As June arrives and the weather starts to improve across the UK, small businesses typically experience one of two things: a massive summer rush or the dreaded summer slowdown.
If you run a landscaping company, a coastal cafe, or a wedding photography business, you are probably gearing up for your busiest months. If you run a B2B consultancy or an indoor entertainment venue, you might be preparing for things to go quiet as your customers head off on holiday.
Whichever camp you fall into, your website needs to be prepared. Here is a practical checklist to ensure your website is working hard for you this June and throughout the summer.
If You Are Expecting a Summer Rush
When you are rushed off your feet, your website needs to act as your best employee; answering questions, taking bookings, and filtering out time-wasters so you can focus on the work.
1. Make Your Contact Details Impossible to Miss
When people are out and about enjoying the summer, they are searching on their phones. They do not want to hunt through five pages to find your phone number. Ensure your phone number and address are clearly visible at the very top of your homepage, and make sure the phone number is “clickable” so mobile users can call you with one tap.
2. Update Your FAQs
What are the five questions you get asked most often during the summer? “Do you have outdoor seating?”, “How far in advance do I need to book?”, “Are you open on the August Bank Holiday?” Put these questions and answers front and centre on your website. Every question your website answers is a phone call you do not have to take.
3. Streamline Your Booking Process
If you take bookings or appointments, test your system on a mobile phone. Is it easy to use? Does it load quickly? If a customer is standing in a park trying to book a table for lunch and your booking form takes 30 seconds to load, they will go somewhere else.
If You Are Expecting a Summer Slowdown
Suppose things get quiet over the summer, do not just accept the slump. Use this time strategically to set yourself up for a massive autumn.
1. Do a “Spring Clean” in June
When was the last time you actually read every word on your website? Use the quiet time to do a full audit. Have you updated your prices? Are all the staff members listed on your “About” page still working for you? Are there any broken links? A quiet afternoon in June is the perfect time to fix these lingering issues.
2. Gather and Publish Case Studies
You have probably done some great work over the spring. Reach out to those happy customers and ask if you can write a short case study about their project. Add these to your website with some high-quality photos. Case studies are incredibly powerful for building trust with future customers.
3. Plan Your Autumn Content
Do not wait until September to start thinking about your autumn marketing. Use the summer downtime to write three or four blog posts, plan your September email newsletter, or outline a new service page for your website. When the autumn rush hits, you will be miles ahead of your competitors.
The One Thing Everyone Must Do: Check Your Opening Hours
Whether you are busy or quiet, your opening hours might change over the summer. Perhaps you open later on warm evenings, or maybe you close for two weeks in August so you can take a well-deserved break.
Make sure these changes are clearly stated on your website’s homepage and contact page. (And do not forget to update your Google Business Profile, too!)
About Dead On Digital
Dead On Digital supports UK small businesses with practical websites, digital marketing and smart automation that help improve and strengthen their online presence. Everything we do is focused on keeping things clear, simple and aligned with how real businesses actually operate day to day.
We believe your website and online presence should keep working for you as your business grows, not be built once and forgotten. If you are reviewing where you are now or thinking about ways to improve things online, we are always happy to offer friendly, honest advice.