10 Best Practices for Updating And Boosting Your Website

Updating a website is essential for maintaining its functionality, security, and user experience. Whether you are updating your website’s software, content, or design, following some best practices are essential to ensure that your website remains up-to-date and effective. In this article, Hartford Web Design Pros will discuss ten best practices competent web design companies in Hartford, CT, follow when updating a website.

1. Backup your website

Making a website backup is essential in case something goes wrong during the update process. There are different ways to back up your website, including plugins, manual backups, or your web host’s backup tools. This way, you can restore your website to its previous version if needed.

2. Update your website's software and plugins

Outdated software and plugins can create security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues, and updating them is crucial to ensure that your website is secure and runs smoothly. You can check for updates by logging into your website’s admin panel and checking for any available updates. Suppose you find it difficult to maneuver through various plugins without the fear of messing up your website. In that case, you can always rely on the help of a reliable web design company in Hartford, CT, like Hartford Web Design Pros.

3. Test your updates in a staging environment

A staging environment is a separate instance of your website that is not visible to the public. It allows you to test your updates before making them live. This way, you can check if everything is working correctly and make any necessary changes before releasing the updates.

4. Check for broken links

Broken links can negatively affect your website’s user experience and search engine rankings. You can use online tools to check for broken links or plugins that can scan your website and report any broken links.

5. Ensure mobile responsiveness

With increasing numbers of users accessing websites on mobile devices, it’s essential to ensure that your website is mobile-responsive. Your website should be designed to work well on different screen sizes and devices. You can test your website’s mobile responsiveness using online tools or by manually checking your website on different devices.

6. Improve website speed

A slow website can lead to a poor user experience and lower search engine rankings. You can optimize your website’s speed by reducing file sizes, compressing images, and minimizing HTTP requests. You can also use online tools to test your website’s speed and identify any issues. A web design company in Hartford, CT, can easily help you improve your website speed if you find it challenging to do so.

7. Review your website's content

Your website’s content should be updated regularly to keep it fresh and relevant. You can review your website’s content such as adding branded videos, remove outdated information, add new content, or update existing content. This will help keep your website’s visitors engaged and interested.

8. SEO optimization

Optimizing your website for search engines can help improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages. This involves using relevant keywords in your content, meta descriptions, and headings and ensuring that your website is structured correctly. Here’s a pro tip: work with a web design company in Hartford, CT, that’s knowledgeable in web design and SEO. Trust us, doing so will save you tons of time and money.

9. User testing

User testing involves testing your website’s usability, functionality, and design by asking users to perform specific tasks on your website. This can help identify any issues or areas that need improvement and ensure that your website is user-friendly and easy to use.

10. Monitor your website

Monitoring your website regularly can help you identify any issues or errors that may arise after an update. You can use online tools to check for broken links, monitor website speed, and identify security vulnerabilities. This way, you can make any necessary changes quickly and ensure that your website runs smoothly.

Conclusion

Updating your website can be challenging, but following best practices can help ensure that your website is up-to-date, secure, and user-friendly. By doing the practices above, you can get your website up to speed with your competitors in no time. If you find it tiresome or challenging to update your website, you can rely on the help of web design companies like Hartford Web Design Pros in Hartford, CT. We’ve been designing websites for years, and we’re the authority in all things web design. Contact us today for a free quote!