9 Ways to Update Your Website for the New Year

Between setting goals and intentions for your business at the start of the year, updating your website for the New Year may not be top of mind. There are 9 key things I want to ensure you update and double-check to ensure your website is in tip-top shape for the upcoming year.

Here are 9 ways to update your website for the New Year:

• Review and update your service and pricing
• Update the legal stuff on your website
• Review website copy and update any dates, staff, etc.
• Update portfolio with new client work and/or case studies
• Double-check all links, buttons, and forms
• All things SEO: Optimize page titles, meta descriptions, image alt tags, etc.
• Update testimonials on your website
• Update photos throughout your website
• Update your lead magnet (and everything that goes along with it)

Let’s dive into each of these in a bit more detail.

How to update your website in 2023

Review and update your services and pricing

The start of a new year is a great time to revisit your services and to increase your prices as a service provider. Ensure the packages and information listed on your website services page are accurate.

Have you added or removed services? Have you adjusted what is included in your packages? Have you streamlined the client process when working with you? Make sure all of these are reflected on your website.

With that, you want to make sure your pricing is accurate to your current rates. If you typically customize your packages based on client needs, list a starting at price or a range that projects typically fall between to give potential clients a glimpse at the investment.

For The SM Collective, I list a starting price for the web design & SEO services I offer so potential clients know the minimum investment required for projects.

Update the legal stuff on your website

I know, I know, the legal stuff is not-so-fun but oh-so-necessary for your business. Make sure your terms & conditions and privacy policy are up-to-date, especially if you added digital products in the previous year. You’ll also want to ensure any copyrights are updated in your website footer as well.

Review website copy and update any dates, staff, etc.

Did you hire a team in the previous year? Did you start an intern program that you want to share more about? If you didn’t get around to updating your site at the time of those hires, the start of the year is the time to get those up-to-date on your website.

As you are going through the copy on your website, check for dates that need to be updated as well. If you had been in business for 3 years last year, time to update that to 4 years now. If you said your agency was a staff of 5 but you hired 3 additional team members last year, now is the time to update that to a staff of 8.

Update portfolio with new client work and/or case studies

I get it, updating your portfolio to show off your client work is something always on your to-do list but somehow always gets pushed to the bottom. The start of the new year is a great time to ensure your portfolio is up-to-date with your latest and greatest client projects so that potential clients can get a deeper look into what you’re able to do and/or create.

Make sure you include more than just photos in your portfolio, give potential clients more detail on the project like the main goals, how you helped solve those through your services, a peek into your process, etc.

Double-check all links, buttons, and forms

We’re all human and sometimes, a link isn’t actually linked or a button isn’t directing your website visitors to the right place. Take a few minutes at the beginning of the year to navigate through every page of your website and click on each link and button you see. Ensure that they work, first and foremost, but that they are going to the right place.

Along with this, fill out any contact forms or lead magnet forms to ensure those are working properly. You wouldn’t want a potential client to not be able to contact you!

All things SEO: optimize page titles, meta descriptions, alt tags

I talk about the importance of SEO a lot. It’s something you should always keep an eye on and be continually optimizing in a strategic way. If SEO is something you let fall through the cracks last year, take time at the start of the new year to get all of your on-page SEO elements optimized and updated.

Here are some SEO elements on your website you’ll want to dive into…

• Page titles and meta descriptions
• Image alt tags
• Heading and content structure (ie: proper use of H1, H2, H3)
• Ensure Google Analytics and Google Search Console are connected to your website
• Ensure all internal links and external links are working (and that your anchor text is optimized)

Update testimonials on your website

You created outstanding work for your clients last year, be sure to highlight the amazing feedback they had in working with you! The start of the new year is a great time to update your testimonials.

Whether you are a web designer, a copywriter, or a life coach, testimonials are a great way to highlight what it’s like to work with you and showcase the results clients can expect when working with you.

Update photos throughout your website

So, about those headshots you had taken quite a few years ago – it’s time to update them! At the start of the year, update the headshots on your website or any lifestyle imagery from a branded photoshoot you had.

Outdated photos or imagery that isn’t on-brand will not help to draw in potential clients. It may be cliche, but a picture says 1,000 words, so make sure you’re showcasing you and your brand in the best visual way possible.

Update your lead magnet

The start of the new year is a great time to update your lead magnet, aka the freebie to get people on your email list, especially if you’ve updated your services or niched down. Now, it’s more than updating the lead magnet itself, you’ll want to ensure the accompanying form and welcome sequence is updated.

You’ll want to also go through your website and any blog posts where you previously had your lead magnet form and ensure it is updated to match your new lead magnet. Yes, this does take a bit of time but you want all of your ducks in a row so you can continue growing your email list effortlessly throughout the year.

There you have it, 9 ways to update your website in the new year. If you’re looking to upgrade the digital home for your business this year, I can help with that! Be sure to check out the new & improved Squarespace web design & SEO services.