Is It Time to Give Your Website a Check-Up?

Every now and then, it's a great idea to take a step back and survey the state of your website. Sometimes we get so busy with the day-to-day details, we lose sight of the big picture. If you're looking to make your website a stronger asset for your business in 2011, then figuring out where you are right now is the perfect place to start.

There are a number of free website analyzer tools out on the Web that will give you a heap of data if you simply enter the URL you'd like to check. Here are three good ones:

Going Up

Pear Analytics

WooRank

All of these sites function in basically the same way. They go through a checklist of SEO tactics or best Web practices, and check to see which are currently being executed correctly on your site. While these sites all provide much of the same information, they're all slightly different, and I would recommend running all three to get the most information on your sight. These tools can make mistakes as well, so running all three tests will give you a more accurate picture of your site.

Browser Compatibility

Another tip for the coming year is to make sure your website is compatibile with all the major browsers. You shouldn't lose any sleep if your website doesn't work in an obscure Linux browser from 2002, but you should ensure that your site displays as intended in the most commonly used browsers. This list would include:

• Firefox 3.5
• Firefox 3.6
• Internet Explorer 6
• Internet Explorer 7
• Internet Explorer 8
• Chrome 7
• Chrome 8
• Safari 5

According to the latest statistics from W3Schools, this list will cover over 90% of Web users. The easiest way to test your website in multiple browsers is to install Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome on your machine. However, testing your site in different versions of the same browser can be a bit more of a challenge. There are a number of paid services on the Web that will let you use your site in different environments, or at least see a screenshot of your website in different versions of different browsers.

There is also a free alternative - Browsershots.org. The caveats of this service are that it can be very slow, and does not provide screenshots of Mac environments, and Mac users are a statistically significant segment of the Web population. The last method of testing your site in different browsers is using multiple machines, or setting up virtual machines on your system. If you don't feel like setting up multiple PCs, you can also try turning your friends and relatives into your QA testers, which is certainly an economical way of testing your site in different environments.

Messaging

Lastly, you should review the messaging and content of your website. Is it getting you closer to your goals, or preventing you from reaching them? Does it still accurately reflect what your business does, and what your core values are? If you have the budget for it, you may consider bringing in a content marketing or SEO expert to assess your site and provide you with some direction.

CommonPlaces offers a full range of Web services to help you reach your online goals in 2011. Whether you are looking to add functionality to your website, assess your site security, or get online marketing advice, drop us a line to talk about your website and your goals.