Getting yourself set up online is a huge achievement. Did you know 1.8 billion people worldwide purchase their products online? It’s the place to be! This is expected to continue rising. So much time and effort goes into building the perfect website for your business. One that reflects your brand style and values, while also showcasing your products in the best light possible. The website is then tested to ensure it is providing the best user experience to your customers. Finally, you hit live!
From that moment, it’s all guns blazing as you focus your marketing efforts to bring those customers to your site. But how long ago was that now? Months? Years? Longer? The truth is, not many businesses stop to think about whether their website might be overdue for an overhaul. They mistakenly believe that once they hit live – that’s that! The problem is, the online world is ever-evolving and you need to ensure your business keeps up with the trend. Here are 6 signs your website is outdated (and due for a little makeover):
Keep your homepage updated
You can’t remember the last time you updated your homepage: the great thing about the internet is that everything is always changing. But it also means your business should be too! Your home page is where customers get the first impression of your business. A modern, up-to-date web design is a must for any company to give the best impression of your business possible. Always look at this from fresh eyes, and maybe even carrying out some market research to see what is working and what isn’t.
Optimise your web page
Not ranking for SEO: if your site has been plugging along for a few years and still isn’t ranking for those main SEO keywords you have gone after, it may be in need of a refresh. Sometimes all it takes is some updated content and some web page optimization, such as meta descriptions, headings and alt tags for images.
Why aren’t customers converting?
You’re not generating new leads: you are running Facebook ads, Google ads, and targeting your ideal audience, but they are coming to your site and dropping off. Why? It means your website isn’t doing it’s job and it’s time to consider your conversion strategies. Perhaps you need to revisit your landing page and see what can be changed. For a little inspiration, you can always head over to your competitors and see what they are doing well.
Check for analytics and speed
Your analytics are dropping: these important numbers can tell you a lot about how your website is performing. Look at your bounce rates and how long people are spending on your site, as these can indicate if things might need a refresh. It could be as simple as writing more content, or improving your site speed. These are small things that can be done that can have a big impact on the functioning of your site. Consider using Google’s PageSpeed Insights to see what areas of your website you can improve on to increase the loading speed.
Is your website compatible?
Make sure your website is responsive on mobile and tablets. More and more users today are accessing websites on their mobile phones and tablet devices. This means if your website hasn’t been updated for mobile, then it needs a refresh! Statistics tell us that 72% of people will only use mobile for internet. This number is huge! If you haven’t already, check how your site works on mobile and if there are any changes that need to be made.
Website images
Product images are out of date: when it comes to selling products, you want to keep the images as fresh as possible. This encourages repeat buyers, who get excited about the product again, and can push people over the line into purchasing. Ensuring your images are always fresh and showcasing your products in different settings will give you the best bet at attracting customers and turning them into buyers.
If you have discovered that your site is due for an update, don’t get scared off. Owning a website is a continual process of improvement. After all, the internet is always changing, which means your business should be too in order to keep up with it. You don’t have to start back at square one. Instead, work with what you have and determine the areas that might need a little adjustment. If you are in need of some help, feel free to get in contact with us today. We know just what it takes to have an effective, up-to-date website for your business and can help you achieve it.