With the winter weather receding around the country, our eyes are on an annual spring tradition: the digital dust bunny cleanout. Websites are a lot like homes: without proper attention, they can get cluttered, disorganized or outdated. Consider this your cue to sweep out the old, polish the new, and bring your website back to life. Dedicating time to website optimization can positively impact your visitor experience and overall performance. Sure, it takes some effort, but there are several tools that can help, and the payoff is well worth it.
In this post, we’ll walk through several practical tactics to declutter and optimize your website. From streamlining your content to enhancing your site’s speed, these simple yet effective tips will help refresh your online presence, improve user engagement, and even boost conversions.
Ready to spruce things up and get rid of those digital cobwebs? Take charge with our practical DIY tips or pass the broom to us so that you can stay focused on what you do best. Let’s dive in.
Check for Broken Links
Have you ever been excited to visit a web page, only to be greeted with a dreaded 404 error? Broken links aren’t just an annoyance; they can hurt your site’s credibility, future visitors, and SEO. Maybe you retired an underperforming blog post or updated a URL. That’s fine. But if you haven’t redirected traffic properly, you risk turning your website into a link graveyard. Regularly scanning for broken links and fixing them keeps your site running smoothly and your search engines satisfied.
Tools you can use:
- Ahrefs — Scan your website to flag any potential technical and on-page SEO issues.
- Screaming Frog — Crawl your website to identify common SEO issues, like broken links, missing metadata, and duplicate content.
Wipe the Dust Off of Your Media
Out with the old, in with the optimized. If you have a new company headshot, don’t let the old file slow down your site. Unused images, videos, and documents can quietly bog down website performance, leading to slower load times and frustrated users. Similarly, actively used media should be optimized for the web. For example, an average high-resolution image should ideally stay under 3MB—anything larger needs to be assessed and compressed. A regular media audit helps keep things fresh, improve your site’s loading speed, enhance the user experience, and free up server space. Remember, faster websites often lead to increased engagement and higher conversion rates.
Tools you can use:
- Handbrake – Convert video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.
- Squoosh — Compress numerous image formats with this free, open source tool.
- ImageOptim (macOS) — Bulk-compress images, locally on your computer, without losing quality.
Identify Navigation Improvements
Your website’s navigation should evolve along with your business. Can visitors find what they’re looking for without clicking in circles? Is your menu aligned with your latest offerings and priorities? Be sure to include important links in your footer, like contact pages, key disclaimers, or helpful resources, so users can quickly find what they need no matter where they are on your site. On-page links that guide users to other relevant pages or sections across your site can also improve discovery and flow. A cluttered or confusing navigation can lead to high bounce rates and missed opportunities. Evaluating your site’s structure and adjusting based on real user behavior creates a smoother experience.
Tools you can use:
- Google Analytics — See where your traffic is coming from and what pages your users frequently visit.
- Hotjar — Identify user behaviors on your site through surveys, error reporting, and session replays.
- Microsoft Clarity — Learn how users are interacting with elements on your site with this free tool.
Mobile Experiences
It’s no secret: mobile browsing dominates. Your website should be as seamless and engaging on mobile devices as it is on desktops. Slow load times, awkward layouts, and buttons that are hard to click can drive potential customers away. Achieve a strong mobile experience by ensuring that your design scales well on smaller screens, interactive elements are sized for easy tapping, and text is fully readable without panning. Optimizing for mobile means fast performance, easy usability, and a frustration-free experience across all devices.
Tools you can use:
- Google Lighthouse — Run performance and accessibility audits on your site with this automated, open source tool.
- BrowserStack — Pressure-test your site’s responsivity across thousands of simulated devices.
- SE Ranking Mobile Friendly Site Test — Enter your website URL to evaluate potential usability concerns.
- Your mobile device — Sometimes, the simplest tool is the most effective. Load your site on a real phone to catch issues that automated tests might miss.
Accessibility
Accessibility on your website is a must. A site that is usable for everyone creates a more inclusive experience and can increase rankings on search engines. Simple updates like adding alt text to images, enabling keyboard navigation, and ensuring clear text readability can make a big difference.
Tools you can use:
- AccessibilityChecker.org — Test your site’s WCAG 2.2 and ADA compliance with this free tool.
- WebAIM WAVE — Enter your website URL to determine any accessibility red flags, like contrast errors or incorrect hierarchical structure.
In Summary
Taking the time to give your website a spring refresh isn’t just about housekeeping. It’s an opportunity to improve your visitors’ experience, elevate your brand, and keep your digital presence aligned with your evolving goals.
By fixing broken links, optimizing media, improving navigation, enhancing mobile performance, and prioritizing accessibility, you’ll be creating an inviting, high-performing digital space that users will love returning to.
Ready to sweep away the digital dust bunnies and create a smoother, more engaging website? Roll up your sleeves, grab your favorite tools, and start cleaning!
Need help getting started? Contact us today.
