Website Spring Cleaning Checklist
As the seasons transition from winter to spring, we tend to start thinking about organizing and refreshing the spaces around us. Spring cleaning often involves scrubbing all those hard-to-reach areas, and letting go of what no longer serves us. However, this doesn’t just apply to our physical spaces. While we’re instinctively in this cleaning mindset, it’s also a great time to refresh our digital spaces as well.
Maybe you need to give your email some attention by clearing out your inbox and unsubscribing from unnecessary emails. Desktop screen covered in icons? Now is a good time to get organized by strategically moving all those files into folders. You can also use a desktop background like the one I have on my own computer pictured below. Just move files to the relevant spaces to quickly locate them as needed. And of course, don’t forget your website!
I created a Website Spring Cleaning Checklist to help me keep my site running smoothly and looking fresh year after year. I’ll go into detail about each of these tasks below, but you can also download a free, printable version of my checklist here.
Copyright Year
If you haven’t done so already, start by updating the copyright year in the footer of your website. You’ll want to do this for legal purposes, but it also serves as an indication to site visitors that your website is up to date.
Old Blog Posts
Spring is also a great time to revisit old blog posts. Is the content still relevant? Has the information changed or is there new information you can add? Make any necessary changes, double-check all your URL slugs, and take the opportunity to update your publish date after making any post updates.
Broken Links
It’s a good idea to check for broken links more than just once a year. But this is definitely something to have on your spring cleaning checklist to ensure you don’t forget. If you have a large website with lots of links, there are free tools you can utilize such as Semrush or Ubersuggest. And while you’re at it, make sure you have a branded 404 page.
Website Analytics
Set aside some time to review your website analytics. Figure out what’s working for your site traffic and what isn’t. In Squarespace, simply access the Analytics panel via the Home menu. Here you can find data regarding your traffic, keywords, sales, engagement and more. You can also check the analytics for other Squarespace integrations you may be using such as Acuity Scheduling, Google Analytics, Commerce, and Email Campaigns. Each has its own analytics panel where you can analyze current and historical data to identify growth opportunities.
SEO
Audit your website SEO (search engine optimization) to ensure all of your site information is accurate and up-to-date. Make sure all titles, descriptions, and design elements are fully optimized. Ensure SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is enabled, as well as AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) if you have a blog. And remember to request Google and Bing reindexing if you’ve made any major changes to your website.
Mobile Compatibility
Lastly, pull up your website on your phone to verify mobile-friendliness. This is how most visitors will be accessing your site, so don’t skip this important step. Check your text and image formatting, make sure pages are loading quickly, and as stated above, enable AMP for blog pages to help these pages load faster on mobile.
Bookmark this page or download the checklist for easy reference. By implementing a website spring cleaning, you’ll ensure your site is running efficiently and providing the best possible user experience.
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Written by Tabitha Stevenson, Squarespace Web Designer & Founder of Mindful Design Solutions
I’m passionate about helping entrepreneurs and small businesses stand out online with engaging and effective Squarespace websites. You can learn more about me here.
