The 2026 Digital Health Check: A 30-Minute Audit for Your Small Business
Happy New Year! We have officially welcomed 2026.
You’ve likely done a stock take in the shop, tidied your desk, and set your revenue goals for the year ahead. But have you done a stock take of your digital presence?
Over the course of a busy year, "digital rot" sets in. Old opening hours get left up, links break, pinned social posts become irrelevant, and your website footer still says "Copyright 2024."
These might seem like tiny details, but to a potential customer, they are friction. And in 2026, friction kills sales. A broken link or a wrong phone number tells a customer: "We don't care about the details."
Grab a coffee and take 30 minutes today to run through this essential Digital Health Check. Let’s make sure your business looks as sharp online as it does offline.
1. The "Open or Closed" Audit (Google Business Profile)
Your Google Business Profile is often the very first thing a customer sees - before they even click your website.
Check Opening Hours: Did you change your hours for Christmas and forget to switch them back? Are you sticking to the same hours for 2026? Ensure Google knows exactly when you are open today.
Review Your "Services": Google often auto-adds services based on user suggestions. Check your list and delete anything you don’t actually offer.
Update Photos: If your main cover photo is from three years ago, or shows an old layout of the shop, change it. Upload 3-5 fresh, high-quality images of your current stock or team.
Check the Map Pin: It sounds silly, but is the pin actually in the right spot? I see many businesses where the pin is slightly down the road, confusing sat-nav users.
2. The Website Walkthrough
Don't look at your website as the owner; look at it as a frustrated customer on a mobile phone with poor signal.
The Copyright Date: Scroll to the very bottom of your footer. Does it say "© 2026 Your Business"? If it still says 2024 (or older!), it makes your business look inactive. Update it immediately.
Test Your Contact Forms: When was the last time you filled in your own "Contact Us" form? Do it now. Check that the email actually lands in your inbox and doesn't get swallowed by spam.
Click Your Phone Number: On your mobile, tap the phone number in your header. Does it automatically launch a call? If not, you’re losing leads.
Broken Link Check: Click your main menu items and social icons. Do they all work? There is nothing worse than clicking an Instagram icon that leads to a "Page Not Found" error.
3. Social Media Housekeeping
Your social channels should be a live feed of your business, not a history museum.
Update Your Bio: Does your Instagram bio still mention a "Christmas Offer" or an event from last November? Refresh it with your current focus for Q1 2026.
Check Your "Link in Bio": If you use Linktree or similar, click the link. Remove any dead links to old products or expired blog posts.
Review Pinned Posts: Unpin that "We are hiring" post from six months ago if the role is filled. Pin a fresh introduction to your business or your latest offer.
4. The "Backend" Admin (The Boring but Vital Stuff)
This saves you a headache later in the year.
Domain & Hosting Renewal: Check when your
yourbusiness.co.ukdomain and hosting package renews. Ensure your payment card on file is valid so your site doesn't accidentally go offline.Software Subscriptions: Are you still paying for that scheduling tool or design app you stopped using in 2025? Cancel the dead weight.
Why This Matters
In the digital world, accuracy equals trust.
When a customer finds correct hours, working links, and fresh content, they subconsciously trust that you are a professional, reliable business. If they find digital cobwebs, they wonder if the service will be just as sloppy.
Is your digital to-do list looking a little overwhelming for 2026? At Brand Canyon, I help Market Harborough businesses clean up, optimise, and grow their online presence. If you want a professional audit to start the year right, let's talk.