Don’t Abandon Your Website

December 5, 2022

Picture this… You have spent hours relentlessly cleaning your home, and you finally get to sit back and relish in the spotless finish. Weeks go by, and suddenly your house is back to where you first started—messy and dusty.

Your website is similar to the upkeep of your home. The majority of community-owned utility organizations and cooperatives pour lots of energy into creating a website for their utility and launching it. However, some fail to ever look at it again, forgetting about its maintenance completely.

Now that your new website is fully up and running, it does not mean that all of the work is done. Just like a home, a website for a utility need constant maintenance.

Keep the Cobwebs Away

Don’t let outdated content clutter your website. It is crucial to regularly update your website to maintain your site visitors’ interest. Relevant content not only makes your website more compelling, but it also optimizes your site to rank higher in internet searches.

There are many ways to keep your website up to date. Many utility organizations feature a news section including press releases, newsletters, and more. A calendar & events section also informs the public on the latest happenings such as community events, programs, and more.

Grays Harbor PUD utilizes the Events & Calendar Web App to keep customers informed of upcoming commissioner meetings.

Consistent website maintenance offers relevant, interesting, and shareable content to your audience. As your website drives more traffic, it will show your audience that you value their engagement with your organization.

Build a Secure Fence

Fences are helpful tools for home protection. Not only do fences improve the security of a home, but they also bring an increased sense of safety. A website needs the same amount of proactive care. An emphasis on security and protection can help prevent a website from hackers.

Maintaining a secure website is crucial in preventing issues in your utility organization. Taking the extra steps to improve your website’s security ensures a safe and trustworthy platform. Website maintenance includes implementing strong passwords, updating software, and filling in any security gaps.

Water the Garden

A garden will not grow well unless it is tended to. Gardeners spend lots of time and energy to create a strong, nourished soil. By creating a strong foundation, it will be more likely that the garden will yield a plentiful crop.

In the same way, you need to build a strong foundation for your website. This can be achieved by focusing on the following:

Following a consistent branding guide
Understanding the wants and needs of your website visitors to ensure they are being met
Keeping your content up to date
Revisiting each page of your website on a regular basis, reviewing the content to ensure it is still applicable
Executing your mission and vision through effective communication

Gardeners know that they reap what they sow. If they want carrots, they plant carrot seeds. The same concept applies to businesses. Business leaders and stakeholders must take the right measures to achieve specific goals.

Many utility organizations look at their online presence and don’t like what they see. Oftentimes, they planted the wrong seeds. Collaborate with fellow team members to determine how you want to see your organization grow. What seeds must you reap to sow? Make sure you are planting and tending to the right seeds will get you successful results.

Hire a Maintenance Team

Don’t let the dust continue to collect on your website. Powerful offers website maintenance, licensing, support as well as Virtual Webmaster services to keep your website in pristine condition.