I love a spring clean. Getting everything out, dusting it off, deciding if it brings me joy still (thank you, Marie Kondo), figuring out where it belongs to make the most of it, then carefully placing it back. Kitchen cupboard essentials, wardrobe pieces, stationery… you name it and I’ll give it a spring clean.

And I tell you what? I always feel better afterwards.

Sure, it might take a bit of time and energy. But my house works better for me and looks infinitely better afterwards.

The same can be said for the digital world. Cleaning out old files, unfollowing people who don’t bring us joy and, my favourite, giving our small business website a bit of TLC.

In this blog, I’m going to guide you through the process I recommend for making sure your website is bringing you joy - and clients/customers - for seasons to come.

1. Update Your Copyright

Not sure what I’m chatting about? It’s that little bit in your footer which includes your copyright details. It might look a bit like this:

Copyright © 2022 Eleanor Stones All Rights Reserved.

Well, if you manually update your copyright date each year, now’s time to check it’s got the correct year on it. If it’s not, it could be making your site look out of date. And we don’t want those potential customers or clients thinking that, do we?

The best bit about this spring cleaning step is that it’s done in a matter of minutes.

2. Testimonials

Ah, testimonials. The ultimate trust signal for any product or service based business. They should be sprinkled around your website like confetti.

But they definitely shouldn’t be a static aspect of your site. This is my reminder to you to take some time to collect some recent testimonials. Message your favourite clients or customers. Scroll through your emails, Facebook recommendations and Google reviews. Ask your audience on social media. Read through your list and pick the most shining examples of the value you have added to their lives. The more personal the better: we want your audience to really buy into this vision of their future with your product or service in it.

3. Case Studies, Portfolios or Customer Stories

Next up it’s time to focus on the meatier trust signals on your website: case studies. Your visitors love to see them and they are powerful tools in conversions. But just how long have they sat there on your site gathering dust? Oh, you can’t remember? Well, now’s definitely time to give them a spring clean.

I recommend first taking a look through what’s already there. Are there any case studies or customer stories relating to products or services that simply don’t exist anymore? Perhaps there are some in there that just don’t bring you that Marie Kondo joy and you don’t want to attract more of these sales? You know the drill - get them gone!

That’s the quick bit. Now’s time for adding in more.

Just like you did with your testimonials, take some time to pull together your favourite case studies or portfolio projects. It might be worth asking some further questions to your favourite testimonial-ers if you’re feeling short.

One thing is for sure, focus on really using the example to showcase your value. What does life look like after working together or buying your product? The more detail you can get in there, the better.

4. Refine Your Services and Product Suite

When the website is getting a spring clean or facelift, it’s always worth checking in on what you have to offer too. It could be your product suite if you have a shop, or a service list if you work with clients. But where are you pushing your audience? There’s no point in putting in all this work only for your visitors to end up somewhere that isn’t up to date!

There are two key cases that require change here:

1. You’ve updated your services and/or product suite and forgotten to update your website with all the new information. If you don’t check through your website and sales pages, you are probably confusing your visitors with conflicting information.

2. You’ve not given your services and/or product suite a proper analytical look at in a long old time. Chances are you’ve moved on - or your visitors have - since you last tweaked your products or services. This is a great opportunity to realign your sales copy or give the whole thing a freshen up.

5. BRand & Headshot Images

If I had a pound for every time I’d spotted an image on a website only to head over to socials and realise it was a good 10 years out of date. Well, I might not be rich but I’d certainly be able to treat myself to a series of fancy facials.

Images are on your website to show your potential customers or clients what it’s really like to work with you or buy from you. If the photographs you have on your site are dated, they sure ain’t doing what they’re supposed to.

This goes the same for product packaging in images or the images featuring old case studies on your site. In a quick half hour you can make sure your snaps are as up to date as possible - your site will thank you for it.

6. Your Mission Statement

Okay so now you’ve refocussed your trust signals, your services and your images. But before we hit log off and start whipping up a storm in the kitchen, let’s just check in on your messaging and marketing.

So, your mission statement.

(If you haven’t got a mission statement then now’s time to add another layer of focus to your brand and website by adding one in and learning it off by heart!)

Does your mission statement connect with who you are at the moment? With who your audience is? With what they will feel aligned with? With your dream clients or customers goals?

If you’re struggling, use this framework…

I/WE DO [WHAT YOU DO] TO HELP [YOUR CLIENTS] ACHIEVE [WHAT THEY GET].

Remember, the focus is all about your audience. That means leaving the ego at the door!

7. Opt In Incentive or Freebie

Email marketing is a beautiful thing. But we have to make sure we get the foundations right. And a big part of these fundamentals is creating an incentive that really speaks to our dreamy clients or customers. It needs to sing to them in a way that means it’s attractive. But it also needs to function as an assistant to us and our goal.

Right, let’s think of an example.

Say you’re an interior designer. You want to attract clients who are at a particular point in their renovation or home makeover journey because your stats show that these lead to the best projects. You want to provide help to your dream clients on the steps that lead up to your service/project start. So, if you want to draw in more kitchen design clients perhaps you provide a PDF or email series on ‘Your Kitchen Redesign Project Timeline’. This helps you as it provides your audience with some very useful knowledge that preps them in advance of working together. But it also is a winner winner chicken dinner for them as they get to understand the process in front of them - and value you as an expert in the field.

I invite you to sit down and take a long hard look at your opt in freebies to get potential customers and clients in the door. Do they speak to your ideal clients or customers? Does it help them on their journey? And, crucially, is there a true connection to your services or products?

Don’t forget to carry on the customer journey at the end of their opt in incentive. Where can they go next to learn more about teaming up and getting further support?

It could be a change in messaging or a complete overhaul. Either way, future you will love you for it.

Oooohh it feels so good having a spring clean, doesn’t it? Have you ever spring cleaned your site before? Let me know in the comments below!