While December marks the final opportunity to finish strong and reach your financial goals for the year, it is also a time for review, reflection, and to chart a course for the year ahead (and beyond). Like other small business owners, most independent insurance agency principals have spent the last 12 months doing it all – client acquisition and retention, hiring and managing staff, keeping up with the latest trends, and dealing with challenging economic conditions. As we approach year end, consider taking time to slow down, spend time with family and recharge for next year.
As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time for independent insurance agents to conduct a thorough review of their agency website. This annual evaluation can help ensure that the website is performing well and meeting the needs of both the agency and its clients.
If you’re not very web-savvy, the thought of conducting a website performance review may seem daunting. But don’t worry – there are simple steps you can take to ensure that your website is performing at its best. One option is to work with a good web partner who can help get your website up to snuff.
To get started, here’s a 10-point checklist of key areas to consider as part of your website performance review:
- Conduct a website audit to assess the overall performance of the website, including its design, user experience, and technical functionality. Your website is a digital representation of your business, and it’s critical that it portray your agency as experienced and qualified.
- Review website traffic and engagement metrics, such as page views, bounce rate, and time on page. Is your website improving year over year, or are you losing ground?
- Conduct user testing to gather feedback on the website’s design and user experience. Recruiting even a small number of test users from staff, family, friends, or clients to provide honest feedback can help identify areas ripe for improvement.
- Review the website’s content and update any outdated or irrelevant information.
- Optimize the website for search engines by conducting keyword research and implementing SEO best practices. Consider engaging a professional to help in this area.
- Evaluate the website’s mobile-friendliness and make any necessary adjustments to improve the user experience on mobile devices.
- Review the website’s security measures and implement any necessary updates to protect against potential cyber threats.
- Monitor and analyze the website’s conversion rates and implement strategies to improve them.
- Evaluate the website’s integration with the agency’s other marketing and sales channels and make any necessary adjustments. Are your social media channels linked? Is your phone number clickable through mobile?
- Review the website’s analytics and reporting tools and make any necessary updates to ensure accurate and comprehensive data tracking. If you haven’t yet, it is time to switch over your Google Analytics to GA4, so your site will continue to collect data through the year.
By working with a good web partner and taking the time to conduct a thorough review of your website on an annual basis, you can help ensure that it is meeting the needs of your agency and your customers. By staying on top of key website performance metrics and making regular updates and improvements, you can help your website continue to drive business for your independent insurance agency.