Ok – I admit it – it’s tough for me to find time to regularly check our website for information that needs updating. Each time we change an offering or have a new studio website to add to our portfolio, these updates should be done promptly and without fail. They can fall by the wayside, though, especially during our busy season. Big mistake!
The same holds true for your dance studio website. If your site contains old, outdated information, your customers will cease to see it as relevant. They will question whether the information is up to date and/or accurate, and if nothing changes after another visit or two, they’ll simply stop visiting the site.
As bad as that is, the outcome is potentially worse when the visitor is a potential customer. Say a parent is determining which studio to take their child to and is comparing studio websites. Which do you think they’ll lean towards — the studio website with a schedule from the upcoming season, an updated studio calendar, and mentions of recent accomplishments, or the studio website with announcements of the date and time for their upcoming ‘Recital 2019’ (when it is currently 2021)? A studio website with outdated information reflects very poorly on the business, and can make visitors wonder whether the studio itself has its act together.
Sheesh, enough of that. We all know we should keep our sites fresh. To that end:
Here are 5 easy ways to keep your dance studio website up to date
- Check for any and all dates on your website. Take down recital handbooks, rehearsal schedules, and calendar events that are in the past. If you don’t have information yet for your next event, it’s fine to put “Our new fall schedule will be up soon… please check back”. But once it’s ready, be sure to put it up!
- Instead of having your website designer take down your Summer Dance page once summer is over, use that page to share the great experience your students just had and to prepare people for next year. You might post something like, “Check back in early spring for information on our next summer art camps. In the meanwhile, enjoy these photos from our Summer 2010!”
- Avoid using dates in your slogan or in the studio history section of your website. Why? You’re in danger of being out of date every new year, unless you have those items changed annually. So instead of “16 Years of Making Dancers”, try “Making Dancers Since 1994”. You’ll be glad you did!
- Likewise, do you have a main navigation bar heading with a date in it, such as Recital 2010? Consider changing it to ‘Our Recital’, and you won’t have to remember to change it each year.
- Periodically check all links on your website – especially outside links to .pdf files or other websites. Take down any with broken links or outdated information.
I’d recommend putting a monthly reminder in your calendar to ensure you regularly update your website. I will be doing the same thing!
Best wishes and a successful registration period to you all!
Stacey