• Growing Your Business in a Recession: Tips For Updating Your Website

  • The coronavirus pandemic has caused a worldwide economic recession that is affecting businesses of all sizes. However, there are still ways to foster growth even during difficult times. Updating your business website is one way to bolster your business in the face of a recession, and the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce is here to help. Here are some tips for updating your website to encourage growth:

    Upgrade Navigation and Design

    Navigation and design are two important factors when it comes to website updates. Make sure that navigation is intuitive and easy to understand, so visitors can easily find what they’re looking for. Additionally, consider making design changes such as changing colors or fonts to make the website more visually appealing and modern.

    Get Your Customers To Weigh In

    Adding customer testimonials on your website can help build trust with potential customers by showing them that other people have had positive experiences with your business. Having customer reviews on your website will also help improve search engine rankings, since search engines favor websites with user-generated content. You can also share them on social media. Consider setting up a survey or reaching out to loyal customers who may be interested in leaving a review or testimonial.

    Make SEO Work For You

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for any website update if you want to boost traffic and rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). Be sure to implement best practices such as keyword research, link building, optimizing page titles and meta descriptions, etc., so that your website is optimized for search engine crawlers and users alike. You can also add visual interest tools like videos and infographics, which contribute to your ranking as well.

    Add Fresh Content

    Adding fresh content is another great way to increase traffic and engage visitors on your site. Consider creating blog posts about topics related to your industry or products/services offered by your business so that visitors can learn more about what you offer while also increasing the chances of being found online via organic searches. You might even start a podcast or weekly "show" that allows you to connect with your customers.

    Boost Page Speed

    Page speed can make or break a visitor’s experience on a website, so it’s important to make sure that pages load quickly without any lags or delays. You can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to check page speed performance and make adjustments accordingly such as compressing images or using caching plugins if needed. Make sure your page is optimized for all devices.

    Learn Coding Skills To Address Repairs

    Having coding skills will come in handy when it comes time to address repairs or other issues on the site such as broken links and outdated information. Learning basic coding skills will allow you to troubleshoot issues without having to hire someone else every time something needs fixing, which can save you money in the long run. Look for simple tutorials online that will help you learn to tackle those tasks yourself.

    Use PDFs On Your Site

    Using PDFs on your site is an effective way of protecting both yourself and customers from potential legal issues down the line due to their immutable nature (i.e., documents cannot be changed once saved). It’s also beneficial for customers because they can download documents easily without having to print them out, which saves time and money while also being environmentally friendly. If you need customers to fill out a form or give a signature, you can use a tool to make the process easier. Check it out here.

     

    In today's uncertain economy, updating your business website can be a great way to bolster growth despite the challenging times ahead. By improving navigation/design, adding customer testimonials, and utilizing online PDF tools to protect your most sensitive documents, you can ensure that your site is optimized for the future. Be sure to keep track of the changes you've made so you can assess their efficiency.

     

    Have a question for the team at the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce? Reach out today!

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