Is Your Municipal Website Outdated? Use This 7-Point Checklist
Your Municipality’s website might be hurting more than helping. If it hasn’t been updated in a few years, it’s likely out of sync with what residents expect.
Small municipalities often rely on older systems that are hard to update or maintain. That can make the site slow, confusing, or impossible to use on a phone. This simple checklist will help you determine if it’s time for an upgrade.
1. Is your website mobile-friendly?
Open your site on your phone. Do menus work? Is the text readable without zooming? Can you find basic information in a few taps?
Tip: If not, your site is excluding most residents. More than 60 percent of website traffic comes from mobile devices. Munibit builds mobile-first civic websites designed for residents on the go.
2. Does your website use SSL (secure HTTPS)?
If your site loads with a "Not Secure" message, residents may not trust it. Secure sites use "https://" and have a small padlock icon in the browser bar.
Tip: SSL is required to protect forms, contact info, and public confidence.
3. Can residents easily navigate your website?
Is there a clear main menu? Can you reach permits, town services, or events in just one or two clicks?
Tip: Simplify navigation using a services-first approach. Here’s a great example: https://cityofvanalstyne.us/
4. Is your content up to date?
Look at your most recent meeting minutes or news post. Is it from this year? Are staff listings current?
Tip: Assign one person to check and update content monthly. Munibit’s all-in-one platform makes this easy.
5. Are there any broken links?
Click around the site and see if any pages lead to errors or “Page Not Found” messages. Broken links confuse users and hurt search rankings.
Tip: Use a free tool like Broken Link Checker or work with Munibit to set up a quick audit.
6. Is your site ADA accessible?
Can the site be used with a keyboard? Are images labeled with alt text? Are contrast and font sizes readable?
Tip: Accessibility is not optional. Every municipal website must follow ADA guidelines and starting on April 26th 2027 all municipal websites must also follow the DOJ ADA Title II Rule requiring WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Make sure your site is updated by then!
7. Does it load in 3 seconds or less?
Slow sites frustrate users. You can test your page speed using tools like PageSpeed Insights.
Tip: Pages should load in under 3 seconds. Munibit websites are speed-optimized even for rural bandwidth.
TL;DR: Outdated Municipal Website? Use this Checklist.
If your town website has any of these, it’s time to upgrade:
Not mobile-friendly
Lacking security
Confusing to navigate
Outdated
Broken links
Inaccessible
Or slow to load...