A PR pro’s guide to making killer websites (and showing your IT staff you mean business)

For all the talk about social media, we shouldn’t ignore the importance of optimizing websites.

What does that mean?

Optimizing your website refers to where it appears in a Google or Bing search—you (probably) want your site or blog to appear high on a Google search—and to its popularity on social media sites.

Often, websites are missing key ingredients that hinder its performance in search engines and social sites. The good news for you (and your Web team) is that two extremely useful tools will help you identify what’s missing on your site.

From a site optimization perspective, these free tools may help you more than consulting with your IT team or Web development shop, where search optimization knowledge may be limited in its breadth and depth, or, out of a desire to preserve their jobs, they wouldn’t bring these things to your attention.

Tool No. 1: Website Grader

This HubSpot-sponsored tool gives you a score from 0 to 100. Its analysis is based on content, optimization, promotion, conversion, and comparison with other sites.

If your site scores in the 90s, you’re doing well. Unless you receive a perfect 100, the report provides useful items to share with your Web development team to further optimize your website.