“Website maintenance” certainly doesn’t sound innovative, savvy, or sexy. You’re probably more interested in adding new content to your site rather than worrying about the mundane details involved in keeping it running properly. However, you have to maintain your website constantly so that it stays relevant, fresh, and running at peak performance. If you don’t, your current—and potential—clients will see the lack of attention to detail as a reflection of poor marketing and business practices. After all, if your website isn’t updated and functioning correctly, perhaps your company isn’t as polished and professional as potential clients first thought.

Start off 2017 by organizing your goals for your website and making sure your website reflects those goals. Since you have a million other things to do, here are a few tips to get you started performing basic website maintenance.

How Can You Organize Your Site’s Goals?

Blindspot’s blog explains, “Similar to maintaining a car, websites need regular checkups to ensure that everything is in working order and functioning in a safe and efficient manner. Having an attractive, user-friendly, responsive website creates a great foundation for your online presence, but regular upkeep and maintenance is where you will see your site, and your visibility, grow and flourish.”
Make your goals specific and measurable. Write down your short-term and long-term goals. Next, jot down what steps need to be taken to realize each goal. Then prioritize those goals. Review them often and adjust if necessary!

Does Your Website Reflect Your Goals?

How can you use your website to reach your goals? For example, if your goal is to increase your overall business revenue by 5 percent by September 2017:

• Can you increase direct marketing to those who’ve signed up for your e-mail list?
• Can you offer an online coupon to entice customers to use your services or buy your products?
• Are you using social media to drive traffic to your website?

Your website is an invaluable tool. Even if your site doesn’t offer a storefront, don’t forget to use it to increase revenue and make a statement.

How Can You Work Efficiently to Achieve Those Goals?

Fortunately, there are tools to help you keep track of your website’s various components when you just don’t have tons of time to commit to website maintenance. Here are three useful ideas:

• Find a link crawler to make you aware of broken links.
• Use Google Analytics to measure goal progress. Google Analytics will not only track the number of visitors to your site and its particular pages, but it will also help you see exactly which sites those referrals are coming from. How many visitors are clicking your banner ads? Google Analytics can tell you.
• Restore your website’s files weekly. Backups should also be stored off-site in case of technical difficulties. Technical issues happen, but those issues can be contained as minor hiccups rather than become full-blown disasters.

WriterFind.com describes website maintenance: “Your site is the heart of your online presence. It’s the main source for details about your company. . . . When the content on your website is outdated, you will most likely irritate and lose prospective clients.”

Clearly defined, organized goals will keep website maintenance a priority. Let your website be a tool that reflects your company’s goals. Use time-saving tools like Google Analytics to keep your site relevant and measure how goals are progressing. Back up website files regularly. Remember: Your online presence is as important as ever in 2017!