When was the last time you did a site health check? Keeping your website secure, user-friendly and up-to-date is essential. With so many UK businesses and consumers online, a full site health check has to be your top priority.
Let’s break down the areas of your website you need to focus on: security, accessibility and the legal rules.
Why do a Site Health Check?
A site health check is like giving your website a regular audit. We look after our health and websites need care too. Checking it can uncover weaknesses, improve how users interact with it and make sure it follows the rules.
Why Should You Do a Site Health Check?
- Security: Online threats are everywhere. One cyber attack could cost you money and damage your reputation. Regular reviews help uncover risks. This is why doing a site health check is really important.
- Accessibility: Websites must work for everyone even people with disabilities. Making your site inclusive isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s also the law.
Compliance: Following laws like the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 will avoid fines and keep customer trust intact.
Security: Protect Your Digital Data
You need to focus on website security . Having a secure site keeps your data safe and shows users they can trust you.
Essential Security Steps
- Regular Software Updates: Update your website’s software, themes and plugins. Hackers exploit old systems.
- SSL Certificates: SSL certificates encrypt data between your site and visitors making the website safer.
- Firewalls and Security Tools: Firewalls and security tools block malicious traffic and shield websites from common risks.
Running Security Audits
To spot weaknesses regular security checks are important. These should cover:
- Penetration Testing: Fake cyber attacks test weak spots.
- Vulnerability Scanning: Tools check your site’s code for known issues.
Making Websites Inclusive: Accessibility
Accessibility means everyone can use your website, no matter their abilities. In the UK public sector websites must follow specific rules to comply with accessibility standards.
Learning About Accessibility Rules
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, is an important guide to making web content more accessible. They focus on a few key areas:
- Perceivable: Users should be able to receive and understand the information presented.
- Operable: The website should let users navigate and use it without problems.
- Understandable: Both the interface and content should make sense to users.
- Robust: The content should work with all kinds of technologies, including tools that assist users.
How to Make Websites More Accessible
- Accessibility Reviews: Check your site regularly using WCAG guidelines to find things to fix to improve access.
- Alternative Text: Add clear descriptions to images so users with visual impairments can understand them.
- Keyboard Support: Design your site to work with just a keyboard since some people don’t use a mouse.
Legal Compliance: The Rules
In the UK, laws outline how businesses should manage data and accessibility. Knowing these rules is key to following the law.
Important Rules to Know
- Data Protection Act 2018: This law explains how to handle personal data, including collecting, storing and processing information. Businesses need to display a clear privacy policy and get permission to collect data.
Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018: These rules make it mandatory for public sector websites to be accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities.
Create a Plan to Comply
- Privacy Policy: Explain how you gather, manage and safeguard user data. Put this policy somewhere visible on your site so users can find it .
- Check Compliance : Keep up with legal updates and make sure your site still follows all the rules.
User Experience and Website Health
User experience has a big impact on how well a website performs overall. A good experience can boost engagement and conversion rates.
Improve User Experience
- Responsive Design: Make sure your site works on mobile since many people browse the web on their phones.
- Fast Loading Times: Speed up your site by compressing images and reducing server response times.
- Clear Navigation: Design your site so users can find what they need through simple menus.
Keeping Your Website Running
Websites need maintenance the same way cars need servicing, to stay functional and reliable.
Maintenance Must-Dos
- Content Updates: Update your website’s content as much as you can to keep it fresh for visitors and your potential buyers.
- Backup Solutions: Losing data is the one thing you never want to happen for your website. Set up regular backups at all times.
- Performance Tracking: Use tools to monitor the website and find areas to improve.
User Interaction: Building Relationships and Trust
Connecting with your website visitors helps build trust and loyalty, both of which are key to long term success.
How to Engage
- Feedback: Ask users to share their experience and use what they say to make improvements.
- Stay in Touch: Share updates or changes about your website through social media or newsletters to keep users informed.
Wrapping Up: Keeping Your Website Happy and Healthy w/ Site Health Check
A site health check takes effort and commitment. It’s not a one off but something to do regularly . When you focus on security, accessibility and legal rules you can have a site that follows the rules and works for everyone who visits.
A good website performs better and grows. Let’s get to work on this together to keep your site secure, accessible and compliant. If you have questions or need help with your site health check, just ask and book a meeting with our website experts here at We Get Digital.
