As the year winds down, many radio station managers find themselves in reflection mode—taking inventory of what needs improvement. For some, that leads to the revelation: “It’s time to upgrade our website.” The new year brings a renewed focus on digital, and your station website is often at the heart of that pivot. That’s a great instinct—but without a clear plan, it can turn into a costly mistake.
If you’re considering a website upgrade as part of your New Year’s resolution, it’s essential to look back before you leap forward. What content consistently drew traffic this year? Which pages performed best? What content or feature item did you wish you had, but didn’t? What are your digital revenue goals? Answers to these questions help build the blueprint for where you’re headed.
Too often, the first step radio managers take is to start “shopping” for a new website provider without first defining what they want to do with their new website. That’s like buying broadcast equipment or an automation system solely based on price, without verifying that it supports the features you need.
Let’s be honest—there are more options than ever now. There are radio-specific platforms like Skyrocket Radio, DIY builders like Wix or Squarespace, radio station website templates, and even complete AI-driven site generators. All of these promise a fast, affordable path to a fresh website. But fast and cheap don’t always equal good—and they rarely equal sustainable.
That free or cheap template you found that makes it look easy might require thousands of dollars in developer tweaks to work the way your station needs it to. A service may have a barter deal that sounds like a dream, but once you calculate the commercial inventory you’re handing over, it may be 3–4 times the cost of a straightforward cash-based provider. And while drag-and-drop site builders have gotten better over the years, you still need a designer’s eye to ensure your brand looks professional and not like a middle school project.
Every option has its strengths and weaknesses. The trick is matching the strengths to your plan—not the other way around. What will you be doing better than before? Will you be focusing on local news? How easy is it to update the website? Do we need it to handle events, contests, weather closings, directories, “swap shop” programming, and/or obituaries? Can we import anything we’ve done in the past? Can we include our podcasts? How will it interact with our streaming provider and mobile app?
And then there’s the stuff that often gets overlooked: hosting, backups, security, content automation, training, and tech support. These aren’t bells and whistles—they’re the backbone of a smooth-running digital operation. That free template needs a hosting plan with continuous maintenance. Who does that and for how much? See what I mean?
As tempting as it is to go with the lowest price, resist the urge… at first. Allow price to be a determining factor once you’ve narrowed your search to few options that check all of your requirement boxes. A website isn’t a one-time purchase. It’s an evolving tool that should grow with your station. Make sure the option you choose can scale with your vision—not limit it.
In the end, the best investment you can make isn’t just in a new website—it’s in the time you spend planning what that website should do for you. That homework will pay off long after the launch date.
Pic generated by Nano Banana Pro.
Jim Sherwood is a radio veteran turned digital strategist dedicated to helping radio stations thrive online through engaging websites and mobile apps. As the founder of Skyrocket Radio and host of the Better Radio Websites podcast, he shares best practices to help stations grow audiences and revenue in the digital space. With decades of experience in radio and a passion for connecting content with listeners, Jim ensures that every station—no matter its size—can make a lasting impact online.