As we step into a new year, many organizations focus on fresh goals, improved systems, and streamlined workflows. But one of the most impactful areas to refresh is often overlooked: your website. Just like your business evolves, your website needs regular care to stay fast, secure, and user-friendly.
A high-performing website isn’t just nice to have — it directly influences customer trust, search rankings, and conversion rates. If you want to make 2026 the year your digital presence levels up, now is the perfect time for a site refresh.
Why Website Performance Matters More Than Ever
Website performance comes down to three foundational pillars:
1. Speed
A slow website is one of the quickest ways to lose a potential customer. Research shows that as page load time increases from 1 to 3 seconds, bounce rates increase by over 30%. Search engines also reward fast, optimized sites through better rankings.
A fast site creates a strong first impression, reduces user frustration, and encourages visitors to stay longer — all of which translate to better outcomes for you and your business.
Here are a few of the ways our team improves website load times for our clients. These updates can be provided upon request and are handled entirely by our team:
- Compress images and condense content where you can.
- Reduce the use of CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.
- Remove unused or outdated plugins and scripts.
Small adjustments like these can drastically reduce load times and improve your site’s user experience.
2. Security
Cyber threats continue to evolve, and outdated sites are easy targets. Strong website security protects both your organization and the people who use your site. From SSL certificates to firewalls and regular updates, modern security practices help ensure your site is safe and reliable. Partnering with JNT ensures your site is secure and up to date against the most modern threats. We follow all the practices suggested below!
Smart security practices for the new year:
- Confirm all third-party tools are maintained by partners who follow secure, up-to-date development practices.
- Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter malicious traffic.
- Set up automated malware scanning.
- Use strong, limited-access authentication for your admin areas. JNT’s Merlin CMS software is limited to only those whom you dictate as necessary for your business, keeping your site accurate and secure.
3. Responsiveness
Today’s users expect seamless experiences across all devices — desktop, tablet, and mobile. Google’s Core Web Vitals now emphasize responsive design and interaction-based metrics, which means both layout stability and quick responsiveness have become essential for the user experience and SEO. Partnering with JNT for web services ensures your site is always responsive, to meet your customers, wherever they are.
A responsive site:
- Adapts cleanly to all screen sizes.
- Loads quickly on mobile networks.
- Keeps buttons, links, and forms easy to use.
- Ensures content is readable without zooming or scrolling horizontally.
Good responsive design isn’t just about looks — it directly impacts accessibility, user engagement, and overall performance.
Tools to Measure Your Website’s Health
Before making updates, it’s helpful to get a baseline. These tools provide free, easy insights:
- JNT’s support team - We are always happy to run a diagnosis of your site to improve user experience for you and your users, or provide suggestions on how to improve your site.
- Google PageSpeed Insights — Gives clear, actionable recommendations based on Core Web Vitals.
Running these tools regularly helps identify issues early and keeps your site in its best shape throughout the year.
Start the New Year with a Site That Works Harder for You
Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business — and in today’s digital-first world, performance matters more than ever. A new year is the perfect time to give your website the tune-up it deserves.
If you’d like help identifying your highest-impact opportunities or want support making improvements, our team is here to help!
MacKenzie Neuhauser
Director of Operations & Projects, JNT Company
