So many of us are spending much time and effort posting to 3rd party sites and worrying about content elsewhere -but we forget to tend to our homebase.  It’s far more important to tend to your own website than to post lobby pictures on Facebook.  So here is my advice….

Don’t post another FB post before doing this 6 point spot check on your own site!

Homeplate" by syntheticpanda via Flickr

1.  Pull your own website up on a mobile device – what does it look like?    Be sure to try several smartphones and tablet varieties  if you can get access to them.  It your site is not easy to browse on these – make it a priority to fix it.  

• Depending on your business/org type – you’ll want to check for the basic things that customers might need to do on your site via mobile devices:  Fill out a form, make a donation, get directions, purchase an item, check your menu, etc…  Take the time to check them out and go through the process just like your customer would. 
• Get help from a local professional like Summersault.  Don’t be afraid to get a quote – you’ll never know what to plan for it you don’t.
• If you are a small fry like me – try wordpress.com  - easy to use and mobile friendly.
• Other tips for mobile friendly sites can be found here:  8 Simple Steps to a Mobile Friendly Site

2.  How long does it take to find a phone number or contact info?  People still use phones for actually making calls – don’t make it too hard to find!  I actually looked up a guy the other day to call and found his twitter, facebook, linkedin, youtube and oodles of other social links and never found the number.  Sometimes you just want to call a person (at least I do!).

3.  If your “about page” only contains your mission statement – you need an overhaul.  There has to be something more important about what you do besides your mission statement and the fact that you started business in 1975.

4.  If you are a one person team – don’t write in 3rd person.  Especially not your bio – we know you wrote it.  Write like you would actually talk face to face to someone.  Don’t use words you have to google (or those that your audience would have to google)  - just talk plainly.

5.  Create a “meet the staff/team” page if you don’t already have one.  People work with people.  Don’t forget the people.  Check out this post from Smashing Magazine with 20 “meet the team” examples.

6.  If you are not blogging – get blogging.   Create your own content and share that on third party sites.  Link back to your own stuff.  Not sure what to blog about?  Here are a few ideas.

• FAQ – take simple basic questions your customers ask every day and write a simple post to answer it.  Blog posts do not need to be pages and pages of research. They can be short and sweet.
• If you don’t like to write – record short video posts and post those.
• Google it.  Serious – you should.  If you are an insurance agent, google “insurance blog” and start following agents already doing it.  Once you get started – your own ideas will start to kick in.

So that’s it.  A few simple things you can do as you start the week.  Have anything to add?  Did I leave off a website pet peeve of yours?  Add it below in the comments.  I’d love to hear from you.