Your website is your business’ most important marketing tool. It’s the first place to start when thinking about marketing, and it’s likely to be the first place where people will engage with you.
A good website clearly reflects who you are, what your business does and what you can offer your potential customers. A good website builds upon your reputation in the industry and establishes you as a relevant part of the market; setting you aside from competitors.
While a good website has many benefits, a poorly made site can have serious consequences. In this article, you’ll learn how to spot the signs that your website might be out of date; how this can impact your business and how you can improve on it.
Signs That Your Website Is Out Of Date
There are several key indicators that your website may be out of date. It’s important to be aware of these signs so that you can make necessary changes before they turn into a bigger issue.
1. Your Pages Load Slowly
No one likes waiting. And that’s just the truth. A slow-loading website may be the result of a few minor issues, or it could be due to a larger problem. Consumers have a thin veil of patience and a slow loading page gives them a good reason to look elsewhere.
It also makes it harder for your website to appear at the top of search engine results (e.g. Google) which lowers the number of organic visitors and traffic to your site.
2. Doesn’t Function The Best On Mobile
A high-quality website that also works well on mobile devices is essential. Over 50% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, and this number will likely continue to rise as the years go by.
Having a website that doesn’t look good or function properly on mobile is a sure sign that your website is out of date. A good website looks attractive across all devices and should work the same way regardless of the screen it’s viewed on.
3. Your Website Simply Looks Old
The fundamentals of a great website may remain the same, but tastes and styles change over time. This can lead to a shift in what is viewed as attractive or desirable from a consumer standpoint. If your website is using an old design that no longer fits with current industry trends, it could be time for an update. You’ll want to have a look at your competitor’s sites as well as others across different industries to see if your website looks as nice as theirs. Make comparisons and see if you notice any differences.
The Importance Of An Up To Date Website
The internet is constantly growing and evolving. Technical requirements, people’s viewing behaviour, and search engine rankings never remain the same for very long. Keeping up with these shifts means regularly monitoring your website if you hope to stay successful and functioning. Some reasons why the quality of a website is crucial for success:
Customers Like To Compare Websites Before Committing
No matter what product or service you offer, potential customers will likely compare this with other competitors before making a final decision. In an increasingly competitive online market, it’s essential to have a website that grabs your visitors’ attention and makes your business stand out in the best way possible.
Customers Interact With Businesses They Trust
Customers seek to build trust in a brand before turning to them to buy a product or service. Contrary to popular belief, this can happen very quickly. It’s the same with rejection – many people say a bad website is the reason they’ll ignore a company after finding them online. Therefore, an unattractive website will make it difficult to gain new customers.
Users Won’t Spend Time Searching For Answers
Many visitors will leave a website if it has a complicated layout and uninspired content. It takes roughly 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion that determines whether they’ll stay or leave. If your website’s layout is too hard to navigate or isn’t visually appealing, customers won’t spend time digging around for the info they were trying to find – they will simply move on.
How A Dated Website Negatively Impacts Your Business
Neglecting to actively manage your website’s overall look and feel can result in many long-term issues. Here are just some of the ways an outdated website can impact your business:
1. Lost Leads
Effective websites make it easy to do business through the use of well-designed landing pages, easy to find buttons, short and relevant contact forms, and links directing them to the most important pages.
Your website is a powerful marketing tool for acquiring new leads, closing sales, and growing your business. If a website fails to address any of these core functions of a successful online presence, then it’s missing its primary objective and should be changed ASAP.
2. Lowers Traffic / Visitors from Search Results
The overall design and content on a website is an important Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) factor and is essential to having your page at the top of search results (e.g. Google). If your website isn’t visible in search engines, you’ll miss potential customers who may not even realise your business exists.
3. Damages Your Reputation
Your business should differentiate itself from other competitors by establishing a reputation for efficiency, reliability and quality work. An outdated website has the opposite effect and will highlight problems. Here are some of the messages a poorly designed website may signal:
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Inefficiency:
Confusing navigation, grammatical errors, and inconsistent style are some of the main markers of inefficiency. If your website is not designed in an easy to use manner, visitors will expect the same from your business.
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Unreliability:
Even something as simple as blurry photos or logos can chase away visitors. If the website is hard to look at and important information isn’t readily available, your business comes across as equally unreliable.
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Security Issues:
An outdated site makes it vulnerable to hacks and other threats. One hack is enough to lose potential customers, not to mention the fines associated with data breaches of client information. This is a significant reputation management concern, so it’s important to keep your site secure with up to date security standards at all times.
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Unresponsiveness:
If contact methods are not considered or personalised, it sends the message that your business is not in tune with its customers and that you might be potentially difficult to get a hold of.
Keep Your Website Up To Date
A poorly made website simply isn’t an option in today’s competitive business environment. Partnering with a professional web designer helps give your business the edge it needs to stand out from the crowd.
At Simple Media, we offer solutions for all your website needs. We pride ourselves on being a quality one-stop-shop for your business – offering branding, website design and development, social media strategy and content creation.
If you’re a new business needing guidance or an industry professional who just wants a fresh new look, we are here to help every step of the way.
We’re here to make it SIMPLE.
Get in touch to learn more about how our services can help your business.
