How many people can’t do without an occasional visit to a beauty salon when they are in need of feeling refreshed? How many others visit gyms on a regular basis to keep themselves fit and agile? The answer is, of course, many people do either or both of these things. All very understandable, this makes it all the more strange that the very same people are happy to let their website go stagnate.

A business’s website is the digital equivalent of a shop window, even if the business does not sell actual products. It is where potential customers or clients come to see what the business can offer. And just like the local fruit shop, if the contents are stale and unappetizing, they will move on to see what the competition has to offer.

While many people quite correctly concentrate on website content, many fall into the trap of letting their website content go stale. What is important to remember is that if a website does not change over time – no matter how great some of its content may be – it will begin to look tired and dull. Not to mention the fact that search engines love fresh content!

If you have neglected your site lately, what is needed is a website content makeover or a bit of spring cleaning. Like all things that are familiar it can be difficult to see what others see, which is why it may well make sense to use an external company to help refresh your site. They will see the site with “fresh eyes” and will be able to offer constructive feedback that will almost certainly more than repay any fee charged.

Before approaching any external company, it is always worth trying to cast a fresh eye yourself over your site and look for some key points.

· Review your keywords. Try to put yourself in the position of a potential customer and imagine what terms they will key into a search engine. When you’ve made a list, make sure these terms are featured on the site, ideally as meta titles, in your meta descriptions, throughout your H1-5′s, and within the content too. Don’t neglect internal links either! If you already know your keywords, why not perform some keyword research and make sure those keywords haven’t changed. More than likely you might find a few more keywords to target, and others that aren’t performing to take off your site. Tools: Google Adwords Keyword Tool, SEOBook’s Keyword Tool, and SEMRush.com.

· One of the most basic things to look at is whether the site is easy to navigate. Complicated graphics, unreadable font, and hidden menus are all very artistic, but can prove very frustrating for anyone browsing the site. Simple navigation is crucial.

· Look at the actual content. Is it of a high standard and written in a clear, simple style that is easy to understand? If not, re-write it and if you don’t feel confident doing this, hire a writer to make sure it’s as good as it can be. A modest investment here can make all the difference. Remember: look at who will be reading the content, and put yourself in their shoes. If you are too ‘close’ to the subject at hand, you might just miss something.

· Remind yourself exactly what it is you want your website to accomplish and then ask a friend or business associate to look over the site. Ask them what they think you’re trying to achieve and see if your ideas match. If they don’t, it’s time for a makeover.

· Finally, check out the websites of your competition to see what they’re doing wrong (as well as right) and make sure you learn from their mistakes. Look for any ideas to help you improve.

Following these points will ensure you are on the right track to a website makeover and website spring cleaning that will both enliven your website content and help increase business through search engine optimizing.

Bio:

Steve Lazuka is the owner of Interact Media, a business blog writing service based in Ohio. His knowledge of content writing and experience has proven successful for both clients and his own site. He also writes on his company blog and provides useful information for content marketers.