There was once a time when you could create a few static pages, and you were considered ahead of the times. Then, things evolved, and you needed a working eCommerce site if you wanted to be a step ahead of the competition. Now, things continue to change rapidly in the tech world with a highly competitive online market—you need speed, device adaptation, security, and more.
If you aren’t constantly updating the look and functionality of your site, you are behind.
People are spending more and more time online. This means they are likely to check your website, even if they also visit your physical location or call your company. Regular updates for minor improvements are less jarring and easier for consumers to transition through than the occasional overhaul.
Perhaps you are updating product listings, store hours, or COVID policies on your site regularly and wonder if that is enough. This blog will cover the clear signs that your website has fallen behind the times and needs a facelift sooner rather than later.
6 Signs Your Website Needs an Update
“How do I know if my website needs an update?” We hear this question a lot from clients who feel overwhelmed at the thought of continual improvement. Here are some obvious red flags that you are overdue for an update.
You Believe You’ve Hit a Point Where it’s “Good Enough”
Some business owners get to a place where they think they’ve “arrived.” They view the process as a catch-up game instead of a lifestyle. There will never be a point when your website can just be left alone without getting left in the dust. Highly functional web design takes advantage of all the latest tools and trends to improve your outcomes.
If you think you’ve hit a point where it’s good enough, you still have to consider what the next step is in your game plan. For example, if you are happy with the look and messaging on your site, you should consider improving the speed. Perhaps you need to establish a strong content strategy for a consistent stream of newly indexed pages. Or, you might need to simplify the user experience on certain pages to remove the hurdles and gaps in your funnel towards conversion.
It’s Been Years Since Rebranding
Maybe you’ve never actually changed your logos or design approach—and it shows. Design trends change over time. Even the biggest, most iconic brands make small visual updates to their branding throughout the years. You may sit on a logo for a few years or a decade before you update your look.
This doesn’t have to include creating an entirely new logo. Most companies might make a small change, like removing their logotype so their logo is an emblem—making it better for an app icon or social media profile picture. Or, perhaps the coloring or buttons style on your website could use a refresh. If you aren’t ready to change your logo yet, look for areas in your branding where there is a lack of cohesion and start there.
Your Website isn’t Mobile-Friendly
This is a huge one—most consumers are spending time browsing the internet on their smartphones. If your site isn’t mobile-optimized with responsive design, the screen will be tough to navigate from a phone. This is a pretty simple change, but optimizing your site for mobile means the screen, buttons, and text all shift if the screen size is displayed at a specific ratio.
A mobile-optimized website means users can view your site without a lot of pinching and dragging to try and navigate it. The majority of today’s audience will not stick around and fight through a site that isn’t made to adapt to their phone.
Your Page Speeds are Slow
Google announced in 2020 that it would start penalizing slow sites in the search results. This isn’t because they want to force brands to update, but because they know consumer behavior—and consumers don’t like to wait around for long loading times!
- You can check your page speed through Google for free to see how it scores.
- Then, check your mobile site speed to see how it lines up.
If your pages aren’t loading quickly, you might need to compress your images and video. Slow loading times can also come from coding issues that need to be tightened up.
Your Security is Outdated
Your company can get into a lot of trouble with a breach—including earning a poor reputation from customers. Outdated security measures and tech policies put you at risk for hacking, cyber theft, and ransomware. For example, your data should be encrypted, and your employees should know how to spot possible phishing scams. Cybercriminals are continually changing their attacks, so cyber security must adjust as well.
Not only should you be focused on staying ahead of cybercrime, but you should have backups and an emergency plan on hand. What happens if everything goes down? You can save a lot of lost time and lost money by creating a disaster plan that outlines responses in worst-case scenarios.
Your Bounce Rates are High
Are you tracking your metrics? If not, that is a whole other sign you need to update your strategy. However, if you are looking at your traffic and notice high bounce rates or extremely short visit times, you are looking at a clear sign that something just isn’t resonating with your audience.
They may be bouncing because of long loading times. It could also be that your messaging just doesn’t align with what they initially clicked on in an ad, post or page title. Another possibility is that your site design wasn’t attractive—perhaps your page is too crowded with text or looks difficult to navigate.
Improve Your Site with Regular Maintenance
These are just a few clear signs your site needs a refresher. If you are looking for an experienced team to help you keep up with the times, we can help.
We collaborate with brands to create powerful and cutting-edge websites designed to attract, convince and convert. Reach out today and request a consultation for site update recommendations.
