End Of Year Business Checklist

Make Sure Your Business Is Ready For 2024!

As the year draws to a close, we’d like to share our End-of-Year Checklist. This list will not only enhance your website’s performance and user experience but will also help position your business for a successful and prosperous new year.

It's an opportunity to reflect on the past year's achievements, address any gaps, and set a strong foundation for future growth. Let's make sure your digital presence is ready to take on the challenges and opportunities of the coming year!

Short On Time? Here's The One Thing You Absolutely Should Do

Evaluate Your Website

Take two minutes and use our website grader tool! It will give you insight into your website’s health and any areas that need attention. Even if your site was previously optimized this year, with the release of Google’s latest core update on 11/28 it’s imperative to know how your site is faring. 

Check Your Website Now

End-Of-Year Checklist

📌 Website Review & Updates

• Site Performance Audit: Check your site’s ratings and if there are any areas that need improvement. Use our website grader tool to help
• Content Audit: Review all web pages for outdated information, broken links, and relevance
• Design Refresh: Evaluate the website’s design for modernity and user-friendliness
• Functionality Check: Test all forms, checkout processes, and interactive elements
• Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure the site is fully responsive on all devices and browsers
• Loading Speed: Optimize the site to enhance loading times

📌 Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• SEO Audit: Conduct a thorough SEO audit to identify areas for improvement
• Local SEO: Update local listings (e.g., Google My Business) with accurate information
• Backlink Analysis: Review and enhance the site’s backlink profile

📌 Security & Compliance

• SSL Certificate: Ensure the SSL certificate is up to date for website security
• Privacy Policy: Update the privacy policy, terms of service, and cookie policy as needed
• Software Updates: Update CMS, plugins, and third-party integrations
• Security Audit: Run a security audit to identify and fix vulnerabilities
• Data Backup: Ensure regular, automated backups are in place 

📌 Analytics & Reporting

• Performance Review: Analyze the past year's website analytics for insights
• Goal Setting: Set measurable goals for website traffic, conversions, and other KPIs in 2024
• Conversion Tracking: Ensure all conversion tracking tools are functioning correctly 

📌 Marketing

• Email List Cleanup: Review and clean up your email subscriber list
• Social Media: Make sure your website has all your relevant social media and that your branding is consistent across all profiles
• Content Plan: Start a content marketing plan for the upcoming year, even if it’s just a brainstorm!
• Promotional Calendar: Plan for any major sales, events, or promotions 

📌 User Experience (UX) & Client Engagement

• Feedback Collection: Gather and review user feedback from the past year; about your website, product, or general customer experiences
• Accessibility Audit: Ensure the website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities
• Client Communication: Send out end-of-year communications and updates to clients
• Client Survey: Conduct a client satisfaction survey to gather feedback and improve services 

📌 Legal & Regulatory Updates

• Compliance Check: Review compliance with laws and regulations relevant to your business sector. Are there any new regulations in 2024 that will affect your business?
• Copyright Dates: Update the copyright year on your website 

📌 Potential Tax Write-Offs

• Website Development & Maintenance Costs
• Digital Marketing Expenses: Including SEO, PPC and social media campaigns
• Software and Subscriptions: Any software purchases or subscriptions used for business operations, like content management systems, analytics tools, and email marketing platform
• Hardware Investments: New hardware (computers, tablets, servers) for website management or digital marketing
• Training and Education: Expenses related to attending conferences, webinars, or workshops and any training or educational courses that staff members took to enhance their skills
• Hosting and Domain Fees
• Consultation and Freelance Expenses: Any freelance or consulting services hired throughout the year 

📌 Financial Planning

• Financial Review: Consult with your accountant or financial advisor to ensure all relevant expenses are identified and properly documented for tax purposes
• Budget Planning: Start planning your budget for the upcoming year, taking into account the potential tax savings from the write-offs above!