From products and services to tools and insights, your website is a living, breathing resource your members use constantly to access the financial support they need. So it’s important to evolve that experience long after launch – because keeping it fresh and up-to-date builds trust, credibility and ultimately conversions.  

But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you have to do a complete site overhaul every year! Small, incremental improvements made over time can yield just as big results. Here’s how to get started and what to look at, as shared by the Agency’s Forge experts. 

A website review: your first step to optimization

What you don’t know can hurt you. Even a website that was perfectly optimized at launch can develop issues over time, from broken links to changes in best practices. But, if you’re not aware they exist, how do you know to fix them?  

That’s why it’s important to do a review every so often to verify that your site’s still functioning properly and delivering an optimal user experience. You can do this yourself but it’s often helpful to bring in external support, as they can provide objective recommendations and specialized web expertise. With a full-service team and years of hands-on Forge knowledge, the Agency can help you spot gaps in your experience, identify opportunities for enhancements, and make any changes you need.  

However, whether you choose to do it yourself or bring in the experts, there are several key aspects of your site you should include in your review. 

3 key areas to assess during a site review

New Forge public website components
Central 1’s Forge team frequently releases both component enhancements and entirely new components to address customer requests and the rapidly evolving digital landscape. As a result, while you may have maximized your use of Forge capabilities during your site build, there are likely new tools available now to further optimize your site’s UX. The Agency works closely with our product teams at Central 1 to learn about new components and maximize their benefit, so our clients don’t have to keep on top of it all. 

Search engine optimization
Ranking well in search engine results is one of the most economical and efficient ways to reach prospective members. There are lots of strategies you can use to boost your SEO and the Agency’s experts have shared 5 of them in a recent blog. Are they implemented on your site? Whether the answer is yes or no, it may be worth reviewing your site from time to time to ensure the latest back and front-end best practices are implemented, keeping your search ranking safe from encroaching competitors.  

Mobile experience
As we all know, mobile browsing is now the norm. It’s therefore vital to ensure your website is fully optimized for that scrolling experience – because bad UX will have those members scrolling on by to somewhere else. So make sure to check your site for responsiveness. Does your page content still stack well? Is the text easily scannable? Do your headlines remain visible against background imagery? All these aspects and more can impact your user experience and credibility with members on mobile.  

Assessing your site for enhancement opportunities, SEO and mobile experience are the fundamental steps to a site review, standing you in good stead to attract and engage members. But, if resources are tight or you want objective, external guidance, the Agency is here to help, offering customized site reviews and Forge enhancement consulting to take your website to the next level.   

Interested in learning more? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.  

About The Agency at Central 1

The Agency is the only full-service marketing agency of its kind embedded in the credit union system and solely dedicated to helping clients unlock greater member growth and engagement. 

As the leading Forge design & build partner in Canada, The Agency has supported more than 40 public site launches. Their deep expertise in the platform, close integration with the Forge Implementation team, and client-focused platform training has saved our clients time, money and effort in getting their site to market quickly and efficiently.