A quiet October, on purpose
October was my month to rest and reset. I slowed down, caught my breath, and gave Bev The Geek a fresh start, from a new look to new blog posts on keeping your website safe.
Now it’s November, and the switch has flipped. The holiday season is coming fast, and for small businesses in the Bitterroot and beyond, that means more people searching, shopping and clicking. This is the month to make sure your website is ready for them.
Your holiday-ready website checklist
You don’t need a whole new website for the holidays. You need the one you have to work well when people show up. Here’s what I’d check this month:
- Post your holiday hours. Put them on your homepage and your Google Business Profile, so nobody drives over on a day you’re closed.
- Run your updates now, not in December. WordPress, your theme and your plugins should be current before the busy season. Fixing a broken plugin on Black Friday is no fun.
- Make a fresh backup. If something goes wrong mid-season, a recent backup gets you back online fast.
- Check your domain and SSL renewal dates. An expired domain or a “Not Secure” warning sends shoppers straight to someone else.
- Test it on your phone. Most holiday shoppers will find you on mobile. Tap through your menu, contact form and checkout like a customer would.
- Send yourself a test message. Fill out your own contact form and make sure the email actually reaches you.
- Add your holiday specials. A simple banner or page for sales, gift ideas or seasonal services gives visitors a reason to buy now.
Watch out for holiday scams
Scammers love the holidays as much as shoppers do. Be extra careful with:
- Fake “domain expiring” notices. Check your renewal date in your real hosting account, never through a link in an email.
- Shipping and invoice emails you didn’t expect. Don’t click attachments or links you weren’t waiting for.
- “Your website has a problem” messages from strangers. If you’re worried, call someone you trust to take a look.
Keeping your site updated is still your best defense. I wrote about why in Do I Really Need to Update My WordPress Site?, and a real example in How a July Website Update Paid Off When PHP2Shell Hit.
A new computer under the tree?
If someone in your family is getting a new laptop or computer this year, it can feel overwhelming at first. I offer private, one-on-one tutoring at your own pace, from setting up a new computer to building your own website. It’s a great way to start the new year confident instead of confused.
Let’s get you ready
The best time to prepare for the holiday rush is before it starts. If you’d rather not work through this checklist yourself, my maintenance packages take care of updates, backups and security for you.
Contact Bev to get your website holiday-ready, or shop domains and hosting if you’re starting fresh. Here’s to a busy, happy season!