The Cobbler's Children Have No Shoes: A Digital Creative's Dilemma

Enjoying easter eggs whilst working

Quick coffee meeting in Farnham

Planing my work for myself for once

It's a tale as old as time in the digital creative world—I spend my days crafting beautiful, functional websites for local businesses while my own digital presence languishes in neglect. The irony isn't lost on me. As I help my clients blossom online this spring, my own website sits frozen in time, a digital relic from seasons past.

Sound familiar? If you're like me—finally carving out time to refresh your own online home while juggling client projects—here are my top tips for making the most of your website spring cleaning:

Start With a Content Audit

Before diving into design changes, take inventory of what you have. Which pages perform well? What content feels outdated? This bird's-eye view helps prioritise your efforts and prevents the overwhelm that often stops us from starting at all.

Focus on Mobile Experience First

Most visitors will view your site on mobile devices. Ensure your site looks stunning and functions flawlessly on smaller screens before expanding your focus to desktop views. This "mobile-first" approach aligns with how search engines evaluate your site, too.

Simplify Your Navigation

Over time, websites often accumulate pages that complicate user journeys. Streamline your menu structure to guide visitors to key information with fewer clicks. Remember: every additional navigation option increases the cognitive load on your visitors.

Update Your Portfolio with Recent Work

Nothing says "outdated website" like a portfolio full of three-year-old projects. Showcase your latest and greatest work, even if it means removing older samples. Quality over quantity wins every time.

Refresh Your Visual Elements

Updated photography, illustrations, or graphics can transform your site's feel without requiring a complete redesign. Even small visual refreshes signal to returning visitors that your site is actively maintained.

Review and Optimise Page Speed

Site speed affects both user experience and search rankings. Compress images, leverage browser caching, and minimise code to keep your pages loading quickly. Tools like Google's PageSpeed Insights can identify specific optimisation opportunities.

Implement Basic SEO Improvements

Update title tags, meta descriptions, and headings to reflect current keywords and services. These small changes can significantly impact your search visibility without requiring major structural changes.

Add Social Proof

Have you collected client testimonials while working on their projects? Add these gems to your site—they build credibility more effectively than any self-promotion ever could.

The greatest challenge isn't knowing what to do—it's making the time to do it. I've learned to schedule "own website time" with the same commitment I give to client projects. Even two dedicated hours each month keeps things from falling completely behind.

As I implement these changes on my own site (finally!), I'm reminded that our websites are never truly "finished." They're living digital spaces that grow and evolve with our businesses.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to practice what I preach and update my own about page—it still says I have three years of experience when I'm going on seven!

What about you? Have you fallen into the "cobbler's children" trap with your own website? Share your experience in the comments below.