1) Refresh old content
Old, out of date content is a real problem for searchers and users and therefore it is a problem for search engines. Before worrying about new content on your site, take some time to review old content. Make sure your organisation information is all up to date and correct including staff pages, contact details and opening times and most importantly donation information. If you have articles or blog content make sure it is still correct. Review if anything can be improved or updated. This is certainly something that search engines seem to like. If you run an e-commerce site, now might be a good time to review your product descriptions and look for ways to improve them and set them apart. What would your visitors find useful? What is nobody else doing? You can also archive or remove old news items that have passed and no longer provide any value to the user.
2) Find gaps for new content
Creating content when we are busy working in our charities is always challenging. Hopefully having carefully gone through your old/current content you have identified a number of gaps in the content on your site. Write great content, the best you can. Treat every article like it is the only one anyone needs to read. Write content to meet searches intent, not for search engines.
3) Review your social media
Now is also a good time to review your social media presence. What platforms are you currently on? Which ones are you actively using and which ones are working best for you? Don’t be afraid to come off a platform if it is unfruitful or just not appropriate for your charity. You want to be posting where your supporters and potential supporters might be. Review how frequently you are posting and the kind of content you are submitting. Is it engaging, are people communicating with your organisation? Is your message consistent, accurate and reflective of your core values?
4) Check your site functionality
Now is a great time to run through your site with a fine-tooth comb to make sure that everything is working the way it should. Here is a list of things you might want to check
- Links
Check internal and external links. Do they work correctly? Do you get any 404 errors?
- Contact forms
Check all forms on your site? Do you receive the messages that you are expecting? Does the user get sent to a suitable page after submitting?
- Subscription forms
If you have any subscription forms like Mailchimp etc, make sure these are working and users get subscribed to the correct marketing list as expected.
- Website search
If you have search functionality on your site now is a good time to test. Try different search queries, how easy is it for users to find content on your site?
- Mobile and desktop
Run through your site on both mobile and desktop devices. Make a note of any navigational, speed or functional issue and try and fix. Try and put yourself in the position of your users. How are they able to use your site?
- E-commerce
If your site is an e-commerce site, it is a good idea to test all the functionality on your site once in a while to make sure everything is working as expected. Check payment processes, delivery prices, automated emails, online chatbots and customer journey.
- Custom functionality
Of course, your site might have lots of other custom functionality, now is the time to test it and fix any issues.
Hopefully, some of these ideas and tips have inspired you to to give your site a quick once over. If you have anything you think we should add to this list them let us know in the comments below.
