Spring is in the air (well, not here in Bali but at least it finally stopped raining every single day) and you know what that means? SPRING CLEANING! Time to start cleaning up, cleaning out, and starting fresh. But why limit that to your house? Now’s the perfect time to take a closer look at the functionality, usability and relevance of your website, and where you may be able to make some improvements.

#1 Look through your content

When was the last time you took a close look at the content on your website? Does it still reflect your mission, expertise, and target market? Maybe you’ve taken your business in a new direction last year and you want to adapt your content accordingly.

Double check that your contact and company information is still correct. A lot can happen in a year. Are you still displaying a copyright year of 2017 (or even older)? It’s important to let your visitors know that your website is up-to-date and relevant.

Finally, add some fresh content to your site.  Get a few new testimonials from some of your more recent students or clients. Add some new blog posts and maybe start thinking about video as well.

#2 Update your images

You won’t believe how powerful images are when defining your site’s vibe until you replace them. That’s why new visuals make such a big difference in a website makeover. Adding and removing images from your site is one of the simplest ways of giving a fresh look and feel to your website. One simple click and you got yourself a whole new look. Put on your nicest yoga pants and book yourself a photo shoot!

#3 Add a welcome video

Having a welcome video on your homepage that explains what you do is one of the easiest and most effective ways of engaging a user and build trust (especially one that is new to your brand). It doesn’t have to be a big production. Try to keep your videos on the shorter side (less than 3 minutes) so that you do not lose your visitor’s interest. The idea is just to do give someone a quick overview of what you do; not your entire life story. You can simply film yourself with your computer webcam talking to the camera. Upload it to YouTube or Vimeo and then embed the link to the video on your homepage. It’s definitely on my to-do list for this spring!

#4 Highlight your new offerings for the upcoming year

Unless you tell your website visitors about new and cool things you are doing, they probably won’t notice themselves. A link in your main navigation menu is not enough, my friend! Spring cleaning is a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on your upcoming workshops and retreats, products or features. They deserve it!

#5 Test your links and forms

While this should be done more than once a year, now is great time to check your website for broken or outdated links and test all your forms. There are few things more frustrating than clicking on a link that brings you to a 404 (Page Not Found) page. In addition to being inconvenient for your visitors, broken links or forms that don’t send can also lessen your credibility. I know it’s not the most fun thing to do, but necessary….

#6 Add a new feature

After you’ve cleaned up everything nicely it’s time to start thinking about adding some new exciting features, for example a shop. For example a shop allows you to sell things like class passes, deposits for your retreats, workshops or even digital or physical products.

Finish your spring cleaning and your site will appear current and fresh again!