When chatting with some pet sitter friends, I found that their attention was where it should be: on their pet businesses. While that’s a great thing, they also realize that their websites are a necessary evil. Necessary because they know they need to have one, and evil because they’re not tech people and don’t know how to narrow down the tasks they need to complete regularly. They often feel that they don’t have control over their websites; they have the interest, but not the time nor the tech skills to keep their sites current.
So I compiled a short list of tasks that require the least amount of effort, but give the most “bang for the buck.” Completing these on a regular basis should keep your site traffic coming in on a regular basis, and stave off the need for a new site design for awhile.
Note: I would place this list in your calendar to do on a monthly basis when completing your paperwork. Forgetting for even one month could cause problems.
Prioritized List of Must-Do Website Tasks
1.
Make sure your Google My Business (GMB) listing** is current. Do this in three ways: search for it on your desktop, search for it on your mobile device, and log into your account (or claim your listing if you haven’t done so). Once you have them up on your screen, make sure your business name, address, phone, hours, website link, and category are accurate. Check on, and respond to, any reviews that came in. And upload a new image or two (remember to have people in the pics; your service is humans caring for animals; visitors want to see your humans!).
2. Request Google Reviews from happy clients. The search engines look at these when deciding where your site should come up in search results, so they are another necessary thing. Use a code generator to create code to send to your clients, which will make it easier for them. Also, make sure to respond to each review as it comes in, being pleasant and business-like.
3. Log in to your website (if you don’t have your login info, request it from your host or designer; you must have this to retain control over how your business is seen online). Do this on both desktop as well as on mobile. Check everything, meaning updating plugins, updating your builder, and addressing anything they direct you to update. See if you have comments to approve (if you have a blog). Just check everything to look for anything unusual or needing attention.
4. Make sure the contact info on your site is current and really really easy to find. It should be at the top of each page, or contained within the header, not just on your Contact page. The easier you make it for potential clients to contact you, the better.
5. Be aware of any changes in your customer contacts. Are you receiving the same amount of phone and email inquiries? Has anything changed at all? If so, check your site and GMB and your site to see what’s going on and remedy it as soon as possible.
Quick Reminder about Changes in Your GMB
**Google allows the public, through its Google Local Guides program, to suggest changes in GMB listings. Listing owners may be alerted to these, but I’m not positive if that happens, and if so, consistently. As a result, I would make a priority of checking your GMB periodically for even the littlest things, like your business name, hours, and website address. While most Local Guides provide great info, they often enter incorrect info which you do not want to negatively affect your listing.
Bottom Line
If you’re a business owner but not a tech person, it’s in your best interest to keep an eye on your Google My Business listing and your website. Letting these sit without being updated can result in fewer customer inquiries. The best way to keep your site current and avoid negative results is to adhere to a regular list with certain tasks that remind you to check on, and update, your GMB and your website on a regular basis.
Contact Us
If you need help with your Google My Business listing, or editing your website, or for any other services, please contact me at Amy@petsitterseo.com or call me at 732 820-0103.
Top Featured image from Pexels.
