In a previous article, we talked about protecting your website’s reputation. Then, we followed up with a detailed article about what to do if your site was compromised with malware.
So, now you know what your website’s reputation is. You’ve checked for malicious software and your site either wasn’t compromised in the first place, or it was and you’ve removed the infection. Now what? Keep reading for some next steps to continue improving the reputation of your website.
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Double Check
If you’re not positive that your site is free of malware or suspicious content, head back to the previous article for some tools you can use to scan your site. If you’re sure the site is fine, I still recommend you check again….better safe than sorry, and you don’t want to overlook anything.
Once you’re sure that anypotential unwanted code has been removed, go through the site to make sure everything is working the way it should. This includes the overall look of the site as well as the site content. Make sure all of the links on your site still work, that users can navigate through your site correctly and that no content has been edited.
What’s Left?
If malicious software or suspicious site behavior are no longer an issue (or never were), then there are other things that can contribute to your site’s reputation: website age, website popularity and content.
- Website popularity
How much traffic does your site receive? - Website age
How long has your site been around? If it’s a brand new site (or even an older site at a new URL), this may have an impact on your rating - Content
Ratings based on the information on the site, such as content that may be considered inappropriate for children
Website Age
Of these three factors, website age is out of your control. If your site is new it may have an impact on reputation, but in time this will no longer be a factor. Turn your attention to the things you can control.
Website Popularity
Improving the popularity of your website is an ongoing process. It is related to how much traffic your website receives, which you can improve in a number of ways (all of which are closely related):
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
This involves making changes to your site that will allow it to show up in a higher position in search engines when users search for terms related to your business. There are many factors involved in search engine optimization, but the end result is more visibility for your site in search results and increased traffic. - Inbound Marketing
Another method of driving traffic to your site is inbound marketing. Inbound marketing is centered around drawing potential customers to your products and services using a combination of social media, content marketing and search engine optimization. Once you’ve drawn them in, you can turn your attention into nurturing that relationship to convert them into a customer. - Content
Does your site contain any content that might be seen as negative or inappropriate? If so, this will have an impact on your site’s reputaiton. Go over the content of your site with a critical eye, looking at it from the perspective of a potential client.
Content is King
As you read through the previous section, you may have noticed a common thread: content. All three of the contributors to website reputation mentioned above involve content to some degree. That’s great news for you, though, because content is something you can control. If a customer has found your site, it means they are looking for information. Go through the content of your site to ensure that you are providing relevant, useful content to potentional customers. Make sure the information on your site is up to date.
Don’t forget to tailor the content to your target market, too. As you create content for your site, try to see it from the eyes of the market you are serving and make sure it will appeal to them.
If you provide timely, relevant, relatable content to your users, they will keep coming back. As traffic to your site increases, your site popularity will improve.
How Can We Help?
If you have any questions, please contact us and we’d be happy to help.
If you’re looking for more information about your website and how you can make it work better for your business, Creative Arcade can perform a free website analysis:
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In case you missed it, check out our previous article about website reputation.
