Ten Web Site Resolutions You Can't Ignore for 2012 | WordPress Consultant: Judith Kallos, At Your Service... | WordPress Consultant: Judith Kallos, At Your Service...

Jan 3, 2012 Posted by Judith in Musings, WordPress Tips

Ten Web Site Resolutions You Can’t Ignore for 2012

Are you sick of “Top 10 “New Year’s Resolutions lists” yet? I sure hope not because I’ve got just one more for you today that will decide your level of online success.

I do this every year so you’ll have a running start ahead of your competition in 2012 if you keep these issues in mind!

These are the topics I think are important to your success and that I see many of my clients and clients-to-be struggling with. If you pay attention to only one “10″ list — this is the one that is critical to your program in the year ahead!

If you still have a static HTML site — make moving your site to WordPress a priority now! There is no way a static HTML site can offer you the Web 2.0 benefits and functionality you must have to compete online. In addition WordPress makes it easier to have mobile friendly version of your Web site. Ignore mobile users at your peril!

When did you last review your search engine rankings and SEO practices. Get in the habit of reviewing this info at least once each month. How can you possibly understand how to get where you want if you don’t even know where you are starting from?

When was the last time you reviewed your Web site’s statistical data? Links, users, bots, keywords — all this data provides you with a the information that you need to make educated decisions moving forward. Make a point of reviewing this info once each month to gleam actionable gems of info.

Not Blogging yet? What the heck are you waiting for? When in history have businesses of any size had the venue and opportunity to communicate with their market in real-time about the things their customers show interest in and concerned about? Never! The main excuse I hear is “I can’t write.” What? Well, you can learn, you need to learn — you need to Blog! This is a tool that any business cannot afford to ignore the potential of.

The Social Media train has left the station. Ignore these venues at your business’ peril. Determine where your target market hangs out and be there — or be square. Just starting out? Minimally setup a Twitter, Facebook Fan Page and LinkedIn business account so that you can have your Blog auto-post to get you started. You will need to include Social Media involvement into your time management budget. More importantly you must work on becoming a professional listener!

Brush up on your Business E-mail Etiquette. How you type whether in response to site inquiries, on forums, Blog comments or on social media sites will lend to a perception about you that can enhance or hinder your business branding efforts. Type like a grade-schooler and don’t be surprised if you are not taken as seriously as your competitors.

Can’t have a Web site without a domain name that you own, that you make sure you keep and that you keep updated. Stop now and check all your domain names to check they have your most current contact information with auto-renew on. Don’t rely on e-mails from your registrar to remind you, be proactive! This may seem trivial but I see clients lose domains or have them go off-line because they don’t pay attention to these details!

Make sure that getting in touch with you is easy — not a scavenger hunt. You must include in your navigation a Contact link/tab on every page so folks can contact you from anywhere in your site with just one click. On that page have your physical address and use GoogleMaps if you need visitors to find you. Include your phone number, fax number and customer service e-mail address (coded in such a way to avoid spam harvesting) as well.

Update and engage, rinse and repeat. Post to your Blog at least several times each week. Post to your social media profiles on a regular basis with personal insights above and beyond your auto-posted Blog posts. Engage your target market by offering help and answering questions on the social media sites you frequent. Be there and be approachable. Online a hands-off approach results in most potential customers tuning you out.

The number one Web site resolution you can’t ignore is the fact that technology is rocking and rolling and you have to make an effort to keep up. If you are not learning; you are falling behind. Running a successful online business is all about being in the present; not the past. I know — it isn’t easy, but if you want your Web site to succeed you must stay on the edge and make an effort to stay current with the latest trends and strategies. If you cannot do this yourself, choose partners you can trust to do so for you when needed.

If you do nothing else but address the 10 issues above, you’ll be up to speed and ahead of most of your competitors. Now that is a great way to start the New Year!

At your service,
WordPress Consultant Judith
Your WordPress Consultant