5 Ways to Improve Your Saskatoon Business Website Before 2026

The end of the year is here, and while you're probably thinking about holiday plans and New Year's resolutions, there's one thing many Saskatoon business owners overlook: their website. Your website works 24/7 to bring in customers, but when was the last time you gave it some attention?

The slow period between Christmas and New Year's is actually the perfect time to make some important improvements to your business website. These updates can help you start 2026 with better visibility, more leads, and a stronger online presence. Best of all, most of these improvements don't require a complete redesign – just some strategic updates that make a real difference.

As someone who helps Saskatoon businesses improve their websites every day, I'm going to walk you through five essential improvements you should prioritize before we ring in 2026. These are the same updates our web development team recommends to local business owners who want to maximize their online impact.

93% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and 75% of users never scroll past the first page of results. If your website isn't optimized, you're losing customers to competitors.

Why Update Your Website Now?

You might be wondering why the end of December is such a great time for website improvements. Here's the thing – most of your competitors are taking time off, which means there's less competition for search rankings and customer attention. Plus, making improvements now means you'll be ahead of the game when customers start searching for businesses like yours in January.

Consumer behavior changes at the start of a new year. People are researching services, making business decisions, and setting budgets. If your website isn't ready to capture that attention, you're leaving money on the table. Here in Saskatoon, we see a significant spike in local business searches every January – you want to be ready for it.

The improvements I'm going to share don't require months of work. Many can be implemented in just a few hours or days, making them perfect for the holiday downtime. Let's dive in.

Improvement #1: Mobile Optimization

If your website doesn't look great on smartphones, you're turning away more than half of your potential customers. In 2025, over 60% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, and Google now uses mobile-first indexing – meaning they look at your mobile site first when determining your search rankings.

Take a few minutes right now to pull up your website on your phone. Does it load quickly? Can you easily tap buttons and links? Is the text readable without zooming in? If you answered "no" to any of these questions, mobile optimization needs to be your top priority before 2026.

What to Check:

• Navigation menu: Should collapse into a "hamburger" menu on mobile
• Button sizes: Need to be large enough to tap easily (at least 44x44 pixels)
• Text readability: Font size should be at least 16px on mobile
• Images: Should resize automatically and not force horizontal scrolling
• Forms: Should be simple to fill out on a small screen
• Contact information: Phone numbers should be tappable for instant calling

Many Saskatoon businesses we work with are shocked to discover their website looks completely broken on mobile devices. This single issue can cost you thousands of dollars in lost business over the course of a year.

Improvement #2: Speed and Performance

A slow website is like having a slow cashier at your store – it frustrates customers and drives them straight to your competitors. Google found that 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load. Every extra second of load time can decrease conversions by up to 7%.

The good news is that improving website speed often involves simple fixes that deliver immediate results. You don't need to be a developer to understand what's slowing down your site and take action.

Quick Speed Improvements:

• Optimize images: Large, uncompressed images are the #1 cause of slow websites. Use tools like TinyPNG to compress images before uploading them
• Remove unused plugins: If you're using WordPress or similar platforms, deactivate and delete plugins you're not actively using
• Enable caching: Caching stores a version of your site to serve to visitors quickly
• Update your hosting: Cheap, shared hosting can severely limit your site's speed – consider upgrading
• Minimize redirects: Every redirect adds loading time. Clean up your site structure

Test your current speed using Google PageSpeed Insights – it's free and gives you specific recommendations. Aim for a score of 80 or higher on both mobile and desktop. Our TechYXE web development team can help optimize your site's performance if the technical details feel overwhelming.

Improvement #3: Local SEO for Saskatoon

Local SEO is how you show up when Saskatoon customers search for businesses like yours. It's one of the most cost-effective ways to get new customers, yet many local businesses completely ignore it. This is especially important heading into 2026, as Google continues to prioritize local search results.

When someone in Saskatoon searches for "web design near me" or "computer repair Saskatoon," you want your business showing up in those results. Local SEO makes that happen, and it doesn't require a huge budget – just consistent effort and smart optimization.

