As authors, our websites are our home base, the destination all of our online activity points to. We need to make sure our sites are up at all times and working correctly. When there is a problem, we limit our ability to connect with others about our writing.
Here are six things to check:
- That it is running: A down site helps no one. Make sure it is working.
- That all links work: Broken links are a disservice to our audience and cause Google to devalue our site. Regularly search for and fix broken links
- That there are no spam comments: Quickly remove spam. Spam in the comment section clutters the site and reflects badly on its owner.
- That there is no malware: Malware that infiltrates a site can potentially infect computers that visit it. No one wants to cause problems on other people’s computers.
- That it properly displays on mobile devices: More people access websites from smartphones and mobile devices than from computers. To display properly on a smaller screen, use a “responsive” theme. If your site is not responsive, view it on a mobile device to see how it looks.
- That all forms work: Periodically test forms to make sure they work. A broken form is a missed opportunity.
The good news is that the first four of these items can be automated. That leaves only two items needing direct attention – and only one when using a mobile responsive theme.
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Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is a full-time, career author. He’s published scores of books, hundreds of articles, and thousands of blog posts, with experience as a publisher, editor, and commercial freelance writer. A passionate wordsmith, his goal is to change the world one word at a time. Learn more at PeterLyleDeHaan.com.
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