Have you ever had that sinking feeling when you look at your website and think, “ohhhhh no…this is probably beyond saving?” There’s a picture of Judy who hasn’t worked there in 3 years, you’re no longer open on Mondays, and there’s 13 links that aren’t working!
I get it: all those little tasks pile up into a big mountain of overwhelming mess. It’s suuuper tempting to believe you need a complete do-over; to start from scratch with something new and shiny and unbroken.
The Web Designer’s Secret
I feel this might be a web designer secret or something, but the truth is: most websites aren’t as unsalvageable as they feel in those moments of late-night despair. They just need some thoughtful attention and a few strategic updates…like spring cleaning for your website!
So get your imaginary broom and dustpan ready, and let’s move through some tiny, low-pressure fixes you can make to your existing website â no “delete everything and start over” panic necessary. In the end, your website will feel revitalized, easier to use, and more trustworthy. Let’s get started!
Tiny Tweaks You Can Make Today
These bite-sized tasks are all designed to feel (and be!) super doable. None should take more than half an hour, and if you knock out one or two a week you’ll be done in no time. But remember: we are alllll about tiny wins here – just do what you can when you have the energy to do it!
You’ll want to take notes in a notebook or in your Notes app as you move through the tweaks below and figure out which ones apply to you and your website. That way you’ll have an organized list to take to your web developer or to tackle on your own!
đ For more doable website wins, check out the free 15-Minute Website Wins mini guide!
đą Check how your site works on mobile
In the US, phone users make up almost 50% of all web traffic, so having a website that works well on mobile is a must.
To start, pull up your website on your phone and navigate through the pages, paying attention to the following:
- Read your home page.
- Is the text easy to read without pinching or zooming?
- Does it feel like you have to squint, or is it comfortable?
- Tap every button you see.
- Are buttons big enough to tap with a thumb?
- Do they actually work? (Especially your main calls-to-action like “Donate,” “Contact,” etc.)
- Check the navigation menu.
- Can you easily find the menu?
- Does it open and close properly? (No stuck or disappearing menus!)
- Look at a few images.
- Are important images showing up sharp and clear? (Blurry, stretched, or teeny tiny pictures = time for an quick refresh)
âī¸âđĨ Repair one broken link
Did you find any broken links when you were testing your site on mobile? If so, and you have the ability to edit your site, choose just one to fix. That’s it! (Although fixing things is kind of satisfying once you get started)
đ Refresh a photo
Choose one blurry, tiny or outdated photo and replace it. That’s it!
For bonus points from Ty and myself, add alt text when you replace it so folks navigating the web with screen readers (and search engines) can understand your new photo too. If you’re not sure how to do this, search for “how to add alt text to a photo [your website platform, like WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, etc]”
âī¸ Test your contact form
I’m going to make a bold statement here and say that your contact form is the most important part of your website. Having everything in working order here ensures you don’t miss out on any opportunities your visitors want to send your way!
To test your form, simply send yourself a test message, being careful to fill out all available fields. Then, check your inbox and to make sure it arrives and that all of the information you filled out is visible – check out this in-depth guide for more details!
đ Make your email and phone number clickable
When someone visits your site on their phone, they don’t want to copy-paste your email address or squint at your phone number to type it in. They just want to click (or tap!) and go.
If nothing happens when you click/tap, you can easily fix this in your website editor. Every platform is a bit different, but in general:
- When you add your email address, make the link start with
mailto:
Example: instead of linking toyourorg.com/contact, it should link tomailto:hello@yourorg.com - For your phone number, make the link start with
tel:
Example: instead of just typing 123-456-7890, add a link that points totel:1234567890
Even one small update makes a difference â and builds trust with your visitors.
đ Test your social media links
The landscape of social media is constantly changing, so be sure any social links on your site are still working. These are commonly found in the header (top of your page), footer (bottom of your page) or sometimes on the contact page.
Check those links on your phone, too, as sometimes mobile menus display different links than the desktop version of your website.
đ Proofread your homepage
Having a polished home page earns you major trust points. Read through all of the content on your page, and make a note to update any typos or outdated information. This is a good place to refresh the photo we mentioned above too!
Šī¸ Check your footer info
Your footer is that space at the bottom of your website that commonly contains your logo, maybe some navigation and copyright information – since it’s at the bottom of the page, it’s easy to forget about or overlook.
Take a peek and make note of any outdated information. Check the year, links and any other information contained in the footer (commonly places with a physical location will put their hours or address here).
đ You’re doing great!
These small tweaks really do matter – even without rebuilding your site or changing your design, taking the time to make these updates shows visitors that you care about your website, which builds trust in your business.
And remember, just like spring cleaning, you don’t have to tackle everything at once. Your future visitors will thank you for every little update you make â completing even one is a huge win!
đ Ready for more?
For more simple wins like this, check out the free 15-Minute Website Wins mini guide!