If our store front gets shabby we freshen the paintwork and update the signage.  Our websites can get more visitors, but we update them less.

Kiwi organisations often underestimate the importance of a website.  Nowadays most people will go online and research products, services and even companies before they make a decision.  Even if people don't buy your offerings online, they may try to research them - a website is an important tool to teach people about your business.

It's a misnomer that small businesses don't need a website. Websites can actually be more important for small businesses than larger ones because they level the playing field. A small business’ website can out compete a larger one, it can make a ‘one-man band’ feel larger or a start-up more established.

Websites don’t need to be complicated, or made up of dozens of pages.  A simple site that tells people about who you are and what you do may be enough. 

Your website should reflect your business – the ‘look and feel’ is very important, just as it is if you have a physical store.  Successful businesses tend to keep their shops looking current - dated signage is replaced, paintwork freshened and new products or services are displayed in prominent locations.

Yet most of us don't refresh our websites, even though they may get more visitors.

Keep it Fresh!

Once you have a website you need to make sure it stays current.  As your business grows and your products or services evolve, your website should be updated.  Even you if have been adding pages, it may now be a ‘rabbit warren’ that’s difficult to navigate.

Sometimes you set out with best intentions but don’t get time to follow through.  So, last year's Xmas raffle results weren’t updated, or the price-list available for download is dated 2013.  Nothing is more frustrating for a visitor than reading about a promotion that expired months ago, or realising that information on a site is out of date.  Often if your site is out of date visitors will quickly move on.

We recommend you schedule an annual review of your entire website.  A regular review ensures your website is performing the best it can for your business, and gives you time to think about what has changed in the past year.  For example, in 2014 the number of people accessing the Internet from mobile devices (such as tablets and smartphones) now surpasses those accessing it from a desktop.  Was your website built for desktop viewing?  Has it been updated since?

Reviewing your website is not as daunting as you think...

Have a look at your competitors’ sites, how do they compare to yours?  Look at the websites you use frequently – what is it that keeps you coming back?  Are you happy with the ‘look and feel’ of your site, does it reflect where your business is at now?  Get others to look at your website and provide feedback. 

A good place to start is to make a list of the all pages in your site.  This helps you see on paper what you are dealing with.  You can use this list to; identify goals for each page/group of pages, track keywords, list the changes you plan to make, and prioritise the pages so you know where to focus your effort.

Reviewing your website has a list of 14 questions to consider.  Answer those and you will have identified the changes you should make to ensure your website converts visitors to customers, rather than turning them away.