When you have a some time off – a week or more let’s say – take a bit of time near the end of the break to browse through every page of your website. The time frame and your state of mind are important here. You want to do this after a real break and the kind of browsing I’m thinking of is like taking a leisurely stroll.
The idea is to approach your site with fresh eyes and no expectations.
This is very different from a site evaluation where you’re checking boxes on a list or a test where you’re trying to find a specific piece of information on the site. Here you want to let impressions wash over you; see things you may never have noticed before.
If you find a serious problem, like an incorrect phone number, make a note of it and fix it later; for the moment, keep going. See the site as a whole, all in one sitting. Don’t worry about reading through all your material – glance over it. Can you get a general impression of the page by glancing through it (headings, first sentences, images, etc.)?
Use your phone to record your impressions as you go, to save breaking your concentration by stopping to write down thoughts. How do your pages strike you visually? Do pages load quickly? Does it feel like anything’s missing? Can you get around the site easily?
And use your phone to look through the mobile version of your site, but do it as a completely separate exercise from the desktop version. Do it on a different day so you’re not comparing the two or letting the impression of the other interfere.
Now, set your recording aside and get back to your break.
When you return to work, go through your notes and the site with an eye to detail. Do your first impressions – good or bad – still hold up? Where something needs fixing, what exactly is needed?
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