January is one of the few points in the year where things slow down just enough to think clearly. The inbox is quieter, the phone rings a little less, and there’s finally some space to notice things that normally get ignored. That makes it a genuinely good time to give your website a proper health check.
This isn’t about redesigns or big decisions. It’s about taking an honest look at whether your website is quietly doing its job, or quietly letting you down while you’re busy running the business.
Start with the obvious stuff everyone forgets
The quickest win every January is removing Christmas and New Year leftovers. Seasonal banners, festive messages, delivery cut-offs, or “back in January” notes are easy to miss because you’ve already mentally moved on. Visitors haven’t, and they notice these things immediately.
No one emails to say your site still feels Christmassy. Instead, they lose a bit of confidence, assume things might be out of date, and move on to someone who feels more current. If your site still looks like it’s waiting for mince pies, that’s the first thing to fix.
Check the parts that quietly break
Next up are the things that don’t scream when they fail. Contact forms that stopped working after an update, enquiry emails going to an old address, phone numbers that changed months ago, or opening hours that no longer reflect reality.
These are some of the most common problems we see, and they often go unnoticed for far too long. The site looks fine on the surface, but opportunities are slipping through cracks no one knows are there. A quick test of every form and link might be dull, but it’s time very well spent.
Read your own website like a stranger
This is the slightly harder part, but also the most revealing. Forget what you know about your business and read your website as if you’ve never seen it before. Is it clear what you actually do? Is it obvious who it’s for? Does it reflect where the business is now, not where it was a couple of years ago?
Businesses evolve. Services change. Focus shifts. Websites often don’t keep up, and slowly drift out of alignment with reality. When that happens, visitors can feel the disconnect straight away, even if they can’t quite explain why.
Once the basics are solid, think a bit bigger
This is where January really earns its place. Once the obvious fixes are done, it’s the best time of year to step back and look at the bigger picture. There’s no seasonal rush and no last-minute pressure, just a chance to ask whether your website still feels right.
If it’s awkward to update, hard to add new content, or feels dated compared to competitors, that’s not something to ignore. Those feelings usually exist for a reason, even if you can’t yet put your finger on the solution.
A small conversation now saves months later
You don’t need to arrive with answers, a plan, or a list of features. That’s our job. A short conversation can help you understand what’s working, what isn’t, and what’s actually worth changing.
We see it all the time. Businesses that put off website changes for “later” often drift for another year, working around a site that never quite pulls its weight. January is different. It’s calm, practical, and ideal for planning properly.
If you’ve even half-thought “we should probably look at the website this year”, that’s the signal. Get a second pair of eyes on it and get some clarity. If you want to talk it through, get in touch. No pressure, no sales pitch, just a proper look at where things stand.
