is to have your site crash and for your business to miss out on a slice of the retail shopping pie.
Even for non-eCommerce businesses, with research showing that there’s usually a large spike in online searches over the holiday period, ensuring your website is optimised for the expected increase in traffic is vital.
5. Plan to achieve
Start planning now to achieve success in 2022. Here’s a great little tip for you!
Set up a scheduling system on your website so that even though you might be on leave for a couple of weeks, potential clients can still book meetings and appointments with you for when you return.
So, when you get back from your rest and relaxation, your new business year is already off to a great start by having meetings already scheduled in your calendar!
And the great thing is that you can block out dates and times that aren’t suitable for you. We use a scheduling system at Studio Sondar, and we’ve found it saves so much time having to and fro with emails trying to set up meeting times that suit both you and your client.
2022, bring it on!
All of these tasks are achievable, but they often get pushed to the bottom of the to-do list when you’re working hard during the year.
But they’re all critical to your business success online. And if you’d like to have a chat with us about how Studio Sondar can help prepare your business for success in 2022, or if you’d like to chat with us about where you’re currently at and where you’d like to be, we’d love to hear from you.
Because at Studio Sondar, we love helping people find ways to take their business to the next level.
