The economy is ever-changing, but one thing is certain: websites are here to stay, and are increasingly critical to the success of any business. The world continues to navigate through the pandemic, inflation, and bank closures while some economists predict a recession in the near future. Through all that uncertainty, it’s important to make sure your website is recession-proof so you can maintain your business during tough times.
As luck would have it, these tips are best practices regardless of whether there’s a recession or not. If you’re already doing these steps, well done! You’re already set up for success if times get tough.
If you aren’t, what are you waiting for? Whether you’re just starting out or already have an established presence online, there’s no time like now to make sure your website is prepared for whatever lies ahead.
Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to make your website recession-proof:
- Know your audience
- Improve the user experience
- Develop an SEO strategy
- Focus on quality content
- Optimize for mobile devices
- Build brand loyalty
- Perform regular maintenance on all the above
Know your audience.
This may seem obvious, but don’t dismiss this step. One of the most important aspects of running a successful website is understanding who your audience is and what they want. Knowing your target demographic can help you create content that resonates with them, resulting in higher engagement and more conversions.
Use analytics tools such as Google Analytics to track user behavior on your site so you can identify trends and adjust accordingly. Additionally, use surveys and polls to gain direct feedback from customers about their experiences on your site.
Improve the User Experience.
User experience (UX) is also key when it comes to making sure your website stands out from the competition during a recession. People don’t have time to waste hunting around for information or struggling through an overly complex navigation system — they want answers quickly. Make sure your site has a simple and intuitive design, attractive visuals, and easy-to-find information about products and services so users can find what they need without wasting time.
Additionally, utilize customer feedback to see where improvements could be made and keep track of customer engagement on each page of your site so you know what works best and where changes should be made.
Develop an SEO strategy.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for getting your website noticed by potential customers. When people search for a product or service related to what you offer, they want to find relevant results quickly. This means that you need to optimize your website with the right keywords so that it appears on the first page of search engine results pages (SERPs).
How do you do this? Use tools like SEMRush or AnswerThePublic to study what keywords people search for. Next, create quality content that uses those keywords (but don’t engage in keyword stuffing! That will have a negative effect). Lastly, you’ll want to create backlinks from other websites back to yours, such as providing a guest post on another site that provides a link back to your blog.
An effective SEO strategy will help increase organic traffic which in turn can lead to increased sales during times of economic uncertainty.
Focus on quality content.
Piggybacking off the SEO needs, your content should always be king when it comes to making sure your website stands out from the competition. Quality content not only helps attract new visitors but also keeps existing ones coming back for more. Aim to provide valuable information through blog posts, videos, images, and other media. If you’re able to answer frequently asked questions or provide helpful advice regarding topics relevant to your business, even better! This will help establish authority and trust with potential customers while also boosting SEO rankings.
Additionally, make sure you’re optimizing your content. In addition to using the right keywords, ensure that all titles, tags, headlines and images are accurate and relevant to what customers are looking for.
Lastly, make your content as accessible as possible to reach a wider audience.
Optimize for mobile devices.
With more people turning to their phones and tablets as their go-to device for browsing the web, optimizing for mobile devices has become increasingly important. When it comes to mobile, you’ll want to make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for quickly and efficiently.
Make sure all page elements are sized properly so that they fit within a phone or tablet screen without having to zoom in or scroll horizontally. Additionally, consider utilizing responsive design techniques so that pages automatically adjust based on the size of the device being used to view them.
Build brand loyalty.
Engaging with customers on a personal level can be key when it comes to staying afloat during economic downturns. Building customer loyalty through social media campaigns and newsletters can be an effective way of connecting directly with potential customers and encouraging them not only visit but also return to your website frequently. You can also use surveys or feedback forms on your website so that customer opinions can be taken into account when making decisions about product offerings or services in order to better meet their needs.
Perform regular maintenance on all of the above.
Creating a website is not a “set it and forget it” activity. As the internet evolves, your site needs to evolve with it. It’s best to keep your site updated regularly with iterative updates rather than let it sit for too long; if you leave too much to fix at once, you can get stuck making expensive fixes later.
Revisit your audiences biannually to make sure you’re still addressing their needs. Review your data regularly to see what’s resonating with your audiences, and where you’re losing them, and make UX edits accordingly. Audit your content regularly as well to modify content that’s underperforming and update content that’s performing well to keep it that way. Check your site’s performance regularly to make sure it’s loading quickly, which will cut down on bounce rates and site abandonment.
Making these changes now will pay off in the long run.
A recession doesn’t have to spell doom for businesses operating in the digital space — not if they take proactive steps toward ensuring their websites are optimized in every way possible. By following these steps today, you can ensure that your website will remain competitive tomorrow no matter what economic conditions may come your way.
And if you need help, Kanopi’s always here for you.
