Web Sites: How To Maintain Them

Complete books have been written about how to develop and implement web sites. But don’t think that you are done once you get your web site up and running. That is really only the beginning.

I am going to put my plug in early. I would like you to use AKOR Services to develop, implement and maintain your web site. Most businesses recognize that today, your web site is one of the best tools for being in touch with your existing, new and proposed clients. Today I am going to give you some free tips about keeping your web site a useful tool that gets you found. Self-promotion, complete: check!

Lets just look at a “Top 5” list of things you should do to keep your web site a relevant and fresh tool that will be useful.

1. Is your site relevant and attractive? Far too many businesses (of all types) make the major mistake of putting up a web site that is a “cookie-cutter” web site that their trade association offers, often with a low initial start-up expense, but often with a hefty monthly “maintenance” expense, for which they regularly do very little. Business 101 dictates that you are trying to differentiate yourself from your competition, right? Why would you want your web site to look like everyone else’s in your industry? Those web sites often come with few options for individuality and customization. I submit to you that there is a better way, and it doesn’t have to be really expensive.

2. Keep your content fresh. This assumes that you spent time up front to determine what the real purpose is for your web site. Is it strictly informational, a “revenue” site, or perhaps a tool for your clients and your employees? Once you determine that, you then know which content must be updated, and how frequently. Did you know that ONE of the criteria that search engines use is “how fresh is your content”? The more frequently your content is updated, your site meets ONE of the criteria for elevating your site in the search engine rankings. Remember, one of the only things worse than not having a web site with good information is having a good web site with bad/outdated information. Make your web site a tool and a resource for your clients and your employees. Have you every thought about putting current forms and owner’s manuals on your web site that your clients and employees use frequently? Make it a resource for everyone involved. Can your clients find what they need, 24/7/365, when they want it, without interaction from your employees?

3. Spend time and money on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). For those that are not computer and marketing geeks (like me – and I wear that badge with pride), this describes the process by which the search engines (like Google and Bing) index your site and make the information “findable” to those that use their services, searching for our businesses, products and services. The better you do at this, the higher you might climb in their rankings, which translates into (hopefully) more phone calls for you, and more clients for your business. Isn’t that really the goal? Again , there are whole books written on this topic, and it is an ever-changing target. But there are some basics that should be done for every web site, and it involves little things (yet very important) called META TAGS. These tags should properly-reflect content that is on each of your pages, and they should also reflect KEYWORDS which will help you get found. These things, along with proper page titles, etc., is what elevates your site in the eyes of the search engines.

4. Use good quality video on your web site. Video is the tool of choice that clients use to find out information about your products, services, and even your business. This is undisputed. Did you know that you don’t have to host the video on your web server? In fact, many times, it is preferable NOT to host it on your web site. It uses up your bandwidth and then you have to index it, worry about the viewers, security etc. Instead, use services like Youtube, Vimeo and many others that are optimized to present your material, and they will also help people to find your videos. Remember to also make good use of these videos on your social media sites (like Facebook), and you can even link them in your “Tweets” on Twitter and LinkedIn (etc). This makes good use of the money that you spend. Like video, please make sure that you use good quality still pictures and graphics on your web site as well.

5. Keep it simple, and leave them wanting more. There is a good case to be made for keeping your web site pages clean and simple. Many people don’t want to spend a lot of time reading cramped and cluttered information on a web page. Show them illustrations, pictures, and use video to explain complicated processes and procedures. But above all that, don’t tell them too much on your web site. Why, you ask? Well for one thing, you want them calling your office or stopping by your store so you can control the sales process a little better. People still like to work with people. They don’t develop relationships with computers (or shouldn’t anyway). They develop relationships with people, and those relationships bring repeat business and referrals. There are those that want to research before they talk with you, and that is great. Give them enough information. But don’t put so much information on your web site that they don’t need you anymore, or worse yet, give too much information to your competitors.

Allen Beck of AKOR Services has been involved in Marketing for over 8 years (at the time of this writing), and been involved with developing web sites, online presences, desktop publishing, graphics and computers since 1978. For more information or an initial consultation, please contact him directly.

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