Do You Need To Update Your Website?

Do you update your website regularly? I don’t mean adding a post or a page but making changes to ensure your site truly reflects who you are and your business goals.

Technology is evolving every day. So is the Internet. Web design has to adapt to these changing standards or be left behind. Most successful websites are the ones that embrace a reinvention by adopting industry best practices where it matters most.

You might think you need to start from scratch to update your website, but that’s not true. What’s true is that you need to keep the best pieces of what you have and build on those to have a website that works – for you and your business.

That is the beauty of WordPress. The nuts and bolts are always there; you only need to add the functionality that will make visitors love using your website.

Below are a few tips that can help you decide if your website is outdated and in urgent need of an overhaul or just a little tweaking.

Using Old Technology

Your website might be elegant and professional for a laptop. But, it may not look the same across different devices and screen resolutions. Pull out the iPad or tablet and find your site. Go ahead; I’ll wait.   How does it look?

A haphazard layout, excessive use of images, too many effects, or a slow site might turn off visitors. We have several seconds to get someone’s attention. Visitors won’t wait long for any site to load. We also get frustrated to have to click enter here to get into the site.

In 2019, 63% of searches were on mobile devices, and that number is even higher today, so chances are your site is being viewed on a mobile device by many of your users.

Think about this; every shopper has a different preference for device and browser. Not being mobile-friendly, you risk losing sales to your competitors. And not being mobile-friendly can hurt your search rankings.

If you’re not sure about how and on what device your site is being viewed, look at your analytics. Google Analytics tells you the browser type and the device type that your visitor is using – take advantage of that data.

Can You Find Information Quickly?

Your website needs to have the most current and relevant information front and center. Old or irrelevant content is the quickest way to lose a potential client and their interest.

Visitors should immediately find the crucial information displayed is displayed in a consistent layout with effortless navigation. Have you ever heard the phrase “don’t make me think”? This is a great guide when presenting your information or navigation to your audience.

Set a timer for five seconds, yes, five seconds, and go to your homepage. What do you notice first?

Your website is not about you. It’s about your customers. If it’s not about your ideal client, it’s time to update your website. You should be answering their needs, not telling them what you do.

Give them a clear and concise headline that tells them what they can expect by working with you. And don’t forget the call to action so they know what to do next.

Having too much or too little content can create a negative impression. Your potential clients have a problem and don’t need to search to find the answers to make it worse.

Your home page needs to have a simple and effective call to action. You want your visitors to move further into your site, not bounce away.

Is Your Branding Up-to-date?

Has your vision or mission changed? This year, I decided to separate my business and personal brand, which meant a new brand and message for each. One avenue focuses on processes and systems while the other tech geek goodness, so we had to adjust our strategies for each.

Your site must reinforce your current brand, and the content must support the message.

Not sure if this is the case? Go to your blog page or any highly trafficked page. Take a good look at the elements on the page.

Do your images support the mood and vibe of your message as well as capture the reader’s attention? How about the colors you are using? Your fonts and colors should also reflect your brand and the vibe you are trying to give. Icons and illustrations help with this too. Or you may be a minimal brand, so text with a few sprinkled enhancements will do.

Your website is a statement. Your statement. What’s it saying about who you are and the message you are conveying?

Is Your Website Showing Up in Search Results?

You can have the prettiest websites, but without considering who you want to attract, it won’t matter. Nailing down your target market and ideal clients is important. And just like your business evolves, so does your customer base.

Why is this important to searchers? Because Google tells us that you need to address the needs of your audience, so if your message, images, and site are filled with fluff, you’re not using your website (a marketing asset) to its full advantage.

Besides being visually appealing, there are three parts to being found online: research, goals, and marketing. Unfortunately, the first two steps are often missed as part of pulling your site together.

Head on over to Google in a private browsing window and type in your name or business name. Do you show up in the first position of the search?

If your site isn’t ranking, it could be bad coding (which keeps the bots from indexing it). Or, possibly, your keywords don’t make sense for your copy. Or that you haven’t optimized your copy at all.

If you fear your website is vanishing into obscurity, now’s the time to update your website or make the changes needed.

A website makeover, however big or small, can certainly help your business realize its true potential. When it comes to the Internet, staying current is everything.

If you’re unsure whether a redesign or update makes sense, try a website analysis. We’ll look at your site and give you first impressions and feedback on making the changes you need to keep your biggest marketing tools doing their job.

What problems are you having with your current website?