In our industry, most companies have websites. Whether you sell hardware, software, services, or print, your website is your face to the world. It is an important element of your brand, even if you don’t think it generates leads or helps you to close deals. Wherever you are in the communication industry equation, a good website helps, and a poorly constructed, hard-to-navigate site can hurt.

Part of the challenge of a world where websites are part of the brand is that only some have the time, money, or expertise to figure out what a web presence should be. The first rule is—as always—do no harm. What that means for websites is to think about the architecture of your site in terms of how much time or money you can spend to maintain it. But let’s start at the beginning.

Whether your website had a significant overhaul in the last year, or it has been a while since anyone did more than add a page for a new product or touch up a contact email, your website needs an assessment. An assessment is not a one-and-done occurrence! Assessments should be part of the regular cadence of keeping your brand, your products, and your marketing plan visible to your staff (current and prospective), clients, prospects, and suppliers.