Website Optimization: Step-by-Step Guide to Updating Your Website

Anabeth McConnell Anabeth McConnell
April 3, 2022   |   5 min read time
Topics: websites



Website optimization is essential in staying current with the latest trends and developments in web design. It helps you stay on top of things, and it also allows you to make changes that are easy for visitors to see and understand.

Website optimization also gives you the chance to test out new ideas and understand your options for making improvements before committing to the project. You can then use this information to help you choose what kind of website will be best suited for your business needs.

But the question is: how do you make these small changes? What's the safest way to do it to avoid massive traffic losses or ranking drops?

The following guide provides a simple step-by-step process for optimizing your website.

Step-by-Step Process for an Effective Website Optimization

1. Find Areas of Improvement

Before you start working on your site, first take some time to identify areas where you could improve. You, especially, want to focus on identifying and improving your site's user experience (UX) aspects. These include navigation, page speed, content quality, overall layout, etc.

You want to use a data-gathering tool like HotJar to understand where UX friction points exist within your site. This way, you'll know exactly which pages need more attention and which ones are already performing well.

Next, you want to review your existing content and marketing funnels objectively. Look at what you're doing now, and compare it to what you'd ideally like to accomplish. Are there any opportunities for improvement? If so, you should consider implementing them as soon as possible.

Analytics tools like Google Analytics or HubSpot give you access to detailed statistics about your traffic. These tools allow you to track visitor behavior and determine which pages get the most visits. By analyzing these numbers, you can quickly spot the pages that receive the least traffic.

2. Conduct A/B Testing

Once you've identified potential problems, you want to figure out whether those problems are affecting your ability to attract customers. You'll need to create different versions of your website and run tests to see which version converts better.

To create different site variations, you can run an A/B split testing experiment. In an A/B split test, you present two versions of a webpage to users. One version has one element changed, while the second version keeps all original aspects unchanged. After running the test, you can analyze the results to determine which variation performs better.

Hubspot offers an excellent A/B testing feature that you can leverage to test various elements of your site. The tool lets you quickly set up experiments and get started right away. And the best part? You don't have to worry about coding or designing anything - Hubspot takes care of all the technicalities as well as provides straightforward instructions that you can follow along trouble-free.

3. Find the Right Partner to Help Manage Website Updates

If you're not comfortable managing updates to your site, or maybe you're overwhelmed with business-related responsibilities, you may want to consider hiring a professional web design company. For example, if you're looking for a local web design agency to help you upgrade your website experience, Inbound Design Partners is equal to the task! Our design strategy experts will give you advice on how to optimize your site for search engines and convert visitors into sales.

Here are three valuable tips to keep in mind during the process, even as you work with an expert:

  • Focus on the big picture. When making minor tweaks to your site, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger goal. Make sure you know why you're redesigning your site before diving into specific details.
  • Measure success. It may seem obvious, but measuring the effectiveness of your new designs really helps you gauge their impact. If you're not tracking conversions, you won't tell which changes worked best. Fortunately, there are many tools available for tracking conversions.
  • Keep an eye on the competition. While you're focused on improving your site, you should also be aware of what your competitors are doing. If they're making updates to their websites, you want to stay ahead of them.

Two web designers fist-bumping, showing agreement on their web design and website optimization processes.

4. Promote the Changes

Now that you've made the necessary improvements, it's time to promote them. The first step is to let everyone know about the changes you've made. This could mean sending emails to existing clients, posting messages on social media, as well as sharing news articles with your audience.

Next, you'll want to make sure that your new look is visible to as many people as possible. That means ensuring that your new design is accessible through mobile devices and search engines. If you don't have a dedicated HubSpot web designer, Inbound Design Partners can help you update your website for a better user experience.

5. Monitor Results

Once you've launched your redesigned website, it's vital to monitor its performance. How does traffic flow? What percentage of visitors convert? Are more people visiting from mobile devices than desktop computers? These answers will help you identify whether your efforts were successful. It also helps set the foundation and provide insights for the major web redesign project.

Speaking of determining whether your efforts were successful, the only way to find that out is by comparing results to the success metrics. You need to track these numbers over time to see whether you're meeting your goals.

As you continue to develop your marketing plan, keep in mind that minor adjustments to your website can lead to significant returns. With just a few simple steps, you can transform your online presence into something truly remarkable.

6. Plan for the Future

The final step is to roll out a clear-cut plan for conducting continual website optimization. The goal is to keep technology updated and optimize for ongoing user experience. For example, if you notice that your users are increasingly using smartphones instead of desktops, you might consider adding more mobile-optimized content.

You can also use this opportunity to test different types of copy, images, videos, as well as other elements. By continuously testing and refining your site, you can rest easy knowing that it continues to meet your needs and those of your users.

Inbound Design Partners Can Help!

At Inbound Design Partners, we understand it's essential to improve your website regularly for optimal performance. Our team has helped hundreds of B2B businesses achieve extraordinary results with ongoing website optimization. Contact us online today for all your HubSpot website optimization needs.


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