10 signs your website needs an update

10 signs your website needs an update


Are you giving your website visitors a great user experience?


When was the last time you took a good look at your website?


Over time, your business is continually evolving. The services you offer may change, you might adjust the way you communicate with customers, and you may even update your branding.


Your website acts likes your 24/7 online billboard—so it should always reflect what your business looks like today.


If your website no longer showcases your business in quite the right way, it might be time for an update. And while refreshing or redesigning your website can seem like a big project, it’s also one that definitely should not be put on the back burner.


Why should I keep my website up to date?


A well designed, frequently updated website is essential to build trust and credibility with your prospective and current customers. You’ll show your professionalism and help to bolster your reputation when you provide the information visitors are looking for in a safe, secure, easy to navigate browsing experience.


If you have an outdated, poorly designed website, it may be holding you back in more ways than you think. A poor user experience can make potential customers wonder about the quality of your service in other areas, too.


For many potential customers, your website may be their only point of contact with your business during their initial research phase. And if they’re left feeling underwhelmed, it might spell the end of your relationship before it’s even begun. The takeaway: your website could actually be costing you customers without you even realizing it!


If you notice one or more of these 10 signs, it might be time to consider if your website needs an update.


10 signs your website needs an update


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Sign #1: It’s hard to navigate


When it comes to usability, simplicity is key. Think about what customers want to do when they visit your website. Do they want to find out information, read about your services, sign up for a demo or make a purchase? If a potential customer can’t easily find what they’re looking for, they might be tempted to visit your competitor’s website instead.


Sign #2: Outdated content


If people can’t believe what they read on your website, you’re undermining your trustworthiness. Check frequently for out of date pricing, old promotions and any team members who have left the company. Double check your address and phone numbers, too.


Scroll right to the bottom of your website and look at the copyright date in the footer. If it’s showing a previous year, update it immediately! Details like these may seem small, but they definitely add up to give potential customers a bad impression of your business.


Sign #3: Missing or poor quality images


Appealing, enticing images are essential for any website. You’ll fail to show your business in the best light if your website is filled with missing images or low-quality, grainy photos. Cheesy stock images and outdated graphics can have the same effect, acting as a big turnoff to potential customers.


10 signs your website needs an update

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Sign #4: It’s slow to load


As attention spans get shorter and shorter, consumers have less and less patience when it comes to slow websites.


The longer your site takes to load, the more you risk frustrating your customers. As many as 47% of consumers expect a website to load in 2 seconds or less—and if it takes more than 3 seconds to load, 40% will abandon the site entirely.[1]


Sign #5: There’s a branding mismatch


A consistent brand identity is crucial to help people trust you. Using different logos and designs on your website versus other marketing efforts can give a very confusing message to your customers, and you risk looking unprofessional, disorganized and untrustworthy.


Sign #6: It’s not mobile-friendly


Ever since 2016, mobile browsing has surpassed desktop traffic in volume—and it’s reported that mobile traffic now makes up more than 2/3 of all browsing activity.[2]


If your website is not mobile-friendly, you’re definitely missing out. Content that’s hard to read or navigate on mobile devices can be a big red flag to potential customers. The speed of your mobile site is also important: Google’s recently rolled out Speed Update algorithm now factors in mobile site load time as a ranking signal.[3]


Sign #7: Infrequently updated blogs


Businesses in all industries can benefit from having a blog on their website. It’s a great way to build a portfolio of quality content you can drive traffic to time and time again. It’s also often the first place people will be exposed to your brand: 70% of consumers learn about a company through its blog versus ads.[4]


When deciding whether to choose you or not, potential customers will be wary if you have infrequently updated blogs—no matter how great the content is. A neglected blog gives the warning that there might be other areas of your business that are being neglected, too.


10 signs your website needs an update


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Sign #8: Your website isn’t secure


If your website isn’t secure, you’re telling your customers that you don’t care about their online safety. Without a secure website, private information like addresses and credit card details can easily be intercepted by cybercriminals.


What’s more, you’ll be penalized in Google search results for having an unsecured website, making it harder for potential customers to even find you in the first place.


Sign #9: Broken links


Broken links are a sure sign for customers that you’re not keeping your website up to date. Make sure you check for them regularly, including the ones that can be often overlooked—like the social media links in your website’s footer.


You should also test all of your website forms regularly to make sure they’re working correctly: you might be missing out on great leads without even realizing!


Sign #10: It’s hard to add or update content


Your customers won’t notice this one, but you’ll feel the pain every time you try to make changes. If it’s a struggle to add new blogs, change images or update copy, it might be time to consider a website update.


With over 14 years of experience designing optimized websites, we’ve seen countless web design trends come and go. One thing that hasn’t changed over the years? What your website’s ultimate goal should be: to provide a great user experience.


We’ve worked with hundreds of clients across many different industries to help them improve their online presence. And while technology is always changing, these are the key things we believe will help your business’s website stand the test of time.


Our cornerstones of a good website:

  • Easy to understand navigation and site structure
  • Content that’s fresh and relevant to your audience
  • Effective CTAs to capture leads
  • A safe, secure browsing experience (and shopping experience, for e-commerce sites).

If you think your website needs an update, take advantage of our years of web design experience and contact us today.


10 signs your website needs an update


Click here to get started


Read more:

Google Analytics: a guide for small businesses

Building a better website experience for Merritt Contracting Corporation

The 6 biggest branding mistakes you can make, and how to avoid them

Sources:

  1. Tenzing
  2. Stone Temple
  3. Google
  4. Quick Sprout
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