When most of us think of the new year, the first thing we think of is not… “how do I get my website ready for the new year.” Unless your a website developer, you’re probably thinking about how many sales you’re going to get next year, or how you’re going to rock-it marketing wise.

BUT the fact is that your website plays a critical role in all of that. And I’m sure this past year you’ve probably directly or indirectly got held back in achieving your goals because of one or more of the following problems on your website.

So for this new year, start the year off right by reviewing this list and making sure your website is up to snuff.

1. Update Your Copyright Date
   There are so many websites that don’t do this and guess what?!… People notice! In fact, think about how you would feel if you went to buy that expensive holiday gift from a website and they didn’t take the time to update the dates on their website, and it still said something crazy like 2015! :0 Don’t feel too trusting do you? Well, either would your visitors.
2. Backup Your Website
   I’ve seen it so many times when someone comes to us too late, after their website has been hacked, deleted, or just lost. It’s too late then! So this year make it a yearly thing. Back up your website at the beginning of the year. If you’re not sure how to do this, contact us, and we’ve got a solution that will back it up for you.
3. Update WordPress & Plugins
   If your website uses WordPress for its blog or even your main part of your site, make sure you update to the latest version. Why is this critical?… Because not being up-to-date leaves you vulnerable to exploits in older software that hackers and spammers love to take advantage of. That can be a real havoc not just for you but also for your visitors. If you’re not sure how to do this or worried it might break your website, contact us, and we’ll give you an assessment for free to tell you if it’s safe to update.
4. Change Your Passwords
   You should make a habit of changing your passwords and logins for your website. Including hosting, domain name, and WordPress. Updating these periodically will lessen the chance of someone getting your login somehow and gaining access.
5. Check When Domain & Hosting Fees Are Due
   Countless times I’ve seen companies lose their website just because they forgot to pay their domain name or hosting fees. It’s a simple task that takes only a few minutes to find out when your hosting and domain name fees are due. Then mark it on your calendar or on your phone as a reminder so you don’t forget.
6. Update Your Pricing & Content
   Did anything change from last year or going to change in the new year? Get on top of this before someone sees the wrong information on your website. If you need help, we have a monthly support plan that can keep everything up-to-date on your site. Or we also can do a one-off project to get your site current.
7. Remove Old Users
   It’s a good time of the year to go through all your website logins, including hosting and domain name, and make sure old users are removed from having access. This can also apply to your social media accounts, such as Facebook and Twitter.
8. Make Sure You Have a Privacy Policy
   Many states and industries require you to have a privacy policy. Even if you don’t reside in or sell to people in other states, you may still be required to have a privacy policy on your website. And even if you have a policy you need to make sure it includes some of the required information, such as if how you collect information, what you do with it, if minors are allowed on your website, and more.
9. Check Your Website’s Speed
   It’s a good time to test if your website is functioning at 100% or if it’s slow as a snail! You can do this test your self at tools.pingdom.com. Studies show that people are usually only willing to wait 3 seconds for a website to load. So make sure your website loads under 3 seconds. If not, then reach out to us and we can work with you to make your site speedier.
10. Update Your Blog
    Making sure you have fresh content is not only a key factor at increasing the preserved value of your website to your potential and current clients, but it’s also an important signal to Google. When you frequently update Google know your site is fresh and “alive”. Which may help increase your rankings in search results. And as a bonus tip, share your new blog post on your Facebook page, Twitter, and email list. That will keep you top-of-mind for your clients and prospects into the new year.