Everyone loves and hates a to-do list. It just sits there and stares back at you as a reminder of the things left to do. But if you view the to-do list as more than just a nag, and rather, as a tool that empowers people and facilitates communication, the to-do list can become a necessary, and sometimes lifesaving tool.

A new book, The Checklist Manifesto, addresses the way to-do lists influence our lives and how they make us feel. At its core, the book’s author, Atul Gawande, reveals that it takes more than just one person to do a job well. He profiles his personal experiences as a surgeon and a variety of other professions to show that a team is only as strong as its checklist. While it’s certainly not life or death, managing a website’s content is an area that can greatly benefit from a checklist.

While Sisarina empowers our clients to manage and update their newly designed sites with our easy-to-use content management system, we know that it takes due diligence to keep a website continually refreshed and up-to-date. Many organizations and small businesses don’t have just one person maintaining the site. Often it’s a big part of everyone’s responsibilities and as a result, things can fall through the cracks.

Here is a checklist of sorts that can be used to help streamline tasks for updating and managing websites.

• Headlines and Introductions
  The headline and very first sentences should get the readers attention and make them want to keep exploring.

• Clear and Concise Content
  Explain the what, why, where, when and how of what you’re describing or offering.

• Consistent Voice
  Speak in a clear consistent voice throughout the site. Be consistent with pronouns (e.g., our, we, us).

• Enhance Keyword Usage (SEO)
  Know and use important keywords throughout your body copy. Circulate a list of appropriate and significant key words to use in your content.

• Spell & Grammar Check
  No typos, spelling or grammar errors: Eliminate all errors throughout your text.

• Link Internally & Externally
  Look for opportunities to link to other pages and content within the body copy. When appropriate link to authoritative outside sources.

• Include Date Published on Articles/News
  Timely articles should contain a date in which they were published and/or updated.

• Make Documents Accessible
  Convert MS Office documents into PDF documents or HTML for easier accessibility.

• Resize and Upload Photos
  Save bandwidth on your server and help photos load faster, resize photos to web-appropriate sizes, usually 600-800 pixels.

• Label Photos & Documents Internally
  Be strategic when naming photos and documents. Make it so that you can identify them without knowing the context.

• Add Photo/Image Captions
  Photo captions should give context. Photos and other images tell a story, independently of the article. Be precise and concise.