Does your small business website need an upgrade? Here are some of the most prominent signs that the time has come to invest in a website update for your company.
It takes the average customer less than two-tenths of a second to form a first impression of your brand. Based on this impression, they’ll either buy from you or not. Your website is the best marketing tool in your tool belt, but if it’s not working for you, it’s working against you.
In 2020, the reality is that 60% of consumers won’t shop on your website if it’s neglected or seems outdated. Customers feel that if your website isn’t reliable, then your business won’t be either. Gone are the days of having a ‘semi-functional’ site that ‘kind-of,’ ‘sort-of’ works!
Here are eight crucial signs that your website design has had its day and needs a refresh. If you recognize even one of these signs, then it’s time to consider upgrading to a new website.
#1: You Have Clunky Navigation with a Dated Design
Does your small business website seem a little dated to you? If your design is old and your website is hard to use—then your customer experience won’t be what it should be. The consequence is that 75% of your visiting customers will draw negative conclusions about your credibility.
There are key benefits to updating website navigation that will improve your bottom line. It speeds up site exploration, reduces page bounce rates, and helps customers move seamlessly through the purchase process. If your site feels dated and isn’t easy to use, you’re actively losing sales.
If it doesn’t work well or have a modern design, it’s time to update.
#2: Your Brand Visuals Are Mismatched
Does your business website still use your old brand identity from a few years ago? Having mismatched brand visuals communicates one thing—you’re inconsistent and untrustworthy. A different name, different graphics, and a lack of continuity will harm your online presence.
Consistent branding is essential on the internet. Your site should reflect your current brand identity because it’s the central hub of your business, online or not. Express your brand culture, identity, and personality in a way that says, ‘we’re always getting better.’
If your online brand hasn’t been updated, then you have to update.
#3: Your Site Is Difficult to See and Use on Mobile
Is your website mobile-friendly? If you look at your site on your phone right now and it’s hard to read, then it hasn’t been optimized for smartphones. Considering 70% of all web traffic happens on a mobile device, you’re cutting out a huge portion of your potential customer base.
In 2020, a business website design has to look its best on mobile devices first. With a mobile-friendly website, you drastically increase your chances of attracting and converting paying customers. People love to shop on their smart devices so give them the chance!
If your website isn’t mobile-first, then updating is the best course of action.
#4: You Have Stale and Outdated Content
Is the content on your website outdated? Lack of relevant, engaging content is a red flag! Customers expect the information on your site to be accurate and regularly updated. Products no longer offered, deals from 2013, and irrelevant blog posts are symptoms of stale content.
The importance of updated website content also lies in your ability to rank well. Outdated content harms your SEO and lowers your domain authority. This means less organic traffic, and customers will wonder if you’re still in business. You must keep your content current on the internet.
If your site has stale, outdated content, then you should update it as soon as possible.
#5: Lack of Search Engine Optimization
Does your business website attract organic traffic? If not, your site may not be search engine friendly. Ranking on search engines is essential for long-term marketing effectiveness. When your site doesn’t rank well, it could lack the factors that help websites rise in search results.
SEO is a key driver for lead attraction and creating more sales. It helps customers find you organically when they’re looking for your products and services online. With an optimized website, you’ll gain more search visibility and reach markets you didn’t know existed!
If your site isn’t optimized for the search engines, it’s time for a redesign.
#6: You Have No Website Security
Is your website online without any real security behind it? Nowadays, it’s so important to have a business site that has iron-clad cybersecurity to protect you from hackers and criminals. With 43% of cyber breaches victimizing small businesses, there’s no room for error.
A website upgrade will prevent you from having your site torn down, deleted, locked away, or spammed. Protect your consumer and transactional data with a modern website hosted on a secure server. As a result, your clients will feel safe and secure when they do business with you.
If your business website isn’t secure from hackers, then upgrade now.
#7: Your Site Is Slow to Load
Does your small business website load slowly? Half of your customers will leave if they have to wait for more than 3 seconds. A slow loading web page is indicative of one that hasn’t been optimized and isn’t updated often. Page speed is a ranking factor that impacts ranking and sales.
According to marketing expert Neil Patel, for every second you force customers to wait, you’re losing money. Your site code and design need to be modern with much of your content compressed and optimized for speed. Then, your customers can hop from one page to another, buying freely without obstacles.
If you have to wait for your website pages to load, you must update your design.
#8: You Have No Social Media Links
Does your website lack social media links? The little social icons that help your customers communicate, engage, and share with your business are an important sales tool. If you have a few social media accounts, but they’re not linked to your website, you’re losing leads.
Social media is social proof that adds credibility to your business, and that can significantly impact your bottom line. It gives your customers evidence that you’re real and that you’re out there engaging with your buyers. A site with no links makes customers feel doubtful, suspicious, and insecure about buying from you.
If you have no social media links on your site, then you should consider upgrading.
If one or more of these key indicators have jumped out at you during this article, then perhaps it’s time for a website update. Get a website design service that gives you all of these amazing features and makes it easy for you to update your content on an ongoing basis.
Find an all-in-one service that covers hosting, design, development, and copywriting so that you can head into 2021 with a high-performance site that takes you places.
There are many reasons to redesign your website but the best reason of all is to keep your business growing in the right direction. Your website is the greatest marketing tool you own!
These eight signs mean that your online presence is waning and could be inhibiting your business growth. Your website can be so much more than it is right now. Once you experience thousands of people visiting your products and services each day, you’ll wonder why you ever let it become outdated in the first place.
Remember, if your business website isn’t working for you, it’s working against you! Update that site!
