With 2024 only days away, I want to share 10 quick and easy diagnostic checks you can run for your website to make sure you web presence is well-positioned heading into 2024:
1. Make sure your website passes Google's Mobile-Friendly test. You can test your website here: https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly
2. Verify that your SSL has no mixed content errors (mixed content errors can hurt indexing): https://www.whynopadlock.com/
3. Make sure that your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) has accurate information and is filled out as completely as possible.
4. Be sure that your website forms work -- be sure to test them and make sure you receive the request.
5. Make SURE you have a working backup of your website. If you don't, stop reading this right now and go make a backup or ask your web developer for a copy :). If they refuse to give you a copy, find a new web developer (seriously - if your web developer won't give you a copy of your website then you need to find someone else to work with).
6. Check that your website loads quickly on mobile and desktop devices. Use Google's PageSpeed Insights (yes, that's one word): https://pagespeed.web.dev/
7. Please make sure your website password (if you have one and especially if you are using WordPress) is complex, and that your username is NOT admin.
8. Make sure that your website's citations are consistent across the web (get a free local report here).
9. Check that your website is indexed in Google and that the number of pages is "just right". Run a search that looks like this: site:shorthillsdesign.com. but swap out our domain name for your own. If your website has 10 pages and you see 10,000 listed -- or 1 listed -- then you know something is wrong. If you do have a problem you can head over to Google Search Console to get more information.
10. Migrate to Google Analytics 4 as soon as possible. With 6 months to go before the current version of Google Analytics is shut off, you are running out of time to be able to compare your old data with the new data coming in.
If you have any questions about the above, feel free to ask us on Twitter @shorthillsd or on Facebook at @shorthillsd - and here's to a happy and healthy new year to you and your loved ones.
