If you’re like most people, rounding the final turn to launch your new website is a time of epic anticipation, and it’s definitely time to think about a well-deserved victory lap! Before you put the website behind you and shift to your next project, there’s still one crucial thing you need to do, especially if you have more than a few content editors overseeing your content. 

Website governance tips

You need to craft some guidelines and policies about keeping the site current, fresh and relevant. These guidelines will serve as your website’s governance policies. It’s best to create a written plan and share the guidelines with everyone working with content. Here’s what your plan should include.

Be clear on your vision and strategy

Before you make any changes to your website, make sure you know exactly what you want to achieve. This helps ensure that your website aligns with your organization’s goals and that any updates are on-brand and message.

Assign roles and responsibilities

To keep your website running like a well-oiled machine, make sure everyone knows their role. Clearly define responsibilities for the teams and individuals involved in maintaining and developing your website to ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively.

Plan your content strategy

A content strategy is a plan for creating, publishing, and managing content on your website. It should outline the types of content you’ll publish, how you’ll create it, how often you’ll publish it, and how you’ll promote it. A solid content strategy helps ensure that your website is engaging and valuable to your users.

Set design and development guidelines

To make sure your website continues to be visually appealing and easy to use, establish guidelines for layout, navigation, and the use of color and imagery and be consistent!

Audit content regularly

It’s important to audit your content regularly to ensure it’s still current and relevant. Break your site apart to determine how often you should evaluate different portions of content. If your website’s content management system (CMS) supports it (ours does:), set up reminders, so the page owner receives a reminder to review and approve content. Someone should review all of your site’s content should at least annually.

Control content editing permissions

Establish guidelines for who can edit and publish content on your website to ensure that it’s accurate, up-to-date, and on-brand. Use a content management system (CMS) with different levels of access and permissions to keep things organized.

Create brand consistency

To create a cohesive and consistent brand image, establish a consistent tone and voice for your website. This includes guidelines for language use, formatting, and style. Consistent branding helps build trust and credibility with your users.

Implement security measures

Protect your website and your users by implementing security measures such as secure login systems, two-factor authentication, single sign-on (SSO) and regular backups.

Keep your website up-to-date

Regularly update it to ensure it’s accurate and current. This includes updating content, fixing broken links, and installing security patches. Establish guidelines for how often you’ll update various types of content. 

Monitor and evaluate regularly

To make sure your website is meeting the needs of your users and achieving your goals, monitor and evaluate its performance regularly. This includes tracking metrics like website traffic and engagement, as well as gathering feedback from users. Periodically review new content and images to make sure it aligns with the standards you’ve previously established. 

Create an ongoing training plan 

Develop a comprehensive and continuous training strategy to ensure seamless knowledge transfer among content editors. As editors may join and leave the team, it is vital to provide thorough training to new members, enabling them to update the website proficiently. Emphasize not only the technical aspects of editing but also the essence of your brand’s unique voice, fostering a deep understanding and alignment with your brand identity.

By following these best practices for website governance, you can make sure your website is well-managed, user-friendly, and effective at looking a pristine as the day you launched it. Take your victory lap; you’ve earned it!