August is a transitional month. While the first half is often quiet as people enjoy their summer holidays, the second half brings a distinct shift in mindset. The “Back to School” mentality kicks in, and people start getting serious about their plans for the autumn. For UK small businesses, September is often a mini-January. A time when customers return to their desks, start new projects, and look for new suppliers.
If you wait until September 1st to update your website, you are already behind. Here is how to use the quiet days of August to get your website ready for the autumn rush.
1. Update Your “Hero” Section
The “Hero” section is the very top part of your homepage, the first thing people see before they scroll down.
If your hero section still features a summer promotion or a photo of your team in sunglasses, it is time for an update. Change the main image to something that reflects the upcoming season, and update the headline to address the problems your customers will be facing in September.
For example, an accountant might change their headline from “Relax this summer, we’ve got your books” to “Get your finances organised before the Q4 rush.”
2. Check Your Contact Forms
There is nothing worse than launching a new autumn marketing campaign, driving hundreds of people to your website, and then discovering your contact form has been broken for three weeks.
In August, test every single form on your website.
- Fill out the “Contact Us” form.
- Try to book an appointment through your booking system.
- Sign up for your own email newsletter.
Make sure the emails actually arrive in your inbox, and check that the automated “Thank you for contacting us” message the customer receives is still accurate and professional.
3. Publish Your Autumn Content Now
If you want your website to rank on Google for autumn-related searches, you need to publish that content in August. Google takes time to find, index, and rank new pages.
If you run a boiler repair company, write your “How to prepare your boiler for winter” blog post now. If you are a B2B consultant, publish your “Q4 Planning Guide” now. By getting this content live in August, it will be established and ready to be found when search volumes spike in September.
4. Review Your Pricing and Packages
September is a natural time to adjust your pricing or launch new service packages. Use August to review your current offerings.
Are there services you no longer want to provide? Remove them from the website. Are you planning a price increase? Update the figures now, or add a clear notice saying “New pricing takes effect from September 1st” to encourage people to book immediately.
By taking a few hours in August to do this “Back to School” prep. You ensure your website is primed and ready to convert visitors into customers the moment the autumn rush begins.
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.