When it’s Time to Give Your Website a Makeover
You’ve probably heard it only takes a few seconds for a person to form a first impression about someone, and that’s what sets the tone for further interactions.
The same can be said about businesses: it doesn’t take long for a potential customer to evaluate a business. A quick glance at their website is more than enough to form an opinion and decide if they’re worth the time and money.
In today’s digital era, websites are usually the first point of contact people have with a business, so it’s extremely important for a business website to make a great first impression.
Most business owners are well aware of this aspect and they realize that good web design is key to starting off on the right foot and winning customers’ hearts. But the work doesn’t stop there.
A website, like every other element of a business, has to be properly maintained in order to stay relevant and keep up with the competition.
And sometimes, a complete website makeover is the only way to stand out from the crowd and gain a competitive edge.
But how can you tell your website requires more than a few tweaks and it’s time for a major facelift? These signs offer an early warning that your site is in urgent need of some serious TLC, so you might want to look out for them.
The last update was ages ago
When was the last time you’ve freshened up your website? If the answer is more than three years ago or if it’s been so long you can’t even remember, you don’t even have to give it a second thought: your website needs a makeover ASAP.
Just like every product or service you put out there, websites also age and they don’t necessarily age gracefully.
A well-maintained site can stay competitive and perform great for longer, but don’t assume it will stay like that forever. Usually, once a website hits the three years old mark, everything starts going downhill.
The technology changes, customers’ expectations change and if you fail to keep up with the progress, you’ll fall behind in the race. Depending on your industry, you might be required to consider redesigning your website more often, so think of this as a guideline and always take into account your specific circumstances.
Your site looks outdated
A website must work like a charm, but it should also catch the customer’s eye. Your website might load at lightning speed and provide a smooth navigation for its users, but if it looks like it’s been stuck in the 90’s, don’t be surprised customers aren’t exactly clamoring to explore it.
Web design and the world of fashion are very similar in that they’re both influenced by trends and there are very few elements that never go out of style.
So, if your website has been wearing the same clothes for too long, chances are it doesn’t look vintage, it only looks old and outdated.
You might want to get up to speed with the latest web design trends if you want to keep your site fresh and attractive.
You don’t check the box for mobile friendliness
Gone are the days when web pages were viewed only on desktop and laptop computers. Mobile devices have claimed supremacy for website traffic long ago and it’s safe to say things won’t change in the future.
This means that having a mobile-friendly or responsive website is no longer an option, but a necessity.
If users can’t access your website because it doesn’t display properly on their smartphones or tablets, they won’t jump on their laptops the next second.
They’ll simply take their business elsewhere and look for a website that doesn’t have these shortcomings. The conclusion is simple: make your site mobile -friendly if you want your visitors to stay and return.
SEO is uncharted territory
If SEO is just another buzzword for you and you don’t really know what it’s all about, you and your website are missing out. There’s no point in building a business website if no one can find it.
The whole idea of having an online presence is to let the world know you exist so that you can reach your target audience and sell your products and services.
That’s exactly what SEO can do for your business – it can improve your website’s rankings in search engine results pages (SERP) and put you in the spotlight.
So, if users have to do some serious digging on search engines to find your business, a SEO makeover is exactly what your site requires.
You’ve outgrown your website
It’s natural for your business to evolve and grow over time. That’s what every business owner hopes for in the end.
If you’ve already reached a few milestones in the development of your company, but your website has remained the same, it’s a clear sign that you’ve got some serious work to do.
Your website should provide the public with a true and fair view of your business and convey your brands’ message clearly, otherwise customers will be confused and your business will come off as unprofessional.
Make sure your site is an accurate reflection of your brand if you want to reach your target audience and win their trust.
Your website is working against you
Sometimes, it’s not just one thing signaling the need for a website redesign. In most cases, there’s a series of red flags that point in this direction.
Maybe your website isn’t attracting enough visitors, maybe bounce rates are increasing while conversion rates are dropping or you’ve been getting negative reviews from users regarding your site’s performance.
All these issues paint the picture of an inefficient website that isn’t doing you any favors and it’s actually working against you. When your website’s overall performance has been on a downward path, the only sensible thing to do is to give your site a serious makeover.
