November is a useful time to take a fresh look at your website. Whether you run a contracting business, a small shop or a church, visitors need to find the right information without working for it. This checklist covers navigation, mobile readability, accessibility and business details, along with a simple plan for keeping everything current.
Check the navigation
Your navigation is the menu that helps people move through your site. It should make sense to someone who has never visited before, not just to the person who built it.
Start on your home page and look for the answers to a few questions:
- What does your business or organization do?
- Where can someone learn about your services, products or activities?
- How can they contact you or request a quote?
- If you serve specific areas, where can visitors find them?
Use clear menu labels. “Services” and “Contact” usually tell visitors more than clever phrases that need explaining. Keep important pages easy to reach, and remove menu links that lead to pages you no longer maintain.
Then test the links. Open each main menu item and make sure it goes to the page you expect. Try the logo, buttons and links in the footer, too. If you have a contact form, send a test and confirm that it reaches the right inbox. Check that any automatic confirmation message is accurate and useful.
Read your site on a phone
A site that looks fine on a large monitor can be harder to use on a small screen. Open your website on a phone and browse it as a customer would. If possible, ask someone who is less familiar with your business to try it, too.
Look for these common issues:
- Text that is too small to read comfortably.
- Buttons or links that are hard to tap without hitting something else.
- Lines of text or images that run off the edge of the screen.
- A menu that is difficult to open or close.
- A contact form that is awkward to complete.
Read a full page, not just the top. Check whether photos leave enough room for the words beside them and whether important information appears in a sensible order. Try calling from a phone number on the site, if it is set up as a clickable link.
Also pay attention to loading. If a page seems slow, note which page and device you used. Large images and other site elements can contribute to delays, but it is worth checking the cause before making changes. Good mobile design is not just about fitting everything onto a smaller screen. It is about making the next step clear and comfortable.
Make accessibility part of the review
Accessibility means making your website easier for people with different abilities to use. A practical review can reveal barriers that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Start with the words and layout. Use descriptive headings to break up long pages. Choose text and background colors with enough contrast to make the words readable. Avoid placing important text over a busy photo where it can be difficult to see.
Next, look at images. Useful images should have appropriate alternative text, a short description that can be read aloud by screen-reading software. The description should convey the image’s purpose rather than repeat a nearby caption. Images that are purely decorative may not need a description.
You can also try moving through the site with a keyboard instead of a mouse. Can you reach the menu, links and form fields? Can you see which item is selected? Make sure form fields have clear labels, not just example text that disappears when someone starts typing.
These checks are a starting point, not a complete accessibility test. If you find barriers, make a list and address them as part of your website care.
Confirm your business information
Accurate details help visitors know whether they have reached the right place and what to do next. Review your business name, phone number, email address and any address or hours you publish. Check them on the contact page, in the footer and anywhere else they appear.
If your hours change for holidays or other occasions, update them where customers are likely to look. Review your Google Business Profile, too, and make sure its information matches what you want customers to use. If you do not welcome customers at a physical location, be careful not to imply that you do.
Read your service and service-area pages for details that have changed. Remove services you no longer offer and correct areas you no longer serve. For a church, this might also mean checking meeting times and contact information. For a shop, it might mean reviewing current ways to reach you or visit.
While you are there, check that each page has a clear next step. A contractor might invite a quote request. A church might direct visitors to its contact page. Whatever the action, make it easy to find and make sure the instructions are current.
Set a routine for ongoing care
A website checklist works best when it is not a once-a-year task. Keep a short list of the pages, forms and business details you need to review. Assign someone to check them regularly and after a change in services, hours or contact information.
Website care also includes keeping the software behind your site up to date and maintaining backups. A backup is a saved copy you can use if something goes wrong. Before making major changes, confirm that you have a usable backup and know how the site can be restored. If you use WordPress, make sure the people editing it have the access they need and understand which changes they can safely make.
You do not have to fix every issue in one sitting. Start with anything that prevents a visitor from reading, navigating or contacting you. Then work through the rest of your list.
If you would like help reviewing your site, request a free website audit on the NC Web Crafters website. We can help you identify areas to check as you plan your next website updates.
