New Year, New Digital Strategy
As we step into 2026, it's the perfect time to take a hard look at your business's online presence. What's working? What's not? Where are the opportunities you've been ignoring?
Whether your website is brand new or several years old, setting clear digital goals gives you direction and something measurable to work toward.
The Website Health Check
Before setting goals, you need to know where you stand. Run through this quick assessment:
Performance
- [ ] Does your site load in under 3 seconds?
- [ ] Is it mobile-friendly?
- [ ] Are there any broken links or 404 errors?
Content
- [ ] Is your information current and accurate?
- [ ] When was the last time you updated your content?
- [ ] Does your site clearly explain what you do and who you serve?
Visibility
- [ ] Can people find you when they search for your services?
- [ ] Is your Google Business Profile optimized?
- [ ] Are you showing up in local search results?
Conversion
- [ ] Do you have clear calls-to-action?
- [ ] Is your contact information easy to find?
- [ ] Are you capturing leads effectively?
Setting SMART Digital Goals
Vague goals like "improve our website" don't work. Use the SMART framework:
- Specific - What exactly will you accomplish?
- Measurable - How will you know if you've succeeded?
- Achievable - Is this realistic given your resources?
- Relevant - Does this support your business objectives?
- Time-bound - When will you accomplish this?
Examples of SMART Goals
Weak goal: "Get more website traffic"
SMART goal: "Increase organic website traffic by 25% by June 30, 2026, by publishing two blog posts per month targeting local search terms."
Weak goal: "Improve our online presence"
SMART goal: "Increase Google Business Profile views by 50% and reach 50 total reviews (with 4.5+ average rating) by December 31, 2026."
Digital Goals Worth Considering
Website Performance
- Achieve a Google PageSpeed score of 90+ on mobile
- Reduce average page load time to under 2 seconds
- Fix all broken links and error pages
Content & SEO
- Publish X blog posts per month
- Rank on page one for [specific local keyword]
- Update all outdated content on the site
Lead Generation
- Increase form submissions by X%
- Implement a chatbot to capture after-hours leads
- Create a lead magnet (guide, checklist, etc.)
Reviews & Reputation
- Reach X total Google reviews
- Respond to all reviews within 48 hours
- Maintain 4.5+ star average rating
Social & Marketing
- Grow email list by X subscribers
- Increase social media engagement by X%
- Launch a monthly email newsletter
Prioritizing Your Goals
You can't do everything at once. Prioritize based on:
1. Impact
Which goals will have the biggest effect on your business? A website that doesn't convert is worse than no website—fixing conversion issues usually has high impact.
2. Effort
What's the level of effort required? Quick wins build momentum.
3. Resources
What can you realistically accomplish with your time and budget?
The Priority Matrix
| High Impact, Low Effort | High Impact, High Effort |
|------------------------|-------------------------|
| Do these first | Plan carefully |
| Fix mobile issues | Website redesign |
| Update Google Business Profile | Content strategy |
| Add calls-to-action | New functionality |
| Low Impact, Low Effort | Low Impact, High Effort |
|-----------------------|------------------------|
| Do when time permits | Skip or delegate |
| Minor content updates | Complex analytics |
| Social posting | Features nobody needs |
Building Your Action Plan
Q1 (January - March): Foundation
- Complete website health check
- Fix any critical issues (speed, mobile, broken links)
- Set up proper analytics tracking
- Claim/optimize Google Business Profile
Q2 (April - June): Content & Visibility
- Launch content calendar
- Start consistent blog posting
- Implement review request process
- Begin local SEO optimization
Q3 (July - September): Growth
- Evaluate what's working and double down
- Consider new features or functionality
- Build email list more aggressively
- Test paid advertising if budget allows
Q4 (October - December): Optimization
- Analyze full year performance
- A/B test key pages
- Plan for next year
- Holiday-specific campaigns if relevant
Tracking Progress
Essential Metrics to Monitor
Traffic
- Total visitors (monthly)
- Traffic sources (organic, direct, referral, social)
- New vs. returning visitors
Engagement
- Pages per session
- Average time on site
- Bounce rate
Conversion
- Form submissions
- Phone calls (track with call tracking)
- Goal completion rate
Local/Reputation
- Google Business Profile views
- Review count and rating
- Local search rankings
Review Cadence
- Weekly: Quick traffic check
- Monthly: Full metrics review, content published
- Quarterly: Goal progress review, strategy adjustments
- Annually: Complete audit and goal setting
What If You're Starting from Zero?
If your website is outdated or you don't have one at all, here's your priority order:
- Get a functional, mobile-friendly website - Nothing else matters without this
- Claim your Google Business Profile - Free and high-impact
- Set up basic analytics - Google Analytics 4 is free
- Establish one social media presence - Pick where your customers are
- Create a review request process - Start building social proof
The Accountability Factor
Goals without accountability tend to fade. Consider:
- Calendar reminders - Schedule monthly check-ins with yourself
- Accountability partner - Share goals with someone who'll follow up
- Public commitment - Tell customers you're improving (and ask for feedback)
- Professional help - Work with a web professional who can keep you on track
Start Now
Don't wait until "next Monday" or "after this busy period." The best time to improve your online presence is always now.
Pick one goal from this article. Write it down. Put a deadline on it. Take the first step today.
Need help creating your digital roadmap for 2026? Schedule a free strategy call and let's build a plan together.