Essential Local SEO Updates:

• Add location keywords: Include "Saskatoon" and "Saskatchewan" naturally throughout your website content, especially on your homepage and service pages
• Create a Google Business Profile: This is absolutely critical. Claim and optimize your profile with accurate hours, photos, and your business category
• Get listed in local directories: Add your business to Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Saskatoon-specific business directories
• Collect customer reviews: Reviews on Google and other platforms boost your local rankings significantly. Set up a system to ask happy customers for reviews
• Add schema markup: This structured data helps Google understand your business details like address, phone number, and hours
• Create location-specific content: Write about topics relevant to Saskatoon customers and mention local landmarks or neighborhoods

Local SEO is a long-term strategy, but the improvements you make today will start paying off within weeks. Many of our Saskatoon clients see measurable increases in local traffic within 30-60 days of implementing proper local SEO. Start with your Google Business Profile – it's the single most important local SEO tool available.

Improvement #4: Clear Contact Information and CTAs

This might sound obvious, but you'd be surprised how many business websites make it difficult for customers to get in touch. Your contact information should be visible on every single page, and your calls-to-action (CTAs) should clearly tell visitors what to do next.

Think about your website visitor's journey. They land on your site, read about your services, and then... what? If the next step isn't crystal clear, many will simply leave and check out a competitor instead. Don't make customers hunt for ways to contact you.

Contact & CTA Checklist:

• Header/footer contact info: Your phone number should appear in the header or footer of every page, and be clickable on mobile devices
• Dedicated contact page: Include multiple ways to reach you – phone, email, contact form, physical address, and a map
• Strategic CTA buttons: Use action words like "Get a Free Quote," "Schedule a Consultation," or "Call Us Today" instead of generic "Contact Us"
• Business hours: Display your hours prominently so customers know when to expect a response
• Response time expectations: Let people know how quickly you typically respond to inquiries
• Multiple contact options: Some people prefer phone, others email, some want live chat. Offer choices

Here's a pro tip: add a sticky call button that follows users as they scroll on mobile. This makes it incredibly easy for Saskatoon customers to call you instantly while they're looking at your site. We implement these on all the websites we build for local businesses, and they consistently generate more phone calls.

Improvement #5: Fresh, Relevant Content

Google loves fresh content, and so do your potential customers. If your website hasn't been updated since 2023, it sends a signal that your business might be inactive or outdated. Before 2026 starts, take some time to refresh your content and show that you're current and active.

Fresh content doesn't necessarily mean writing entirely new pages. Sometimes it's as simple as updating existing pages with current information, adding recent project photos, or publishing a blog post about industry trends. The key is showing both search engines and visitors that your site is actively maintained.

Content Updates to Make:

• Update copyright year: Change "© 2024" to "© 2025" – it's a small detail that matters
• Refresh service descriptions: Add any new services you offer, remove outdated ones
• Update portfolio/case studies: Showcase your most recent work, especially projects from this year
• Add recent testimonials: Fresh customer reviews build trust and credibility
• Write a year-end blog post: Share your business achievements, industry insights, or plans for 2026
• Check for broken links: Internal and external links can break over time – fix them
• Update prices (if needed): Make sure your pricing information is current and accurate

Consider starting a simple blog if you don't have one already. Even one quality blog post per month can significantly improve your search rankings for Saskatoon-related searches. Blog content gives you opportunities to target specific keywords, answer customer questions, and demonstrate your expertise.

Get Professional Website Help in Saskatoon

Ready to take your business website to the next level in 2026? TechYXE specializes in creating and optimizing professional websites for Saskatoon businesses. Our website development service has helped dozens of local businesses increase their online visibility, attract more customers, and grow their revenue.

Whether you need a complete website redesign or just want to implement these five improvements, our local Saskatoon team is here to help.

Our web development service includes:

• Custom website design starting at just $199 - professional sites tailored to your business goals and optimized for conversions
• Mobile-first design - your site will look perfect and load fast on every device, from phones to desktops
• Local SEO optimization - get found by Saskatoon customers searching for your services on Google
• Speed optimization - we'll make sure your site loads in under 3 seconds for better rankings and conversions
• Clear CTAs and contact forms - make it easy for customers to reach you and convert visitors into leads
• Content strategy - we'll help you create content that ranks well and resonates with your target audience
• Ongoing support - keep your site updated, secure, and performing well all year long

Stop starting 2026 with an outdated website that's costing you customers. Contact us today for a free consultation and let's discuss how we can improve your online presence before the new year begins!

Related Articles

• How to Choose the Right Website for Your Saskatoon Business - Essential considerations when planning your business website
• Common Web Design Mistakes That Hurt Your Business - Avoid these critical errors that drive customers away
• DIY Website vs. Professional: What's Best for Your Saskatoon Business? - Compare your options and make an informed decision
• How to Choose a Web Designer in Saskatoon - Find the right web design partner for your business