Spring Clean Your Site: A Guide to Auditing Your Online Business

Spring Clean Your Site: A Checklist for Auditing Your Online Business

No matter where your business is in its lifecycle, spring is the perfect time for a refresh! Just like a physical space, your accounts, website, and digital presence need regular maintenance to thrive. This "spring cleaning" ensures a strong foundation for future growth.

In this post, we’re sharing checklists to help you:

• Maintain an up-to-date account to ensure business continuity
• Learn how domains safeguard your brand and reputation
• Indentify areas to optimize website performance and user experience
• Automate tasks for a more efficient workflow

A Spring-Cleaning Checklist for Your Online Business

Managing an online presence entails a myriad of tasks, each of which, though seemingly small, contributes significantly to your business's overall vitality.

As legendary basketball coach John Wooden famously said, "It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen." Embracing this philosophy propelled him and his team to numerous national victories.

Wondering what details to focus on so your online business is set up to win? We’ll start by addressing the necessary housekeeping tasks for your Network Solutions account, cover any domain name-related tasks, and provide ideas for spring cleaning your website, too.

Network Solutions Account Checklist

Ensure your business is set up for uninterrupted success by addressing these elements in your account:

Contact information

As seasons change and staff come and go, it’s important to make sure you’re keeping your account contact information up to date.  

• Ensure timely communication: Accurate contact details guarantee you receive essential notifications. This includes critical information about domain renewals, security alerts, billing updates, and other important matters related to your account and services.
• Mitigate risk of unauthorized access: Regularly updating your account contacts ensures that only authorized personnel have access to your account. This includes adding new staff promptly and removing old staff access to prevent unauthorized changes.

Billing information

Don’t risk losing your domain or having your website go down because of outdated billing information.

• Uninterrupted service: Outdated payment information is a leading cause of service disruptions. Ensure your billing details are up to date to avoid domain expiration or website downtime.
• Prevents late fees and potential account suspension: Overdue payments can incur late fees and account suspension. Keep your billing information accurate to avoid such issues.

Privacy and security. 

Your login password should be difficult for others to guess and different from passwords you use on other sites. Repeating passwords across multiple sites is a recipe for disaster — one data breach can lead to hackers trying that password for your other accounts… and if it’s the same? Not good.

• Reduces risk of hacking: Use strong, unique passwords, and change these routinely to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your account.
• Protects sensitive information: Ensure the security of critical data associated with your account, such as domain names, website data, and payment details.
• Enhanced security: Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for an extra layer of security. Even if your password falls into the wrong hands, unauthorized access is blocked without the second factor.

Domains Checklist

Brand protection

Your domain name is more than just an address; it's the cornerstone of your online identity. It's the name customers will remember and the foundation upon which you build your brand's digital presence. Here's how domains act as a shield for your brand:

• Fortress against copycats: By registering your primary domain name and potentially relevant variations, you create a barrier for imitators trying to capitalize on your brand recognition. 

• Defensive domain registration: By securing variations of your name that include negative terms like ".sucks" and ".fail" you can proactively preclude others from creating websites with these malicious extensions, safeguarding your brand reputation from potential negativity.

• Guarding Your reputation: Adultblock takes brand protection a step further by ensuring your brand doesn't appear in adult themed contexts. It safeguards your trademark by blocking registrations of your name with adult-themed domains like ".XXX" and ".SEX."

Auto-renew - peace of mind

Life gets busy, and forgetting a renewal date can happen to anyone. Auto-renew eliminates the stress of manually remembering deadlines and scrambling to renew at the last minute.

• Automatically renew before you expire: With auto-renew activated, your domain automatically renews before its expiration date. This ensures uninterrupted service and prevents your domain from going up for grabs by someone else.

Transferring domains 

Managing numerous domain names scattered across various registrars can be a logistical headache. Domain transfers allow you to consolidate all your domain names under one roof, simplifying management and boosting security.

• One centralized hub: Imagine the convenience of managing all your domain names from a single, user-friendly platform. Transfers allow you to access renewal settings, update contact information, and configure other domain settings seamlessly within one interface.

Make life easier for yourself by managing all your domains from one place. Our teams are happy to help if you have any questions about the transfer process.

Website Checklist

Just like a car needs regular maintenance to run smoothly, your website also benefits from periodic checkups and tune-ups. Here's a checklist to help you spring clean your website and ensure it's performing at its peak:

Accuracy audit:

• Business information: Ensure your website displays your accurate and consistent name, address, phone, and email information across all pages, headers, footers, and contact sections. Consistency is crucial for local SEO and user trust. Double-check for typos or outdated information.
• Location Verification: If your business has a physical location, verify your Google My Business listing and other online directories for accuracy. Inaccurate location details can lead frustrated customers to the wrong address or miss out on your services entirely.
• Hours of Operation: Review and update your website's listed hours of operation to reflect your current business hours. This includes weekends, holidays, and any seasonal variations. Inaccurate operating hours can lead to disappointed customers who show up when you're closed.

Performance audit:

• Review website performance: Utilize website analytics tools like Google Analytics to gain valuable insights into user behavior and website performance. Analyze metrics such as page load times, bounce rates, and conversion rates to identify areas for improvement.
• Software and plugin updates: Outdated software and plugins can create security vulnerabilities and hinder website performance. Regularly update your website software, themes, and plugins to maintain functionality, address security patches, and benefit from the latest features.
• Page speed optimization: Website speed is crucial for user experience. Use free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement. This could involve optimizing images, reducing HTTP requests, and enabling browser caching.

We offer a free Website Grader tool that analyzes your website's performance across various metrics. It provides valuable insights on areas like page load times, mobile-friendliness, security, content, and SEO optimization.

User experience (UX) and conversion flow:

• Step into your customer's shoes: Take some time to navigate your website's purchase flow from a customer's perspective. Identify any pain points, confusing layouts, or cumbersome processes that hinder the buying experience. Aim for a smooth, intuitive flow that guides users towards conversion.
• Accessibility review: Ensure your website is accessible to everyone, including users with disabilities. This can involve features like alt text for images, keyboard navigation options, and compatible color contrast.

Content and security:

• Data backups: Regularly back up your website data, including content, images, and databases. This provides a safety net in case of unexpected technical issues or security breaches. Consider automated backup solutions like CodeGuard for added peace of mind.
• SEO and content refresh: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is vital for attracting organic traffic. Perform content and keyword analysis to ensure your website content remains relevant and optimized for search engines. Fresh, valuable content not only improves SEO but also keeps your visitors engaged.

Investing in your online success

By following these spring cleaning steps, you'll not only safeguard your online operations but also lay the groundwork for future business growth. Remember, your Network Solutions account empowers you with secure transactions, seamless communication, and brand protection – the cornerstones of a thriving digital presence.

Let us be your trusted advisor on your spring cleaning journey. Our support teams are here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring your online business remains efficient, secure, and primed for success.

Products mentioned in this blog post include:

Image Credit(s): Canva

About the Author: Meet Stacie Anderson, a seasoned marketing expert known for her ability to translate complex technical concepts into engaging and meaningful content.