Looking after your website with limited resources

This article has been written for organisations and individuals who don’t have a dedicated marketing or communications team (or budget). It’s aimed at people responsible for looking after their website but do not usually have the time needed. They probably have a range of other duties, and their website can get overlooked. Sound familiar? Then read on…

A website is an evolving organism. To maximise its effectiveness, it needs to be nurtured and maintained. Ignore it and it will underperform and not achieve its objectives. By spending just 15 minutes a day dedicated to your website, you can keep it healthy and performing properly.

Remember, you don’t have to do everything in one go. Be realistic in what you can do. Log the work you do in a spreadsheet and take one page at a time for the activities listed below:

Monday (15 mins)

Undertake a general review

• Proofing and error fixing: Review your website pages and correct any typos or errors you come across. Is the information still accurate? Check internal and external links to ensure they are working.
• Look at page formatting: Break up text heavy pages with headings, bullet lists and images – this makes your content easier to scan and digest. Keep styling consistent, such as font size and colours.
• Contact information: Check that your contact information is accurate and test any website forms to ensure submissions are received.
• Mobile display: Check your site on a mobile device to ensure it is mobile-friendly and all content is clear and easily available.

Tuesday (15 mins)

Improve your search engine rankings

• Use free tools: If you are using WordPress, install free tools such as Yoast SEO to help optimise your pages and posts. Focus on adding relevant keywords, optimising meta descriptions, and using proper heading tags (H1, H2, etc.).
• Internal page linking: Add links within your content to other relevant pages on your site. This helps with search performance and improves navigation for users.
• Fix any broken links: Use free tools like Broken Link Checker to scan your site for broken links. Fixing these links improves user experience and helps with search engine ranking.

If you are not familiar with SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) – our Knowledge Hub is a good place to start. You can also arrange a call with our SEO Tech Champion to get free advice on the topic.

Wednesday (15 mins)

Check webpage performance

• Optimise your images: Website images that have not been properly optimised (reduced) are one of the most common issues impacting webpage performance. They are also one of the easiest to fix. Use an online tool like Short Pixel to run an instant analysis on a page-by-page basis. This will identify any images that are too big and allow you to optimise them properly. Then simply upload these new versions to your CMS (content management system) replacing the old large versions.
• Check performance: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to see how your website is performing and to identify areas where your site can be improved. Some results will be quite technical so discuss these with a web developer.

Thursday (15 mins)

Look at your website analytics

• Analytics: You should have an analytics package installed on your website. This allows you to view visitor numbers, user behaviour and lots of other insightful data. Check analytics regularly to understand what is working and where improvements are needed. Google Analytics is a popular option (and it is free.) Contact us if you need help setting up Google Analytics or understanding the data reporting.

Friday (15 mins)

Keep your site secure

• Update software: Log into your website CMS. After doing so, you will see your CMS dashboard (the default view). Check to see if there are any messages/notifications alerting you to anything that you need to update. Your website platform, plugins and/or themes need to be updated to ensure your site is secure. Speak to a web developer or whoever you pay to host the site if you need any help. We can also advise on this, so get in touch if you need help.
• Remove unnecessary plugins: If you are using a CMS like WordPress, speak to a web designer/developer, and ask them to deactivate and delete any plugins that you don’t need. This can speed up your site and reduce the risk of vulnerabilities.
• Use a strong password: Ensure that your website’s admin password is strong and unique using a combination of 15+ upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.

Other website housekeeping tasks

Here are some other items you can keep an eye on, either when you have a bit of extra time, or rotated with the weekly activities listed above.

Improved webpage accessibility

Making your website accessible should not be an afterthought. There are lots of steps you can take to make your website more accessible. The Digital Culture Network Knowledge Hub has some great accessibility articles to get you started. You can also book a free one-to-one support call with our Digital Accessibility Tech Champion.

Enhance User Experience (UX)

Review your site’s menu and navigation structure. Make sure it’s easy for visitors to find important information painlessly. Are menu items and buttons labelled as clearly as they could be? Also, avoid bolting on lots of pages without considering where they best belong in your website structure.

Keep your website sustainable

Did you know your website impacts your carbon footprint? Take a look at this article on 10 ways to make your website more sustainable to get some initial ideas and integrate these into your maintenance workflow.

You can also request an audit of your website using this form.

In summary

You don’t need to break the bank or invest all your working week keeping your website in good shape. Think baby steps, little and often. Prioritise what is important. If it’s not possible to take 15 mins a day, dedicate the time into a regular weekly slot that suits you. Tell your manager what you are planning and get their approval if necessary. By focusing on the manageable tasks in this article, you can maintain and gradually improve your website without needing extensive resources. Even small, consistent efforts can make a significant difference over time.

If you have any questions, we are here to help. Contact us to discuss further.

Further support

The Digital Culture Network is here to support you and your organisation. Our Tech Champions can provide free one-to-one support to all creative and cultural organisations who are in receipt of, or eligible for, Arts Council England funding. If you need help or would like to chat with us about any of the advice we have covered above, please get in touch. Sign up for our newsletter below and follow us on X (Twitter) @ace_dcn for the latest updates.