Something smelling a bit over-ripe in your browser tabs? It may be more of a sense than a definite conclusion but here are just a few signs you might need a new website …
Your website is often the first point of contact between your business and potential customers in the digital age. Sadly, “vintage” and “rustic” might taste great on a cracker … but if it applies to your website, it’s going to be doing your reputation some harm.
Here are just a few questions you could ask yourself. They should help you decide if it’s time to freshen things up …
Does it Look Cheesy?
It can be a tricky one this – it’s not that design is subjective (it’s not) but aesthetics are. It can be difficult to remember that a successful website is not one that you like but one that your customers like.
Trends in web design evolve rapidly, and an antiquated look can be a major turn-off for visitors.
In the early days of digital design, to help users understand the interface, skeuomorphic designs abounded. That is, visual metaphors closely related to their material counterparts were the starting point for much of the interface design …
As users became more familiar with the touch-screen interface – these designs began to reek of roquefort and were ultimately dropped. Tabs and bevelled boxes in a form (to resembled clickable buttons) are about the only skeuomorphic elements left in use … and even they, unless artfully used, can look naff.
Outdated visual design is typically the most obvious sign you might need a new website.
Slow Load Times
Newer websites use smarter technologies and they use a lot of techniques to improve the impression of speed. Newer image formats deliver quicker images using less data. Asynchronous loading lets your users see something before your entire site has arrived on their browser.
By contrast, a slow website can frustrate visitors and impact your search engine rankings. Users today expect instant gratification, and if your website takes too long to load, they will abandon ship. Fast.
You may not need a new website yet. But you should invest in optimising your site’s speed by compressing images, leveraging browser caching and considering a faster hosting solution. See here.
Mobile Unfriendliness
With the majority of internet users browsing on mobile devices, having a website that isn’t optimised for mobile is a big no-no. If your website isn’t responsive or mobile-friendly, you could be losing a significant portion of your audience. Google also prioritises mobile-friendly websites in search results, so it’s crucial for SEO.
Mobile Friendliness is Not Constant
It used to be that a website looking OK on a mobile phone was enough. But Google moves the goalposts all the time. For example, recently, amongst the many factors Google judges when ranking sites is Cumulative Layout Shift. That is, how much the elements of the page move as the code loads.
Newer websites and themes have this pretty much sorted but, if you built your website before this was a factor, it is likely the shift will be quite pronounced. Google doesn’t like it (it will damage your ranking) and, increasingly, your prospective clients won’t either – you might need a new website.
Outdated Content
When was the last time you updated your website’s content? If the answer is ”a long time ago” or “don’t remember” your website may be conveying outdated information to visitors. Regularly updating content not only keeps your audience informed but also boosts your search engine rankings.
Broken Links
Broken links are not only frustrating for users but also detrimental to your site’s SEO. Conduct regular link checks and fix any broken links to ensure a smooth browsing experience.
Nonexistent Social Media Integration
In today’s interconnected world, social media is a powerful tool for expanding your online presence. If your website lacks integration with social media platforms, you’ll be missing out on opportunities to engage with your audience and drive traffic.
Poor Conversion Rates
A website’s primary goal is often to convert visitors into customers or leads. If your conversion rates are lagging, it’s time to reassess your website’s layout, calls to action, and overall user flow.
Make it easy for visitors to take the desired action.
Changes and Updates are Becoming Rapidly More Expensive
If every change to the site is costing an arm and a leg, it may be that your site is becoming mired in technical debt. As a website ages, code decisions made as the site was developed can restrict development opportunities as your demands change and technologies develop.
Dealing with technical debt can be very expensive. It requires expert judgement – sometimes it can just be easier to take a deep breath and build a replacement application. The lessons of the previous iteration can be learned and vast improvements made.
Security Concerns
Security is paramount on the internet, and if your website isn’t secure, it can result in a loss of trust from visitors.
Ensure that your website has a valid SSL certificate. If it doesn’t most browsers will display a prominent notice telling your users that you may be trying to steal their data. Watch them flee.
Regularly update software and implement other security measures to protect both your business and your users.
Conclusion
Just like the stench of old cheese can be a signal that it’s time to clear out, these signs indicate it’s time to give your website a thorough inspection.
Don’t let your online presence become stale – invest the time and resources needed to keep your website smelling sweet and appealing to your audience.
Need Our Help?
You might need a new website, you might not. But a fresh, well-designed, and functional website will not only attracts visitors but also keeps them engaged.
Call us for free consultation.