17/03/2026
I've already started some spring cleaning at home, as everything just feels and works better once you've chucked out the old stuff and freshened the place up.
But Spring cleans aren't just for your home - you should also schedule in some digital housework on your website. Why? Because a cluttered, out-of-date website is like a dusty, jumbled house - more difficult to get around and harder to find things. And Google doesn't like that.
Or it may look absolutely fine, but website stagnation leads to a drop in rankings, sales and leads.
My own website has been a tad neglected of late, so it's time for an SEO scrubdown. Before I get cracking, the first job is to protect it and close the door to glitches and intruders.
The SEO Spring Scrub: Step One
If youâre running a WordPress site and youâve been ignoring those "Update Available" notifications for a while, youâre basically leaving your front door wide open.
1. Get a backup sorted. Do this first. You need a safety net just in case you hit âupdateâ and something goes wonky. Cover your arse.
2. Update your Plugins. Don't let them sit there gathering security holes.
3. Update your Theme. Keep the framework solid.
4. Bin the duplicates and the junk. I found an old "Christmas Snow" plugin on mine that I haven't used since 2023. I often come across two plugins doing the same jobâpick one and sack the other off.
It usually only takes a few minutes, but it stops the hackers from moving in and keeps everything running as it should. If you haven't done updates for a while, get them on your 'To Do' list now.
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